The Chic Streetwear Brand Inspired by Tel Aviv

We’re celebrating 100 years of Jewish Book Month with the Jewish Book Council. Stay tuned at the end of this newsletter for a book recommendation from the Jewish Book Council team.

GOLDA gang, I’m still buzzing from our shopping night at the Jewish Museum earlier this week. Thank you to everyone who came out to sip, shop, and schmooze! 

The most popular items of the night were the Mensch Beanie, Mahjong Pasta, and the Nail Polish Menorah, which became the evening’s unofficial mascot. 

Our friends at the Jewish Museum Shop are extending the evening’s 10% discount to our readers shopping online—use code GOLDA at checkout for all your holiday gifting. And our featured vendor, Tchotcke, is also giving our readers 15% off their bright and modern Judaica with code GOLDA15. 

Party pics by Samii Stoloff Photography. Signage and stickers by Jennifer Rozbruch Design. Thank you to Skurnik Wines for the generous kosher wine donation, Lox by David Teyf for the delicious dessert, and Stacey Zaleski at the Jewish Museum Shop for hosting us.

The Chic Streetwear Inspired by Tel Aviv

When Caroline Rosen moved from Chicago to Tel Aviv six years ago, she wore clothes she had ordered online from Free People, Shopbop, and Revolve emblazoned with city names like New York, Brooklyn, and Sydney. She soon found herself asking why these same companies weren’t making clothing that said Tel Aviv. After all, the city was so full of energy: the beach, the people, the vibe.

Her friends told her she had a good eye for fashion and aesthetics, always decorating their apartments and seeking out stylish and comfortable clothing. In 2023, Caroline had left her job in sales and was about to start looking for a new gig. She had given herself the date of October 8th to begin her job search. 

You know what happened next. 

“After that, all of us were just frozen for a while, and then some energy inside of me just started building the brand,” she told me. She began making vision boards of brands she loved and dreaming up ways to bring the magic of Tel Aviv to life through the streetwear she loved to wear. 

She found a local designer and they got to work. The result was Tel A’vive, a riff on the Latin root “viv”—to live—that captures the vibrancy of her adopted city and the resilience of the Israeli spirit.   

Caroline compares the brand’s name to joie de vivre—a feeling, a place, a vibe. 

All the clothing is manufactured in Portugal, and she ships everything herself from the Tel A’vive showroom in the trendy Florentin neighborhood, right by Levinsky Market. 

The clothes aren’t just cute, they’re incredibly comfortable. I just got my Jaffa Fish Market sweatshirt and it is quite literally the softest sweatshirt I have ever worn. 

Caroline estimates about 70 percent of her customers are in America, and the rest of her sales are either shipped to Europe or delivered to local ex-pats like her. 

To her, the best part of the brand is that she gets to help people stay connected to Israel, wherever they are.  

“My sister was on the street in Highland Park the other day, and she texted me saying ‘Caroline, this girl I've never met before was wearing your brand.’”

GOLDA’s Tel A’vive picks

Caroline is offering our readers a 10% discount on all things Tel A’vive—use code GOLDA at checkout.

Boker Tov Crewneck

The brand’s first design was inspired by the Hebrew phrase for “good morning” and features a bright sun and travel coffee cup. 

Key to the Sea

This cute keychain is from the new Jaffa Fish Market collection, a nod to the historic port on the southern end of the city.

Jaffa Classic Tee

Every Tel A’vive shipment includes a postcard of recommendations for the perfect Tel Aviv day. They’ve also shared a list of the best seafood spots in Jaffa.

Not Your Saba’s Playing Cards 

Nothing more Tel Aviv than a long, leisurely night filled with food, drinks, and cards.

Tel Aviv “Aba” Hat

Like a dad hat, but way more Israeli.

Tel A’vive Signature Tote Bag

I spotted someone carrying this sold-out tote on the Upper West Side the other day and felt incredibly envious. Caroline is looking for a new tote bag manufacturer, and promises to restock soon. 

That’s it for today! In just a few days we’ll be announcing our next event and dropping our first product collab 👀

Stay GOLDA,

Stephanie

Jewish Book Council Recommends:

In Sisters of Fortune, Esther Chehebar gives readers a front row seat into the tight-knit Syrian community of Brooklyn. Through the perfect combination of hilarity and endearment, Chehebar thoughtfully captures what it means to come of age within a community rich in traditions, and what unfolds when you challenge expectations. 

-Jamie Betesh Carter, Nu Reads