Soho Secret Histories: Soho House Tel Aviv, Jaffa
In his latest column, founder Nick Jones reflects on the opening of the first Middle-Eastern House and the significance of its neighbourhood
Tuesday 27 June 2023 By Soho House Illustrations by Damien Florébert Cuypers
Tel Aviv is a fantastic city. It’s alive and full of energy. The people are amazing, and they’ve got an incredible food scene, gym culture and vibe there. It’s also a coastal city, and in my books any city placed on a beach is a win, because you’ve got everything in one place: rich history and architecture, the cosmopolitan element and the sea on your doorstep. There’s always something to do.
We opened Soho House Tel Aviv, Jaffa in 2021, close to the historic port and flea market. I wanted the House to be in Jaffa because it’s such a cultural neighbourhood, where a lot of the city’s authenticity lives. It’s the most dynamic and multi-cultural part of the city too, and that really reflects what Soho House and our creative community is about.
We found a 19th-century building that was once an old Catholic boarding school, which had been empty for many years before, having been open at the beginning of the century. It was a beautiful building, very cute and small – perfect for the vision we had for the House.
Bringing that vision to life, however, was a slight challenge. As always, we wanted to preserve as much of the original building and its character. So, creating one of our clubs – and all that comes with it – was a complicated process, because we wanted to put in a swimming pool and bedrooms. We ended up with 24 bedrooms, which are now at the House and beautifully designed.
We also built it during the pandemic, which was hard to say the least. We didn’t have the run of pre-opening events for local members that we usually do when opening a new House,
but luckily it turned out so well and continues to thrive. Both local members and our wider global membership have really been enjoying it, particularly during Pride Month, where we’ve hosted some truly incredible events over the past two years. The team out there is fantastic, too. I recently visited the House and, as I do whenever I travel to see any of our 40 Houses around the world, I had breakfast with the local team and met some of the members. It’s incredible what they have built over there, especially as a community.
It’s a House that’s well worth a visit – you’ll have a fabulous time.
Explore our Houses and apply for membership at Soho House Tel Aviv, Jaffa