160th Street Store – Tel Aviv, Israel

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My city is changing. Day and night, as I walk along the streets of Tel Aviv, I see more and more homeless people: sleeping on benches, huddled in corners with a small bundle of their belongings, rummaging for deposit bottles or something to eat. What has driven them out on the street? Is it the deteriorating economic situation, the growing gap between the tower dwellers, cafe crowds, and those who have to struggle to find a job with a livable wage? Is it because the social welfare system does not have the means to cope with those who cannot, if only temporarily, maintain their independence due to physical or psychological disability, drug or alcohol dependency? Whatever the reasons, homelessness is a reality for a growing number of people in Tel Aviv. The coins offered here and there may assuage the conscience for a moment, but the question still remains: what can be done to help?

There is no one answer, and there are several initiatives and organizations that try to address this issue. One exciting new initiative is Street Store – Tel Aviv, an open air event that will take place on Friday, March 13, 2015 from 9:00 – 14:00 on Sderot Ben Tsiyon.

What is Street Store? It’s a pop-up clothing and food store for the homeless, where all merchandise is donated and made available for free, with the added fun of a shopping experience, where people can browse through the offerings, choose what they fancy, stop for a cup of coffee and conversation and even get a haircut for a new look!

What can we do to get involved and help?
1. Donate: clothes, shoes, bags, blankets, sleeping bags, etc.
2. Provide your services on the day: hairdressers, barbers, DJs, manicurists, masseuses, etc.
3. Provide your services in advance: offer printing services for advertising posters & event, materials/ lend folding tables, clothes racks & full length mirrors.
4. Prepare food for the day for the ‘Street Store Cafe’; biscuits, cakes, snacks, tea & coffee.
5. Volunteer on the day/ in the lead up to Street Store.
6. Come on the day: Hang up & hang out.
7. Spread the word, share, like, invite all your friends, tell all your colleagues.

Advanced donations can be delivered to 11 Nahum Hanavi St, Tel Aviv (Wispa office) off Nordau St near Hayarkon St. If you want to volunteer, or have questions, please write to: thestreetstoretlv@gmail.com.

The Street Store originated in Cape Town, South Africa and once the first event took place, the idea soon spread world-wide. Now Tel Aviv will join the fun, sharing what we have with others on a Friday morning with friends, food and music.

160th Street Store – Tel Aviv is the initiative of Sharon Kirschner and Natalie Seeff. Sharon moved to Israel 3 years ago from Melbourne, Australia. She is a psychologist & actress (her solo comedy-cabaret show is excellent!) who has worked and volunteered with homeless and socially isolated communities for over 10 years both in Australia (St Kilda Drop-In Centre) and Israel (ELEM). Natalie is originally from London, but has been living in Tel Aviv for the past five and a half years. She is a lawyer, and has worked with children, the vulnerable and the needy both in the UK as an interpreter for the Home Office, and on various literacy projects, as well as in Africa with orphans.

Useful Links:

160th Street Store – Tel Aviv, Israel facebook page

Street Store website, facebook page

Give & Take – organizes events in Tel Aviv for bartering clothing and other items, and donates to the homeless. Follow their facebook page for notification of upcoming events.

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