Published Articles

Originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post, December 19, 2025

Daddy Daily Deli (est. 1979) cites New York’s Katz’s Deli as inspiration. The menu is as diverse as its clientele. Customers can purchase an assortment of meat and vegetarian options.

The new eatery in Tel Aviv’s quaint Basel Square – Daddy Daily Deli (est. 1979) – cites New York’s Katz’s Deli as inspiration. However, there are no drying salamis, no baskets filled with rye bread, and no fresh coleslaw. Deli it is not, even though there is an offering of deli sandwiches. But it is an upscale gourmet shop with items at an impressive price point.

A treasure trove of carefully prepared fresh dishes rotates daily. The tremendous range of items – from home-style and traditional to internationally inspired – are prepared each morning in an Acre plant and transported to Tel Aviv, where they adorn the immaculately clean glass case at the front of the store, and line the refrigerated shelves and the frozen food case.

Welcome to Daddy, a collaborative venture of the Malka family, one of Israel’s leaders in cooking kitchens, and culinary entrepreneur Nadav Neeman, who is responsible for the business vision.

Daddy is so many things at once, with something for everyone. Customers can purchase an assortment of meat and vegetarian options to eat on-site outside (an enclosed area will be constructed soon for the colder weather), take home, or (very soon) have delivered by Wolt.

WOLT FOOD delivery drivers in Tel Aviv. (credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)

A few highlights from my visit included fish balls (NIS 15 per 100 gr.); chicken meatballs (NIS 12.50); three types of schnitzel (NIS 12.50); sliced brisket (NIS 20); roast turkey (NIS 16); chestnut squash (NIS 9); arook (potato) latkes (NIS 9.50); egg salad (NIS 9.80); and vegetarian kubbeh.

Prepackaged meals for one or two in the refrigerated case include items such as quinoa (NIS 24 for 300 gr.); grilled chicken (NIS 40 for 300 gr.); chicken pancakes (NIS 38 for 300 gr.); and noodles with vegetables (NIS 28 for 400 gr.).

Freezer items include phyllo dough chicken (NIS 50 for 400 gr.); fish fingers in panko (NIS 65 for 500 gr.); and their signature chorizo hot dogs (NIS 79 for 690 gr.).

The menu is as diverse as its clientele.

On a warm Sunday morning, as I awaited my food, two elderly women with caretakers arrived. Both women said that they had been there nearly daily since the store’s opening in early November. A mother mentioned that her two-year-old in the stroller, a picky eater had ordered her to get “ketzitzot she’yeladim ohev” (“kebabs children love”) and sugar-free “mitz shel yeladim” (“children’s juice boxes ”).

Daddy accepts Cibus vouchers for the lunch crowd and offers a set lunch menu: main course, two sides, and a small salad (NIS 55). There is also a children’s set lunch special (NIS 35).

My dining partner and I sampled a little bit of everything.

The bean soup was hot and well seasoned (NIS 5 for 100 ml.); had we come another day, we might have experienced another of the five soups they serve in the rotation, such as harissa, orange vegetables, and pea.

Couscous pride

Our waiter was particularly proud of the homemade couscous (NIS 5.50) with special sauce (NIS 7.50), which takes three hours to prepare, as well as the spicy red-colored merguez sausage, one of five types of sausages they make.

The brisket was lean and thinly sliced, accompanied by roasted potato boats (NIS 6.20). My dining companion, who is a connoisseur of mafrum (a Libyan meat and potato dish), found it to be among the best she’s tasted (NIS 11).

For the vegetarian crowd, Lee – the store manager – insists that even meat eaters would have a hard time telling that Daddy’s vegetarian shwarma wasn’t “the real thing.”

On Thursdays, Daddy carries cholent, kugel, Vishnitz challah, and just about anything a family who doesn’t want to cook for Shabbat dinner or lunch might need.

If you are invited as a Shabbat or weekday guest, you can find all kinds of host gifts, such as fancy olive oil from Pinchas Farm; Noam Tor honey; Shulman chocolate; sauces (BBQ, chili mango); and jellies, cookies, and coffee beans.

Oddly, Daddy offers packaged cheeses – unusual for a kosher gourmet meat store. The manager assured us that it is permitted, as it the packages are sealed. We will save the purchase of various cheeses from Gvinage at Rom Farm for another time – though the Galil Gouda and Pecorino Galil caught our attention.

As we prepared to leave this great new spot, I realized I was so taken by the range of selections that I had overlooked an important fact – that Daddy indeed serves juicy Katz Deli-style sandwiches, such as thick slices (200 gr.) of brisket or turkey with house sauces, soft bread, and pickles, with crispy fries on the side. There is truly something for everyone at Daddy.

