A short story by Yitzhak Toito, author of "Collecting Gifts from the Floor" and "Hatzalat Shout" which won praise and the audience's sympathy
They are relevant, the ticket on them is not
With blood sweat and tears I found a parking lot near the eight train station,
And come on, to the time of the tour that I allotted for myself.
Tour in those days at this time.
There is no way I will go to Haifa Bay and not go in the direction
Downtown, even if it's not on the way.
There is no such movie.
I was on my way to the bay to buy bottles that I was missing
To fill the wine I make in my family boutique winery
And it's a great opportunity to go downtown.
Because as you know, to wander in your adulthood in the streets of your childhood,
There are special tastes and smells. at least for me
(And you don't?)
I walked on Hatzamtu street.
I passed a shop 'golf' Fancy, not sure she knew
Because before her there was the mythical store here 'Ata'.
I stopped for a minute opposite 'Zinyuk Michelin'.
Can't believe they're still here. type of institution.
As a child, I looked through the shop window at the fishing rods, fishing rods,
In the balls and other countless details of sports equipment that were not there
relevant to me. Not because I didn't want or like them,
But because of the price tag attached to them.
They were very relevant, the price - not.
Half a man (dwarf) in the red zone
At the big intersection, Palmer Gate, I decided to move to the other side
of the road so as not to reach the red zone.
Because there, later on, was the cart borax and the watch shop
of Rechtman.
This is the shop with half the man, without batting an eyelid
Could also sell you half a watch.
Depends on how he gets up in the morning.
And this compound is a dangerous nostalgic bomb
which could have created a lump in my throat
that could easily suffocate me.
red area danger.
What is danger? Imagine the skull with the X on it.
Let me clarify.
If, theoretically, there was a major in the university
של 'nostalgic cuddling', the university administration was
Apparently, she appointed me the director of the major. Yes, to that extent.
But this is all theoretical, yes?
So I crossed the road to the other side. Don't want to suffocate.
Upgraded Turkish
instead of the bookstore 'Stimecki' It has a bookstore next door
are used. Not a very inviting place.
The store looked dusty and shabby. The books too. Also the seller.
(Don't look for him, he hasn't been there for a long time)
I continued towards the Turkish market.
Nothing reminds me of the one that was here a few decades ago.
The market, which once could easily fit into any shabby neighborhood
In Bangladesh, today looks like a luxury entertainment area in Paris.
no less.
As if the market of the past took responsibility for its future and wages
Contemporary fashion designer.
The narrow alleys have become small and well-kept streets
which were decorated with magnificent wall paintings.
Cafes and bars, replaced the old shops, and in the air
A new and inviting spirit was felt, despite the unconventional hour.
What is an unconventional hour in this area?
before nine in the morning.
In the morning, relatively early, the movement of people
The crowd was somewhat sleepy, and the cafes seemed busy
of morning yawns.
Later in the day, when the lunch diners arrive and towards the evening
The different types of revelers, the alleys will be full of activity, music
and a good atmosphere.
I stopped in the middle of the market.
I looked intently at the tall old building to my right.
at the end of its narrow and claustrophobic stairs,
On the top floor there used to be an active synagogue.
It was boasted as the Thessaloniki Synagogue.
The little brother of that one, the central one, on Allenby Street.
The collector and the living spirit was the Redeemer Shem Tov.
A wonderful name that fit like a glove for the special person he was.
Despite the Thessaloniki atmosphere, the synagogue cantor was
Eliyahu Biton, born in Morocco, who prayed and read the Torah according to the text
A Jerusalemite Sephardi, as the Thessalonikians liked.
Eliyahu is a pleasant, sympathetic and smiling person who, when he spoke to you, you felt
As if he hugs you with love.
He was blessed with a clear and pleasant voice, and in the reading of the Torah, when he arrived
For one of the reasons to extend it would cost so much
Tall and strong I had no doubt, his mesmerizing voice added a lot
Taste and vitality to the vegetables in the market stalls below us.
And maybe that's why the Turkish market vegetables were always expensive
From those in Talpiot market.
Well, it turns out I've started drifting into red territory.
I crossed the Paris square as I send a crooked eye to one of the corners.
to the permanent place of Haim Hattz.
This is the homeless guy who used to crash into cars to win a clean bed
And a hot meal at the hospital and some insurance premiums.
