Erez, 41
Born in Tel Aviv, Israel
Came to Australia in October 2015
What is your occupation?
I own a restaurant called Shaffa Restaurant in Surry Hills. It is a unique restaurant because it is a market-style restaurant. Everything is very transparent - you can see how your dish is created. The reason I opened the restaurant is because I felt like Sydney was missing authentic Middle-Eastern food. As soon as I secured my PR, I opened it. Back in Tel Aviv, I had 3 restaurants - a bar, bistro and a restaurant. I have more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and I love entrepreneurship.
I did a year and a half of Business Management but it wasn’t really interesting to me. I studied a bartending course in Israel and that’s what curated my passion.
We have a few other restaurant concepts in the pipeline. Stay tuned as they might be opening as early as next year!
Why did you come to Australia?
I was in a tough situation as my mum had passed away. I needed a fresh start as I was very stressed and emotional. I met a friend who had business ventures in Australia and convinced me to move here. He ended up sponsoring my visa and I worked for him although he wasn’t a very scrupulous guy. I separated ties with him as he manipulated me and stole half my savings as I trusted him too much.
I was working on a number of ad-hoc projects when I met my wife during a consulting project. We got married in Israel and soon after, I started my restaurant business.
What do you like about Sydney?
I like how Sydney combines the urban and nature. There are a lot of parks and beaches that people enjoy. I also enjoy the pace of life here whereas Tel Aviv was too hectic and busy for me.
I know people from other Middle-Eastern countries here like Iraq, Iran etc and everyone gets along. Noone talks about politics; people are people and we are all the same. There is prejudice but I love that I’m living in such a multicultural city.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
The systems and bureaucracy is very frustrating. For example, when I was opening the restaurant, I had to call the banks like Tyro to sort out my EFTPOS machines and it was an absolute nightmare talking to them. When you call them, it feels like they’re just reading pre-scripted answers from a guidebook; you feel like nobody is listening to you.
Compared to the crazy nightlife in Tel Aviv, Sydney’s nightlife leaves a lot to be desired. Everything closes too early and it seems like everyone is anxious to go to sleep early and wake up early. It is the opposite of what I knew. For example, I don’t see many restaurant bookings for dinners after 9pm and this would be unheard of in Israel, where bookings would be going on until at least 11pm.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Open up and listen to the people around you. There is so much beauty here however it feels like people aren’t listening to each other. As much as Sydney is a multicultural city, I feel like everyone is still living in a bubble. The whole point of this world is interacting with people around you.
What languages do you speak?
Hebrew, English
I know a bit of Spanish because my wife is Argentinian. I took a few Duolingo classes and learned by talking to my wife’s family.
I would say most Israelis speak pretty good English. I also have a knack for languages so I learnt it quite quickly.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
Sababa- סבבה
This word means cool or great. It can express enthusiasm and satisfaction.
Sababa is one of the most commonly used words in Hebrew, it can also be pronounced as sababi or sababush
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
There is so much beauty in Israel in terms of culture, music, architecture and language. It translates to beautiful harmony between Jews and Arabs. People only talk about the bad side but there is a good side that no one talks about. There are plenty of beautiful stories. Israeli cuisine in general is heavily influenced by Arab cuisines, Greek cuisine etc.
Israel is a tiny country but there is a lot to do. Tel Aviv for me is one of the best cities to live in, especially if you like nightlife. You can travel to the Dead Sea in 2 hours from Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is definitely worth visiting as well as it’s like stepping back in time.
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
Gal Gadot
She’s Wonder Woman. At age 18, she was crowned Miss Israel and she is easily one of the most recognisable Israelis.
Even though I’m a Marvel fan, I appreciated this DC movie because of the lead actor!
Bibi Netanyahu is easily one of the most influential politicians of the 21st century. Unfortunately, he is too self-serving and thankfully he is not Prime Minister.
What is the best dish in your native country?
There is so much good food in Israel.
Normally each person eats a huge bowl of hummus for breakfast. It is perfect with raw onions and pickles. Afterwards, you just need to go to sleep.
It’s a simple combination of simmering tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices and gently poached eggs. It’s nourishing, filling and one recipe I guarantee you’ll make time and again.
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