Daddy Daily Deli

40 Basel St.

Tel Aviv

Tel: (03) 544-5445

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Friday and holiday eves, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

daddydeli.co.il

Kashrut: Tel Aviv Rabbinate

The writer was a guest of the restaurant.

Read more

Originally appeared in Jewish News Syndicate, December 11, 2025

The goal, Rabbi Shlomo Gestetner told JNS, is to cultivate “Jewish leaders of the future.”

Drivers slowed along Sderot Ben Tzvi on Monday afternoon, curious about the crowds spilling onto the roadway outside a gleaming new building draped in red banners. Moments later, major donors Igor Tulchinsky and Yitzchak Mirilashvili joined leading Chabad rabbis from around the world in cutting a ceremonial ribbon, officially dedicating the Mayanot World Center—a $20 million campus that will serve as the new home of the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies.

For Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, Mayanot’s executive director, and Rabbi Shlomo Gestetner, the institution’s dean, the moment was the fulfillment of a decades-long vision.

“Mayanot was established to give young adults the ability to come to Israel and Jerusalem to study about Jewish heritage and become knowledgeable Jews with a strong identity,” Gestetner told JNS. The goal, he said, is to cultivate “Jewish leaders of the future.”

In the same conversation, Shemtov emphasized Mayanot’s focus on identity-building. “Many go back to their communities and the world—as the Rebbe wanted—to become leaders with the passion and the gift that keeps giving,” he said. “They integrate into their communities, businesses and families, who see the excitement which they take to the masses and inspire.”

A dream come true’

Hundreds of guests filled the campus courtyard for the first of two receptions following the dedication of the executive offices and learning centers. Three current students—Mayer Weiss, Ari Kuptchik and Meir Solomon—shared their enthusiasm for the program.

“I like the way they run it and the great programs,” said Weiss, 18, of Miami. Kuptchik, also 18, called the experience “eye-opening,” adding, “They really push things forward.” Solomon, 18, from Los Angeles, who grew up in a Modern Orthodox family with Chabad roots, said he came to deepen his understanding of Chasidut. All three plan to attend college or start work after their year of study.

The new campus will significantly expand Mayanot’s capacity. In the past year alone, more than 400 students from 16 countries and 94 universities took part in 85 weekly classes, with thousands more accessing online learning. The upgraded facility will allow for immersive study programs, Israel-advocacy seminars, educational tours, internships and volunteer opportunities.

Shemtov believes the center will fill a crucial gap for young Jews seeking continued learning after programs like Birthright Israel. “What happens on day 11?” he asked. “We can facilitate for those who want a deeper look into Israel and their heritage—to take it to the next level.”

A state-of-the-art home for Torah

Both Shemtov and Gestetner highlighted that all of this takes place in a modern, beautifully designed space. “Many people feel that studying in a beit midrash means compromising—of food and physical place,” Shemtov said. “Here is one of the most gorgeous yeshivas. The upgraded, state-of-the-art building goes with the vision of the Rebbe, who wanted to transform the world for holier and better purposes.”

Guests touring the facility shared that sense of awe. Davida Zimble of Boston and Rechavia admired the gym, mikvah and dining hall housed in the renovated structure, built atop the former Vaisra Itzhak Assisted Living Facility. “A place of Jewish learning doesn’t have to be decrepit!” she quipped.

The World Center features a spacious Beit Midrash, rooftop event space overlooking Jerusalem, dormitories with kitchenettes, a meditation garden, and a dedicated Lone Soldier Center supporting IDF service members.

As the sun set, guests gathered for a mincha prayer service and a rooftop reception accompanied by live music, celebrating the launch of a campus aimed at shaping Jewish life for decades to come.

“As Jews face unprecedented challenges worldwide—from college campuses to small town America—Mayanot empowers the next generation with Jewish pride, confidence and clarity of purpose,” said Yaakov Cohen, chairman of the board.

Read more

Originally appeared in Jewish News Syndicate, December 12 2025

While many people use artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT to write papers, pick movies or streamline business tasks, Israel’s medical community is pushing AI far beyond convenience.

At Tel Aviv University this week, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors demonstrated how AI is already being used to make complex clinical decisions—and, in some cases, save lives.

The Fifth Annual IDSAI (International Data Science and AI Initiative) AI and Health Day conference, part of Cyber Week, brought together several hundred participants for a fast-paced, 10-hour program focused on real-world medical applications. The audience filling the Bar Shira Auditorium included representatives from academia, industry, government, the military and the financial sector.

