How to make friends in Tel Aviv

The best way to make friends in Tel Aviv is to start from what you love and see the same people every week: a beach sport, an ulpan, a community group. To find right away who shares your interests near you, Serkle shows you the people in Tel Aviv who have them, friends of friends first. The app speaks English, Hebrew and French, and it's free.

Tel Aviv is open and warm, but the first months can feel lonely: the language, the pace, friends left behind. The good news: plenty of people around you have been through it.

Where to meet people in Tel Aviv

1. Outdoor sports, every week: beach volleyball, running along the seaside promenade, surfing, cycling. You keep seeing the same faces.
2. Ulpan, to learn Hebrew: you meet other newcomers in the same boat.
3. Groups for olim and expats, like Nefesh B'Nefesh for English speakers or Qualita for French speakers: guidance, events, mutual help.
4. Your city's community centers (matnasim): classes, activities and volunteering for every age.
5. Serkle, to find the people near you who share your interests, and write to them.

How Serkle helps in Tel Aviv

• Choose your interests (the beach, startups, jazz, hiking, cooking… more than 900) and your city.
• See who shares them around you, friends of friends first: someone in your circle back home often already knows someone here.
• Choose your countries on your profile (where you were born, grew up, live): people from the same places recognize you more easily.
• Write to them, then suggest a coffee. Five minutes in the app, the rest outside.

No swiping, no feed, no ads, and your circle stays private. More: Meet people who share your interests.

Frequently asked questions

I just moved to Tel Aviv and don't know anyone. How do I make friends?

Pick one thing you love and do it every week, then write to one or two people who share it. Serkle shows you who they are near you in Tel Aviv, friends of friends first, with what you have in common.

How do I make friends in Tel Aviv as an expat?

Sign up on Serkle in English with your city, your interests and your countries, and add the few people you already know: their friends show first. Alongside, an ulpan and groups for olim and expats like Nefesh B'Nefesh are great starting points.

Is there an app to meet people in Tel Aviv, not for dating?

Yes: Serkle, a free app to meet people near you who share your interests, for friendship. No swiping, no rating profiles. It speaks English, Hebrew and French.

I feel lonely since I moved to Israel. What can I do?

It's very common in the first months, and it passes. Start small: one activity, one or two people, one first coffee. If loneliness weighs heavily, talk to someone you trust; in Israel, ERAN answers at 1201.

Is Serkle free in Israel?

Yes. Searching for people, writing to them and meeting them is free. Serkle+ ($24 a year) only lets you keep more than 100 people in your serkle and customize it.

Updated on November 12, 2026