Florentine today is synonymous with “bohemian cool”. But it wasn’t always the case. Florentine is rich with history and owes its name to Shlomo and David Florentine, originally from Salonika, who arrived in Palestine in the years 1920-1930. The Florentines were instrumental in facilitating the immigration of the Balkan Jews. Balkanic Jews were not always welcome, and where often frowned upon by the more established European Jews. Like most new immigrating groups, they had to make to do with low-paid manual labour. They lived in modest dwellings often right on top of their workshops. Culturally, they were closer to the local Arab residents then their more snobbish Ashkenazi co-religionaires. Florentine still keeps its laid back vibe from its yester years. It is a happy mix of artisans, artists and designers which were soon joined by Russians in the early 90’s. It somewhat resembles Berlin’s Mitte district. Florentine is now a “pot-pourri” of diverse ethnicities and cultures where restaurants, bars, cafés and galleries act as the glue that holds these communities who would have otherwise never met.