On Tuesday, the morning sessions offered a broad overview of AI in health care, explored data challenges and featured lightning talks from health-tech startups and venture-capital firms. Afternoon sessions shifted to accelerating product development, academic research on agents and machine learning, a panel on computational oncology and deep-learning applications.

Opening the conference, Professor Saharon Rosset, chair in modern statistics and data science in Tel Aviv University’s Department of Statistics and Operations Research, set the tone.

“It is clear AI will become more central as we move ahead,” he said, noting efforts to “foster academic and medical institutions with the challenge of data sharing.”

Ziv Katzir, head of the TELEM (National Infrastructure Forum for Research and Development) program for artificial intelligence at the Israel Innovation Authority, described AI as “finding new answers to very old challenges” and said it has gotten “much better in the last five years.”

He highlighted advances in predictive analytics, treatment optimization, risk scoring and personalized care, pointing to dozens of Israeli companies already active in the rapidly expanding AI-health ecosystem.

‘Complexity of the health-care system’

One of the most compelling presentations came from Prof. Ron Balicer, chief innovation officer and deputy director-general of Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest health-care provider. Opening his talk on “AI-Driven Health Care,” Balicer said that “we are no longer in a place where we are the sole decision-makers and know what is best for the patient.”

Balicer shared a post by Dr. Alon Toor titled “A Life Saved—Thanks to AI,” describing how an AI-based clinical decision-support system flagged a patient for urgent testing. “I told the patient openly: This is what the system suggests. Let’s do it,” Toor wrote.

The test revealed dangerously high blood pressure that routine visits had missed. “Here’s the truth. I wouldn’t have ordered this test on my own. The system saw what I didn’t. It saved a life.”

Balicer said AI is already guiding decision-making in Clalit clinics. “We can look at the future, see something bad will happen and take it out of harm’s way,” he said, adding that AI may soon warn patients directly. “Our data suggest you may have a heart attack in the next few weeks.” He went further, predicting that “in the not too distant future, non-AI-guided diagnosis may become substandard medical conduct.’”

At the same time, Balicer cautioned against overreliance. Just as drivers can lose navigation skills by depending too heavily on Waze, physicians risk excessive dependence on algorithms.

Medical-school curricula, he pointed out, will “have to take into account” AI tools, ensuring doctors continue to work collaboratively with technology. Still, he expressed optimism: “The future will allow AI to heal health care of its current ailments.”

Professor Noam Shomron, head of Tel Aviv University’s Digital Medicine Research Team, urged the field to become “proactive and not reactive.” He described how AI-driven analysis of DNA can help determine therapies and noted applications particularly relevant to Israel’s post-war reality. AI, he said, can help predict which soldiers are most likely to experience PTSD, enabling early intervention that could be critical to recovery.

Data challenges were a recurring theme. Dr. Steven Labkoff, a physician executive and collaborating scientist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, addressed the difficulty of building reliable AI models.

“How do we create data foundations that allow AI to understand patient journeys, treat effects and disease trajectories?” he asked. “We are entering the era where the most valuable asset in healthcare is not the algorithm; it’s the data foundation that makes algorithms meaningful. But we can only get there by working together.”

Collaboration across sectors emerged as a key takeaway. Startups such as Viritis, Agado, Taracyte, Path-Keeper and NucleAI presented their technologies, while investors offered their perspectives on scaling innovation.

Marc Greuter, general partner at Planven in Zurich, shared what he called “The European VC Perspective,” joking that he was “not smart enough to become a scientist, so I became an investor.”

He said Israel’s challenges in health-tech are less about technology and more about the “complexity of the health-care system.”

Bruce Taragin, managing director at Blumberg Capital, drew sustained applause when he opened his remarks by saying, “We are Zionists; we have been here for 3,000 years. We have never left, and we never will!”

Taragin said he was in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and praised Israelis for their “grit, resilience and tenacity.” Blumberg Capital, he said, prefers to “get in early and be supportive however we can.” Calling Israel a global leader with “more AI development than any country on the planet per capita,” he concluded, “I have one message: You are not alone. Am Yisrael Chai. We are with you.”

After nearly four hours without a break, a long line still formed to speak with Taragin, an indication that Israel’s AI-driven health-tech sector, even amid war and uncertainty, remains vibrant and determined to turn innovation into impact.

Read more

Originally appeared in Jerusalem Post Magazine, November 28, 2025

It is hard to say any unkind words about the food, ambiance, or kind staff at Schmearz, though the long line and the wait time for bagels at super busy times can be a minor annoyance. 

Three visits to Schmearz Bagel Shop at the corner of Ben-Yehuda and Jabotinsky streets in Tel Aviv at different times on various days confirm two realities: that Israel has finally perfected the New York bagel and the authentic New York bagel shop experience, and that absolutely nobody in Tel Aviv of any age works, ever!

