In 2016, it will be 20 years since I bought the book “Paris Tel Aviv” by Yair Garbuz. I had just started my military service and this book became a combination of a Bible and a psychologist. A kind of refuge from the systemic stupidity to which almost everyone who serves in the army is exposed. I read it in the office, I read it on duty (now it is allowed to go out :)), I read it while traveling, and I read it while the Chief of Staff said that “Israel after Rabin’s assassination is like a virgin who was raped and didn’t even enjoy it” (a true story).
In short, I read and came back and then read again. Thirstfully drinking in every word, my body was among the camp huts, but my spirit was already wandering inTuileries GardensI wasn’t a Francophile before (I took my pre-conscription trip, thank God, to England) and to be honest, I didn’t even know that word. The person who discovered it for me was Yair Garbuz, thanks to one of the chapters in his book called “The Francophile Parade.” And so, without me knowing it at the time, half of the name of my website was created.
Paris Tel Aviv – The Secret to Success
So what is it about this book that makes it so successful? Let's start with what it is not. This book does present itself as a travel guide, but as such it fails. It is not organized in any logical order and provides too little historical background on the places you will travel to.
Add to that that most of the recommendations are no longer relevant (after all, 20 years have passed) and you will understand that if you are looking for a good guide toParis You are welcome to browse my website. The secret to the success of “Paris Tel Aviv” stems from Garbuz’s loving personality and charming sense of humor.
The subtitle of the book is “A Missing Guide to the Beloved,” and love pours out from every page. First of all, it is about love for Paris, its streets, its cafes, and basically everything that happens there. It is a refined Francophilia that pours out from every chapter of the book. And when Francophilia connects with its humor, you can’t stop smiling and suddenly, as Edith Piaf sang, your life will truly be colored in pink.
The Garbuz of 1996 is not the man of the mascot speech, he is still a happy man who loves people for who they are (and a Francophile of course). And so, in the pages of his book, you can find him alongside Israel Gurion, who writes about his trips to Paris with Benny Amdorsky, as well as right-wing figures such as Naomi Shemer and his uncle Elharar, who tell of their experiences from the City of Lights as part of the “Francophile March.” And it is this combination of Yair Garbuz’s writing talent and his love that makes this book immortal and relevant even 20 years after its publication.
I just love Yair Garbuz.
So if I spoke about love earlier, let me say a few words about hate. Anyone who knows me knows that my political views are completely polar opposite to those of Yair Garbuz. However, precisely at this time when a woman is photographed with a sign that says, “A leftist man is a leftist in the grave,” and when a Walla writer suggests that terrorists carry out an attack at a demonstration in support of the soldier who shot in Hebron, it is important for me to say that I love Yair Garbuz with all my heart.
Yes, even though almost every political statement of his makes my blood boil and even though if he knew me he would surely despise my political views, despite all this, I don't hate him and if he had informed me that he was now in Paris I would have dropped everything and joined him.
Addition from 2026
A lot has happened since this article was written, and today, April 29, 2026, I learned that Yair Garbuz has passed away. What you may not know is that a few years after I wrote the original article, we had the opportunity to meet at his home.
I discovered a charming, warm, entertaining person and, most importantly, a huge Francophile. The hours passed like minutes and it's not surprising at all when you talk about Paris, music, art and even a little politics...
When I was last in Paris, I met a mutual friend of ours who told me that he follows my website and even uses my recommendations from time to time. I wanted to meet him again, but a series of personal circumstances, plus a war with Iran, made me postpone every attempt to call and arrange another meeting. Now it's too late...
Rest in peace, dear Francophile, I hope you are already sitting up there at a table in a Parisian cafe in paradise, listening to chansons with Yossi Banai, Leah Nickel, Benny Amdorsky, Naomi Shemer and all the other members of the “Parade of Francophiles” who have already arrived in the “Paris of Ma’ale.” Paris would be less beautiful without the knowledge that you may still be traveling through it at this very moment.
I also arrived in Paris for the first time with my partner more than twenty years ago. Then we walked around with Garboz's book in my hand. And despite the lack of it, for the first time he guided us excellently. And at one of the metro stations (probably in Montmartre), we went up the stairs and Garboz, to our surprise, got off in front of us. We passed him, and my partner turned and called out to him: "We're walking around the city with your book in our hand." He smiled at us and said, "Thank you." It was truly a bizarre scene.