A famous hotel celebrates an evening with friends.
By GLORIA DEUTSCHThe Tel Aviv Hilton(photo credit: CCCC3333 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Continuing a 10-year tradition, hotel manager Ronnie Fortis and Tel Aviv Hilton’s Public Relations Department, headed by Motti Verses, recently invited 250 guests for an evening of pre-Passover food and fun at Tel Aviv’s Cinema City. The evening was a way of thanking journalists, business associates and guests for their continued support. It is always a glittering event with out of the ordinary refreshments, produced by the Hilton chefs under the direction of head chef Rafik Jabarin, of Druse origin.The movie chosen for the evening was the harrowing but brilliant Jungle, based on the true story of Israeli Yossi Ghinsburg, who was lost in the Bolivian jungle for three weeks. Before the screening, a buffet offered some interesting and unusual items. The sabich was delicious – small half pitot stuffed with sliced hard-boiled eggs and fried eggplant, with a smear of hummus and plenty of sliced tomato and herbs.There were wraps of very thin pita filled with a spicy avocado spread and chopped pickles. There were also thin sandwiches of salt beef (pickled meat) spread with mustard, as well as pitot filled with chopped chicken and salad. And sandwiches of chopped vegetables were available as well. The dessert table offered a tempting array of pastries, chocolate truffles and fruit tarts, as well as fruit salad.Before the screening of the film, a message from its star Daniel Radcliffe was shown in which he wished everyone a pleasant evening at Cinema City. After the movie, there was another surprise: a live appearance of Yossi Ghinsberg, talking about his incredible adventure and answering audience questions.Like at all good parties, the participants were sent home with a parting gift: coconut macaroons from the Hilton kitchens. Kosher for Passover, of course.The writer was a guest of the Hilton Hotel, Tel Aviv.
