Sderot's culinary reawakening
The culinary and nightlife scene in the southern city has taken off over the past year thanks the stable security situation in the wake of Operation Protective Edge. Young entrepreneurs have taken it upon themselves to breathe new life into their city.
These restaurants and bars aren’t owned by any chains or part of any government program; they're simply initiatives by young people in their 20s and 30s who love to cook and want to re-vitalize their city.
One after the other, these little businesses popped up and filled up the city center, which was almost a ghost town before their arrival. Now, it's hard to recognize the place; during the day, the restaurants are filled with diners, while during the night the bars are packed to the brim.
The schnitzels and soups of "Meital's Schnitzeleria" have become a legend in the city, while the special shakshuka from "Sderot Pub" is being devoured alongside beer that is being gulped down. The delicious sandwiches from "TakeORon" are delectable, while people wait in line to eat at "Red Burger," and delicious smells are emanating from "Pasta v'Zehu."
Every one of these young business owners has something unique to offer, but they all worry about the same thing: the security situation. Despite their concerns, these business owners decided to go all out and open their eateries in a city more known for Qassam rocket attacks than shakshuka. And that's not enough: They all dream of organizing a food festival in Sderot.
"There's a culinary awakening the likes of which we haven't had since this city was founded," said Moti Cohen, 27, owner of Red Burger. Born in Safed, he first came to Sderot to study at Sapir College in the city. He fell in love with it, and decided to stay.
"There's always this fear that the rockets start falling again, and we'll have to close our doors," he continued, "but so far, since Operation Protective Edge, everything has been fine. We work hard, our customer base is growing, and this makes us happy. We pray every day that everything stays quiet."
Idan Kadosh, 30, and owner of Pasta v'Zehu, is also a transplant to the city. Originally from Dimona, he also came to Sderot as a student and fell in love with the city.
"I have no doubt that I've made a good investment, especially given the rapid development Sderot has gone through over the last several years," he explained. "I see growth in the population of the city in the long term. In any case, it's easier to run a business in Sderot than anywhere else in the country. Rent, for instance, is very cheap."
He attributes the success of his business to the fact that his is the only restaurant in the city specializing in pasta. "We succeeded in finding a very unique niche."
Meanwhile, Meital Trableisi and her husband Yogev, owners of Meital's Schnitzleria, were born and raised in Sderot. They cater to everyone in the area – Sderot residents, students from Sapir College, and even people from the kibbutzim in the area come to them.
"We make fresh home-style food, and that’s what people are looking for," Meital, 34, says.
"People come up to me and tell me 'wow, you're so brave for opening a business in Sderot,'" Meital continues. "But for me, it's natural – I love my city and I love to cook, so it's a win-win situation for me. There is always a danger of a flare up, but I believe that the quiet is here to stay."
At night, the area is filled with young people thanks to three bars that opened right next to each other: Sderot Pub, Ze b'Sderot, and Lebobski.
Chen Vankin, 25, owner of Ze b'Sderot, is originally from Ashdod but came to Sderot to study and never left. He explains that "here in Sderot there's a great atmosphere, a great group of young people - all salt of the earth people who love the area and want to have fun. We have special cultural evenings that include poetry readings and meet and greets with musicians from around Israel, famous people and even Knesset members."
What about the security situation?
"There's a large community of young people in Sderot and its environs who just want a place to have fun, and to be honest, it doesn't matter to us if Qassams are falling or not," Vankin replies.
"We're happy with every day of quiet we have, and give thanks for every night which ends with fun, good people, and good beer."
