Beloved Holon Falafel Stand Closes Permanently After 40 Years

A legendary falafel stand in Holon, "Falafel Batam Shel Pa'am" (Falafel with a Taste of the Past), located on Sokolov Street, has permanently closed its doors after four decades of operation. The establishment, a culinary landmark for generations of residents, was founded approximately 40 years ago by the Arusi family and later managed by Moti Shohami.

Shohami, who started as a partner, maintained the stand's signature offerings: hot, crispy, green falafel, alongside sabich, schnitzel in pita, kubbeh, and omelets. Beyond his culinary contributions, Shohami was known for his extensive community involvement, including donating hot meals to lone soldiers and the needy.

The closure is attributed to a prolonged period of disruptive infrastructure work on Sokolov Street, primarily related to the light rail project. These extensive construction efforts, traffic pattern changes, and numerous blockages severely impacted accessibility to the area, leading to a sharp decline in customer traffic.

Furthermore, the physical environment around the business deteriorated. The sidewalk space where customers used to wait was reduced, and a large utility transformer was installed directly in front of the stand. This installation obstructed the business's visibility and made it more difficult for customers to linger, compounding the negative effects of the reduced accessibility.