When I first stopped in at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, presumably the start of the workweek in Israel, the line of customers was out the door, and the two outdoor dining areas at this desirable corner – shaded from the bright November sun – were both packed. 

On Wednesday at 9 a.m., when I actually sampled beautifully presented creations on closed bagels, open bagels, and “without the bagel,” the line was also out the door, but manager Shawn was cheerfully and efficiently taking orders, and a large crew of fast-moving food preparers were doing their best to keep up. 

On Fridays, the post-gan (kindergarten) drop-off, pre-Shabbat, “it’s a day off” crowd – many young neighborhood parents – made the line go out the door, all the way to Ben-Yehuda Street. 

Customers of all ages kept the four stools and the one large table inside the store and the many tables outside totally packed. 

Perfecting the New York bagel experience

Michal Epstein, owner of nearby (non-kosher) EATS restaurants, recently opened Schmearz on the site of a formerly non-kosher restaurant. People from north Tel Aviv and beyond seem thrilled to finally have a kosher bagel shop in the neighborhood. 

Dani, a 30-something-year-old from New York City, already knew that Schmearz had become available on Wolt two days ago. 

“It is a game changer,” he reported, pleased that there was finally a place in Tel Aviv to buy quality bagels. “When this place opened, it changed our life.” 

Before settling in to Schmearz’s signature dishes, my dining companion and I sampled special “slurpees,” which included tahini coffee (NIS 24); a matcha slurpee; and an orange-colored seasonal slurpee creatively made with pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and cardamom. 

Manager Shawn playfully noted it is “special for Halloween,” a holiday that has become increasingly popular in Tel Aviv over the years. A large cappuccino (NIS 18) with various bagels went nicely with four bagels and a “without the bagel.” 

Our “real food” consisted of four different bagels and two “sweets” bagels.

The avocado poached egg with chives, chili flakes, and Maldon salt on a perfectly toasted “everything” bagel was beautifully presented and tasty, with the chili flakes offering a welcome kick (NIS 58). The yolk slowly dripped out with the first bite. 

The egg salad on a toasted open sesame bagel was beautifully presented with a liberal sprinkling of chives atop a sesame bagel (NIS 48). We asked them to hold the anchovies. It was fresh and tasty.

Thinly sliced salmon is what diners might expect in a New York-style bagel shop. Schmearz did not disappoint. The pastrami salmon (NIS 56) was fresh, well seasoned, and presented on a toasted open bagel with house sauce, sweet pickles, and red onions.

It was a welcome choice for those in our party who don’t like cream cheese or capers – two ingredients that come with the smoked salmon (NIS 66).

The most unconventional menu item of the day was a dish consisting of sautéed mushrooms, skordalia, spicy salsa, and lemony greens. 

The manager said it was vegan. I Googled “skordalia” to learn that it is a Greek garlic spread with a base of potatoes, walnuts, almonds, or liquid-soaked stale bread, and olive oil. 

I immediately began thinking of ways to introduce this tasty dish to our table at home.

The manager surprised us with an order of “Frieckles,” listed in the “without the bagel” section of the menu, along with the Schmearz plate (NIS 54) and Caesar salad (NIS 52). 

Frieckles (NIS 32) are surprisingly delicious fried pickles served with chives, dill, lemon zest, and cream cheese. A few friends we bumped into at the restaurant happily helped us finish them.

Though stuffed and in need of a box in which to take home our leftovers, a server insisted we try some things from the “Sweets” menu.

I have to admit that it would have never occurred to me to put sweet cream cheese and sprinkles (NIS 24) or peanut butter cream cheese, chocolate cream, and Maldon salt (24) on a plain bagel – but this unconventional dessert choice works! 

The young parents at our table couldn’t wait to buy one for their young children as a post-gan treat, though they admitted it was unlikely to last until after gan!

Everything served had great visual appeal, and the special white Schmear’s oval china plates with blue script lettering added a very nice touch.

It is hard to say any unkind words about the food, ambiance, or kind staff at Schmearz, though the long line and the wait time for bagels at super busy times can be a minor annoyance. 

Fortunately, customers in line have a few extra minutes to decide if they also want to bring a taste of Schmearz home. They can pick up a four-pack of bagels, some mixed nuts (NIS 22), a bag of cookies, or even some “everything but the bagel” spices (NIS 18). 

  • Schmearz Bagel Shop
  • 171 Ben-Yehuda St. 
  • Tel Aviv
  • Sun. – Fri. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
  • Kosher (dairy) under supervision of Hamoatza Hadatit Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Read more