Haim was not really his name, but a name that I made up for him
between me and myself
(But it's a special story, and for those interested, scroll back a few stories, or just enter the link in the name of the story:Haim Hattz') -
other days
Instead of going up through Maronite Alley and landing at Shivet Zion,
I turned right, and made a detour to reach the beginning of Shibat Zion
in his encounter with Sderot Maginim.
I stood with my back to the main branch of Bank Leumi
And with the face in the direction of Shibat Zion.
Before I even walked the first meter up the street, they started
The images will float by themselves.
Pictures that are several decades old.
The cafe owner who sold more desert than coffee. ankle
With his huge mustache, eternal smile and eyes full of love,
For everything - for the sun, for the people and especially for the tribe.
The backgammon players are on the table in the square next to him.
I remember two in particular. A full cup of coffee next to them
And a renegade cup, usually empty, but not for long.
The irons in front of the nape of the neck, my friend's iron throne.
(And is an amazing and fascinating story in itself
and appears in the book - 'whiplash').
Opposite, the French tailor who had probably never been to France.
In Morocco - more likely. Tsarfokai
Even at the top the pictures are already yellowing.
Photos approaching their anniversary celebrations.
Memories of difficult days.
Days when the thought that occupied you from the moment you got up in the morning
And until the moment you retired to sleep for the night there was survival.
Days when you walked to most places.
For the really far places, you waited for the bus and prayed it wouldn't
will pass you by without stopping at the station because it is full. Even while standing.
Days when to get hot water for a shower, you had to heat it
Pot on the gas, take it to the shower, mix it with cold water
until you have reached the temperature that suits you and then, with a smaller vessel, take
from the water and pour on yourself.
And there was also, of course, the simpler option - to bathe in cold water.
days when in the winter, when you heard the bell of the oil wagon,
You had to fly fast with empty jerry cans and come back with them,
One in each hand, limping and measuring because of their weight, just to feed
the "Friedman" type heaters, to warm up somehow.
A period when you shake hands to conclude a matter, it is like signing a contract
in the status of an expanded composition of the Supreme Court.
days when he was nicknamed "My brother"Only those who really deserved it
And not any sales agent who tries to sell you something that is never
There was no buyer.
There is probably a reason for our obsession with the past.
True, those were not easy days, but powerful.
Ones that leave a mark.
And maybe, it's nothing more than the mighty power of nostalgia. Maybe.
The skull with the X on it flashed by itself -
obvious and immediate danger.
I felt the lump of nostalgia take an elevator up my throat.
If the cuddling lump reaches the end I'm in danger of suffocation.
Luckily for me, he got on the Shabbat elevator.
By the time he arrives, I'll be out of the red zone.
And I haven't started the march in Zion - Stanton yet.
And some probably forgot the "butterfly" shoes at the Herzl junction of the Ora stairs; Every smurf could buy shoes with any school's symbol on them. The store belonged to the uncle of my friend at the time, whose name was Shlomo Getzler. They knew how to treat every child
I would love to know: where is Shlomo Getzler today. And where there are lovely shops like today. Shlomo - I'm Dobi Lerner. 0507461143. If you came across the number - I would be happy if you would contact me. in my life
Did you find parking on the eight train and walk to Shibat Zion? Isn't it easier to enter one of the parking lots in the area?
The whole idea is to walk through the alleys and soak up the air
and remember Nostalgia for me is a need. Probably.
By the way, the half man. Aka Zion the dwarf who was a grumpy and funny watchmaker. Kind of an entertainer. They would lift him on the shoulder. And he is from the Carmel Castle in general. The pub was a disused train car. and converted into a pub. At the end of the Palmer gate which belonged to Jacob for years. Talking about the 80s. Late towards 90. I was a girl. And we would hang out there. Who remembers Arya the photographer? I still meet him today. Was right next to the pub at Palmer Gate. Wow, going back years is really fun with the nostalgia
The most painful thing is to see the neighborhood of Stanton named that way. Because of Sir Stanton. And there they made the movie Lord Leon. It's a shame they destroyed the mythological buildings. And they didn't keep like in Europe. Today they are trying to rehabilitate and build new houses after a mob destroyed the wall of former mayor Yona Yahav. Turkish ham. and the theater. Really heartache. Every year there was a circus in the compound of the Kiryat Government. And an amusement park. I remember as a child. We were waiting for it. Every time you pass through the Stanton neighborhood, your heart sinks.
