Grapevine November 6, 2021: Missed the bus?

• Published date: 06 November 2021

The general idea is to make Tel Aviv a more sparkling city than it is already. That means a lot of architectural sacrifices so as to make way for new, modern construction on the site. One of the largest projects of this kind is the South Tel Aviv Central Bus Terminal, which is about to disappear and with it not only numerous commercial outlets with an incredible variety of affordable merchandise but also Little Manila. It is like a home away from home for Filipino caregivers and other members of the Filipino community; African cultural and culinary outlets; and the shtetl library-cum-museum lovingly cared for by Mendy Cahan, founder of Yung Yidish, who for several months has been looking for a new home for the atmospheric, old-world treasure that he and his team so carefully created. An ideal place both culturally and geographically would be a section of the large lobby in the Habimah Theater. The location is relatively easy for people from out of town to get to. It could complement Habimah by having a mini Yiddish cabaret during intermission and a lot of people might prefer a schnapps, a piece of herring, a pickled cucumber, or a plate of cholent to the fare that is served in the Habimah food outlets. But it's doubtful that Habimah would agree.

Yung Yidish has played an extraordinary role in Jewish outreach. Many immigrants from the former Soviet Union are interested in reclaiming their Jewish heritage but not necessarily on a religious level. They have enjoyed the opportunity to browse through Yiddish literature, learning Yiddish songs and embracing a culture that refuses to die no matter how many obituaries to which it has been subjected.

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Cahan, who is himself a singer and storyteller with an engaging personality, has helped to make that happen. In addition, the Yiddish books and periodicals which he has amassed over the years are, in some cases, worthy of being placed in the ethnic section of a museum.

Putting aside for the moment the hundreds of people who will temporarily or permanently lose their livelihoods and the people who may suffer emotionally and psychologically with the disappearance of their cultural and social anchors, where is there consideration for the tens of thousands of passengers who pass through the Central Bus Terminal on a daily basis?

The old Central Bus Terminal, which is within easy walking...