It doesn’t take a genius to understand that Israel has a hot climate. It’s the Middle East after all. But extreme heat events are increasing in frequency alongside average temperatures. According to the Israel Meteorological Service, 2025 was 1.1°C (2°F) warmer on average than the 1991–2020 period, with a large number of unusual and extreme weather events. It was also the fifth hottest year since recording began in 1950. 

This matches the global trend that extreme heat events are becoming more regular, intense, and longer lasting. The government is aware of this too, and set out a plan for climate adaptation over the coming years. The plan seems to deal with many of the symptoms of a warmer climate, but lacks the teeth to actually address the daily discomfort that citizens experience. Tree planting is one of the only points in the plan that directly confronts the heat that you and I experience on a daily basis going about our lives.

But it didn’t used to be this way, and looking back at the roots of the first Hebrew city, Tel Aviv, can offer us a path to a cooler future.

The Roots of a Garden City

The history of modern Tel Aviv began in Ahuzat Bayit, now Neve Tzedek. In 1909, town planning regulations set out by Arthur Ruppin were adopted, forming the bones of the settlement. It was cutting edge for its day, integrating electricity, sewage and running water to every house. Ruppin took his inspiration from the then popular Garden City movement,........

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