Sherry, at the end of this coming week I will arrive at the Zion retreat - Stanton.
I believe you will like it.
In the first building of Shibat Zion between the defenders lived Berry Simon. The mythological belly dancer. Hello, this is Broria Ben Simon. I think she was married to Ullman who was murdered. I was really a little girl. Because my friend was her neighbor in the same building. And some other girls from my class. You wrote things with memories that came to my mind. My sister used to live in the lower city, Inner Street, when I was in Independence. All the "models" would stand there at night. And the one who understands will understand
An exciting article, but in my opinion this is only the first chapter out of dozens of such chapters that could be written and perhaps even made into a movie/series about Haifa in the first years of the state... Parking lots, institutions, beaches, harbors, colorful types, the falafel parking lots on Halutz Street, the movie theaters in the city of the square near the post office The main one is the Carriage House and the area, the construction of Kiryat Haim in the west in the sand area bordering the beach of the Haifa Bay ………… and lots and lots more ………… a history of 70 years (for me at least). I wish he would find someone who can sing a glove and be able to make a movie/series about the period for the sake of our grandchildren. I will always be happy to help in providing childhood memories and experiences from a lifetime.
hi man What you say exists in the book 'Collecting Gifts from the Floor' which is a book whose plot takes place on the streets of Haifa.
Along the way, you get to know the colorful characters of the past, the behavior, the language, and all the things that the younger generation will not be able to understand.
A childhood memory with a new reality of lots of fear and violence in the city of Haifa - at the bottom
A matter-of-fact article hurts and causes identification and longing
dedicates the lyrics of the song
Haifa, Haifa
A city with a bottom
oh oh oh
Haifa, Haifa
A city with a future
oh oh oh
Haifa, Haifa
A real city
oh oh oh
What a beauty
You travel marvelously in the regions of my childhood.
I just see a tweet and immediately drop everything and read you.
Just don't stop.
Thanks Deb. Exciting to know
I live in Carmel Castle but always when asked outside of Haifa and Tira
I always said I was from Haifa, because we spent all of our time in Haifa.
And everything you wrote and the responses you received are well known to me.
from the city's sailors. and the irons of Armon. and the club committee of
Carmel center. What a beautiful childhood we had.
Amazing...you took me back 40 years or more...where are the days when we walked around the Turkish market and the smell of Gecko's fish..flying in the air...the vendors along Independence Square...trying to sell Malboro...and Adidas shoes...and for dessert we sat at the legendary patisserie instead of today's Saroo...the active Banks Square...you played it
Have fun, father, have fun
Half the people were called Zion
Thanks for the journey through the tunnels of time
Right, now that you mention it. Still quite a few years
A beautiful story, in which everyone can find a private childhood memory, even if they are not Haifai
Fun to read as always
Thanks Shimon
Dear Yitzhak, I will start by apologizing that I haven't had the chance to respond for several weeks and for that I apologize, a person who writes so movingly deserves attention and you also always respond pleasantly.
There is Nostalgia Radio (recommended) and you are very nostalgic. Continue to excite us
I am 81 years old today
I was born into a Thessaloniki family that lived in the old center even before there was a Turkish market
Knows every stone there and is full of memories
I would love to share them with you
Shabbat Shalom to all
Do you recognize or know about the teacher Yitzchak with a pack of newspapers who was very reluctant to cross a road and mostly walked around Sirkin Street?
We called him "Crazy Isaac". He really gathered children, a bundle of newspapers under his arm and a tattered coat around his body, and gave them an impromptu lesson in mathematics and the like. Late fifties, early sixties.
The central Mishbir, jeans at the sailors, the flea market, Wadi Saliv, Khalisa, Haifa Mizrah train station, Hadar cinema, and many, many more smells and memories..
It's time to come together for everyone who is nostalgic for Haifa
flows in his veins...
