I
The application
A few questions about you, where you came from and what you are looking for. Two minutes.
25+
A community for adults 25 and over
Everyone here was new once.
A private community in Tel Aviv where olim and Israelis meet properly — a changing calendar of gatherings, in a different place every time.
Parties · Wineries · Jeep trips · Friday dinners · Havdalah · Torah classes · Volunteering
Community highlights
Israelis & olim
Different backgrounds, one community
Members first
Curated experiences, meaningful connections
The community
Moving to Tel Aviv is easy. Finding your people is what makes it home.
You can arrive in Tel Aviv with two suitcases, a new beginning, and a whole life waiting to be built. But finding your place in a new city takes more than finding an apartment or learning the language.
For many olim, the first friendships are with people who share the same experience. Israelis, meanwhile, often have friendships that go back years, sometimes all the way to the army. Two worlds living in the same city, with so much to offer each other, but not always finding the opportunity to connect.
Habibi Tel Aviv brings those worlds together.
We create experiences that make meeting people feel natural. From intimate Friday dinners and wellness sessions to curated events and shared adventures, every gathering is an opportunity to connect beyond the usual circles.
We bring Israelis and olim around the same table, encourage new conversations, and create an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. Hebrew and English flow together, and nobody needs to have the perfect words to feel part of the conversation.
Because the best connections are not always the ones you expect. Sometimes, all it takes is one introduction, one shared experience, or one evening that turns a stranger into a friend.
Habibi Tel Aviv
Deep connections, unforgettable adventures.
The Habibi spirit
Habibi is one of the first words you hear in Tel Aviv. From a driver, a vendor at the shuk, or someone you have only just met. It means “my dear,” but here, it means something more.
It is the feeling of being welcomed, of finding your people, and of knowing that wherever you come from, there is a place for you.
Habibi Tel Aviv.
Membership
A short explanation of how it works
Some of our events are open to everyone, while other activities and experiences are reserved for community members. This allows us to create a space where people can meet, connect, and feel part of something that continues beyond a single event.
At our smaller, exclusive gatherings, we make a conscious effort to vary the guest list. The idea is not to bring together the same people every time, but to give different members the opportunity to participate, meet new faces, and expand their circle of connections.
We aim to give as many members as possible the chance to take part, while creating a diverse mix of people at each gathering. This way, every event brings new introductions, different conversations, and opportunities for connections that might not otherwise happen.
Membership is free.
Evenings
A few of our events
The evenings that come back every season.
The founder
Shaked Hadad
Founder, Habibi Tel Aviv
My story
I grew up in Tel Aviv, a city I love and know so well. My mother made aliyah from Belgium when she was 18, and later raised me here on her own. Through her story I grew up understanding what it means to start a life in a new place, to build yourself a home and to find your place.
Over the years I saw how many people arrive in Tel Aviv — olim, and Israelis moving to the city — and do not always know where to meet people, what to do, or how to find their circle. As someone who grew up here, I felt I had the ability to help them get to know the city through the people in it.
That is how Habibi Tel Aviv was born.
I wanted to create a community that connects olim and Israelis, and people who might not otherwise have met. A place where you can come alone, meet new people, collect shared experiences and feel that you have a place in this city.
Today I host our events, compose the guest lists and am personally involved in creating the experiences. It matters to me that every gathering lets new people connect, and that everyone who comes feels part of a real community.
For me, Habibi is much more than events. It is the people we meet, the friendships that form, and the feeling that we have a place in this city.
Joining
Three steps in
II
The review
We look at age, city and the make-up of the group, then reply to you personally.
III
The invitation
The members' calendar, the group, and first access to every closed evening.
We'd love to meet you.
Every application is read by a person, not a form robot. Tell us something real.