In South Tel Aviv’s Levinsky Park, you’ll find a lot of the usual: a lawn and benches, a basketball court, a playground. But no one would say this is like any other park in Israel. For one thing, most of the people in the park are African asylum seekers. And many of them live here — you can tell by the mattresses and blankets that have been slung up over the benches and under the jungle gym.

The neighborhood of Neve Shaanan has always been a place for new immigrants and “transitional people” — hardly anyone stays there for long. And Levinsky Park has a rich and surprising history as the social and cultural center of the neighborhood.

The Levinsky Park Library is Neve Shaanan’s only library and and one of the few cultural institutions. It’s an NGO that relies on donations and the work of a wonderful team of volunteers. You can find out how to get involved here.

Interviews:

Eyal Feder – volunteer manager at the Levinsky Park Library

Yoav Meiri – architect of the Levinsky Park Library

Prof. Galia Sabar – head of the African Studies Department at Tel Aviv University

Hassan Abdullah Adam – asylum seeker from Darfur

Ali Juma – asylum seeker from Darfur

Music:

Mulatu Astatke – Yekermo Sew

Tony McManus – Gnosseine #1, Erik Satie

King Krule – The Noose of Jah City

Typhoon – Dreams of a Cannibal

Mulatu Astatke – Hager Fiker

The Kinks – Strangers