Should You Go Out With An Israeli Guy Who Doesn't Date Israelis?

"I only date Olot."

If I had a shekel every time I heard this sentence from a guy I'm on a date with, I'd have enough to pay the entry fee at an overpriced Tel Aviv club on a Thursday night.

On the outside, hearing that you have an advantage over Israeli girls seems sweet. It's very "you're not like other girls," only in this case, it's true. You aren't.

But one thing you should know about Israel is this: not every compliment is a compliment.

Especially when it comes to men.

(Yeah, yeah, I know, hating on guys is so 2018, but hey, it's hard being single in a foreign country, so don't judge me for judging.)

One of the most important things you need to know about Israel:

This country, a supposed safe haven for Jews everywhere, no matter their race, level or religiosity, or country of origin, is full. Of. Stereotypes.

According to many Israeli guys:

If you're Russian:

You're easy and poor.

If you're American:

You're easy and rich.

If you're French:

You're rich and mean (and maybe also easy?)

If you're Israeli:

You're mean and definitely not easy.

I'm not kidding when I say that this is what some people actually think of us Olot.

Which brings us back to point one: why should you run for the hills when someone tells you they only date non-Israelis?

If you ask them for their reasoning, they'll say something like "well, kapara, you're just so much more chill than an Israeli girl."

Chill = might hook up with you after a couple drinks.

Chill = will put up with your poorly planned wine-on-the-beach date, scheduled one hour in advance, with cheap AMPM rosé.

Chill = might say yes to your offer to hang out at your balcony as a first date. (And perform the first definition of "chill" while there).

And here's the thing about stereotypes: sometimes, often in fact, they're kind of right.

Being North American or European means growing up with different rules around sex, short-term relationships, and pleasure. These things are less taboo there than they are here.

Supposedly, Israeli girls have higher standards than we do around sex. They make guys jump through hoops before sleeping with them, or even so much as kissing.

(I'm going to write about my theory that this whole "Israeli girls are so hard to get" thing is all one big lie in another post - stay tuned.)

So, kapara, long story short, THIS is what he means when he says he only dates Olot.

Do what you want with that information.