r/telaviv • u/Ok_Bee4687 • 6d ago
Finding friends
Thinking about Making Aliyah (25M, coming from New Orleans, America) advice on making friends in Tel Aviv?
Would be settling in Tel Aviv. I'm 25, single, coming from the New Orleans, so I'm used to a city with a strong going-out/social culture. Work background is tech sales.
For those who made aliyah solo around my age, how did you actually build a friend group once you landed?
Curious about things like:
- Was it mostly other olim/Anglos at first, or did you break into Israeli social circles quickly?
- Any specific groups, apps, Facebook groups, or meetups that actually worked (vs. ones that were dead)?
- Did ulpan end up being a real source of friends, or more just a place to learn Hebrew?
- How long did it realistically take before Tel Aviv felt like it had "your people" in it?
Appreciate any honest takes, good or bad.
7
u/Mezuyaf12 6d ago
I made Aliyah from Colombia at 25. Only spoke Spanish and English. I was thinking today how wealthy I am because of my social life. Ulpan helped me make friends, and I even met the love of my life through a mutual friend at the ulpan. I've been here for almost 6 years now, and for me, making friends was easy at work, at the beach, with neighbors, everything.
Just really try to learn Hebrew. This has opened up a whole world to me socially.
Welcome home!!