Leaving the country becomes attractive
“I sold all my belongings, and began to wander”
Sapphire Thierry
Rented in Tel Aviv
30 years old, industrial and management engineer, single
“I grew up in a moshav in the center of the country, I lived in Be’er Sheva, and about a year ago I moved to Tel Aviv to experience the city,” says Sapir Thierry. “I rented a 2.5-room apartment in the old north, near the Yarkon, but after eight months the landlord decided to increase the rent from NIS 5,800 to NIS 6,200. “Unexpected. I told him it was not acceptable to me, and he replied, ‘You work in high-tech, you can afford it.’
What did you do?
“I made a quick decision – that I was going digital digging. I posted all my belongings on Facebook, they were sold out within a few hours, and I set off.”
A sharp change.
“I always liked to travel, but when I signed the contract in Tel Aviv I hoped to stay in the apartment for two or three years, I did not intend to wander. I love Tel Aviv, it is charming, but in my eyes it is already a city without justification, not worth the prices.”
So where are you now?
“Now I’m in Sublet in London, and I’ve been to Costa Rica, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, then I wanted some sun so I jumped to Greece for a month, from there to London, and in the summer I’ll be in Berlin and Portugal. I keep working, I’m independent in information systems, and I visit “In the country, I meet my friends and family, and move on. It’s a lifestyle that educates for minimalism – you have a suitcase, a laptop, and that’s it. It’s nice.”
Cheaper to live like this?
“A lot more. The accommodation, the groceries – I cook for myself. And sometimes I teach some yoga, sometimes I keep an apartment in exchange for caring for dogs or cats. I have friends from all over the world, and I enjoy traveling. But I miss people.”
What does the Tel Aviv housing market look like after leaving?
“The feeling is that a lot of good people are leaving and the city remains a very specific population, only one that earns well above average or those who already have apartments. And it’s sad. I see my friends and it pinches me. There are those who will stay in Tel Aviv, “People who are looking for more work to finance an increase in rent. But for me time is the most expensive thing there is, and if I have to work long hours to live in a city I can not enjoy because I work all day – it’s less suitable for me.”