✔
You moved me. In the words of the writer Tschernihovsky (who was once taught in high school in literature classes) "Man is the pattern of his native landscape." Well done. When
Thank you very much Mati.🙏🏻
You also forgot to mention Gabi Baliti, the beer spring, Shalom the tailor who worked in the Turkish market, Bourguiba, whom I worked for at the age of 16, Eli Vakanin, the bar, Maman, and all kinds of charming sellers from the Turkish market, and also the late Charlie the money changer
Wow, what a great article 💚💚 Brings back memories of days that were and are not, nostalgia at its best. Thank you, dear Yitzchak. Happy and blessed Sabbath 💘
Thank you Hanit 🌹 Have a quiet and blessed Shabbat.
Giant !
Thanks Gabi. 😎
It's very exciting that you took me back 50 years, indeed Haifa has changed its face.
If you moved from Independence Street to Paris Square, there is Svidan among the hematological shops in the lower city
Right. Many are mentioned in other articles.
Thank you very much,, but there are many other places that I remember from the area, such as a store in Siphonlux at the corner of the banks of the shields. Like all the dollar changers on Sara Street, the Dubek warehouse is in the corner of the Magimin. And to this day, there is the legendary store of the magfer shoes, its name is Barzilai Shoes. and so….
Thank you Judith.
True, there are many more, but if we write and mention them all, do you have any idea how long the article will end up?
Your writing is exciting with a lot of pure nostalgia
Thank you very much Eddie. estimator
You forgot the basta for watermelons in Paris Square, taxis to Nazareth and the one who calls to Nazareth all day and never gets tired. You forgot the shed of the pepper leaves and the mythological Abu Yosef and the bastas on the seamen's Independence Street and many other things
Believe me I haven't forgotten, but if we mention every corner of our childhood here, you'll get something the length of the Great Wall of China.
Everything is impossible ♂️ 🤷
You moved me, and brought me back to the beautiful and humble days of my childhood.
I am the son of a Mysloniki holocaust survivor.
And every word you wrote is true.
Thanks
exciting. Thank you Yehuda and have a peaceful and blessed Shabbat Shalom
Thanks
Remembrance
👍
You mentioned Ziniuk and Rechtman watches and I immediately went back 60 years to my childhood memories. And what about the cinema in the lower city and the ice cream next door? And what about the area of Shukri Stairs, I think there are about 177 stairs that connect from the lower city upwards to HaShomer Street? We were not lazy to go up and down several times a day.
👍
Wow. Well done
You took me back 55 years.
When I'm actually a bachelor but I'm very much in love with my girlfriend and my wife for 55 years.
Her late parents lived in the building that stands with the "Spitz" on Maale Shiharor and Maginim St.
How does Yehoram Gaon sing?
So where ? where? Those days
Thanks Menasha.
Wait until next week, there's a chance we'll mention this building later on in our nostalgic tour
Wow, what a great article 💚💚 Brings back memories of days that were and are not, nostalgia at its best. Thank you, dear Yitzchak. Happy and blessed Sabbath 💘
Send greetings to Saib Salaam, may Allah have mercy on him
Itzik Amo is always moving with your beautiful writing.
I am a proud Haifaite, and you reminded me of beautiful things
Magical youth I had in the lower city.
Borax Aga, Ziniuk and also Rachtman watches.
Thank you . I will continue to follow the stories
your beauties
Thank you.
Thank you very much Shlomit... I was moved.💖
Beautiful and interesting article.
I lived there while I was applying.
A short and fascinating story from a classmate (1st and 2nd)...Nissim Deloya. Shapo Itzik!
Hi, miracles. How are you?
This short line you wrote is also a piece of nostalgia. at least for me.
City of my childhood, lots of emotion and nostalgia!!!
Yes indeed. 👍
As the son of the underground man Etzal and Lahi who fought for the liberation of this city and knew everything about these treacherous alleys of the old city where the fighters, both the informers and the British police officers, were ambushed, you indeed raised a lump in my throat, it is worth remembering that in these alleys also walked stubborn and rigid men that what was shown in the windows It was not at the top of their minds at that time and all they saw in front of their eyes was the liberation of the city and the perpetuation of freedom in their hearts. Of course, immediately after the establishment of the state, many boarded the ships in the port to escape from the corrupt government of Ben Gurion and his gang, but that's another story.
The details you mentioned are interesting, but I'm too young to know them.
There is no doubt that they are worth an article on their own.
can you expand
I don't know such a story
Atonement for Johi, still there
🤷♀️
The "watch store" you wrote was Rachtman's (not Reichman)
correct. right