Tel Aviv and the Conspicuity of Celebrity

One Saturday morning about a week ago, Na'ama and I were taking a quick walk up the boulevard to the neighborhood grocery store. Once we turned the corner, she informed me that we had just passed Yitzhak Rabin's granddaughter sitting at one of the outdoor cafes.

Apparently, Yitzhak Rabin's granddaughter is in her early 30s and is married with kids, and nearly everyone knows what she looks like, ala Chelsea Clinton. That she would be out on Saturday for breakfast at a trendy street-side cafe isn't surprising. However, what is surprising is how often it's possible to run into nationally famous figures in Tel Aviv; this was the latest in a series of sightings. Some others:

(sitting at dinner at an inexpensive cafe): "Oh, my god. Don't look now, but my favorite op-ed columnist is having coffee at the table over your left shoulder."

I look over my shoulder. Gideon Levy, with his weathered face and Clint Eastwood-like squint is having a cigarette and talking with his dinner companion at a two-person table. I recognize him from his byline picture.

"Why don't you go say how you love his work?"

"I can't do that! He'll think I'm an idiot!"

(Walking down the street back from a late-night movie): "See that guy in the white shirt and flip-flops? He's the head judge on the Israeli version of American Idol." Isra-Simon is talking animatedly on a cell phone by himself, standing next to a park bench.

(Driving up a side street en route to the freeway on a Saturday morning, slowing for a crossing pedestrian): "By the way, the guy who's crossing the street in front of us was a really famous Israeli rock star in the '70s. Now he's really slowed down; that's his wife and kid."

Statistically, all of this is probable. Tel Aviv has only 393,000 people, and it's the cultural center of the Israeli world. Furthermore, these blocks lie in the heart of the city. What's most surprising is the casual nature of each of these celebrities; no entourage, no fancy car, no exclusive table, just flip-flops and an occasional companion. I guess if the world is small enough, the rush of celebrity status isn't as reality-bending.

The best one of all: last week, Na'ama walks down King George St. on the way home from work, and comes up from behind on a handful of guys, one of whom is small and elderly but walking at a fast clip, talking with the others. She instantly recognizes him as former prime minister and current president of Israel Shimon Peres.

"And I love Shimon Peres! And he's walking around so quickly for an elderly man! But the problem is that he's surrounded by his guards, so I couldn't approach him to say hello. Even worse, he's walking directly on my route home, so now it looks like I'm following them! And one of the guards looks over his shoulder at me, and keeps walking, and looks again, then talks to the others, and so I finally switch to the other side of the street, and when they finally pass my street I turn up the block, and one of the guards gives me a last look . . . and I mean, you can't really blame them, because it's Shimon Peres, but how cool to see the President...!"