The Israeli Sea
The sea is an iconic part of the Israeli landscape.
About half of Israel's residents live close to the sea—some right in coastal cities, while others can see the blue horizon where the sky meets the water from their windows or rooftops.
The other half will pass by it occasionally, on their way to one of the coastal cities or to the sea itself.
The sea is a constant presence in the Israeli experience throughout the year.
In the summer, people come to cool off and enjoy the sun, to swim, dive, and surf the waves. In other seasons, it is a place for atmosphere—walking on the sand, sitting on a balcony facing it, watching the sunset, and serving as a backdrop for a family event, for romance, and for a Facebook post.
The most present and largest is the Mediterranean Sea—from Nahariya in the north to Ashkelon in the south, a single coastline stretches 197 kilometers long, divided into many small beaches. Some of the beaches are private or deserted, while others are open to the general public who come in droves, mainly during the summer but not only then.
Besides the Mediterranean Sea, Israelis have another tiny coastline in the southern city of Eilat, which lies on the shores of the Red Sea. Eilat is detached from the rest of the country (a four-hour drive by car from the central region), and its remoteness makes it and its sea an attractive getaway for vacationers and revelers from Israel and around the world. Israelis also have "Sea of Galilee" and "Dead Sea"—these two are called seas, but they are actually two large lakes, limited in their area. Each of them offers its own unique character to Israelis and tourists.
An Israeli beach in Tel Aviv
The sea is full of associations that are familiar to every Israeli:
Matkot – A beach game with a small ball and large paddles, considered one of our national games. Two players in swimsuits hold paddles, hitting a tennis ball from one paddle to the other, and no bather in the sea will disturb the pairs of men or women who take over a patch of beach and jump in the sand.
Metsil (Lifeguard) – The one responsible for the safety of bathers. He is at their service only on "designated beaches," those that are permitted for swimming by law, and only during the official bathing seasons.
He has an elevated post, also called a "lifeguard shack" or "lifeguard tower"—from there he manages his kingdom.
He also has a Haskah, a unique rescue boat that has gone down in history as an Israeli patent, and he has several flags that he plants in the sand to declare the state of the sea: a black flag – the sea is too rough and it is forbidden to enter the water at all; a white flag – swimming is permitted and everything is fine; a red flag – this is an intermediate state, so-so, swimming is permitted but in a limited way close to the shore.
Mocher Ha-Artikim (Popsicle Hawker) – A peddler who walks around with a cooler selling popsicles or ice cream to bathers at an exorbitant price.
Medusah (Jellyfish) – A stinging marine creature that took the joy of sea bathing from Israelis and spoiled the pleasure of it. The jellyfish appeared on the country's beaches in the late 20th century and became a constant nuisance during the busiest summer months at sea.
And there is something else that exists on Israel's beaches and is probably unmatched in the Western world:
Separate beaches for men and women – On these beaches, swimming is permitted only for men or only for women. The separation takes place on specific days of the week during fixed seasons and is regulated by law and regulations, for the sake of religious bathers, from all religions, who maintain their modesty.
(A list of the separate beaches is at this link)
Besides all this, the sea is also a scorching sun, humidity, sunscreen, sandcastles, a breakwater, a crowded parking lot, towels in a variety of colors, and a display of men and women in swimsuits of all ages and body shapes.
The sea is a common backdrop for pre-wedding photo shoots. It has a few hours of grace a day, during which it streams a breeze to all who live near it, but it is also a source of unbearable humidity that envelops the residents of the coastal cities and the lowlands.
Matkot
Black flag – swimming prohibited
The "haskah" rescue boat
Lifeguard tower – red flag and haskah
Historical bits
The sea was the gateway for Jews who settled in the Land of Israel. Especially from the beginning of the 20th century:
All the people of the Aliyot—from the First Aliyah to the Fifth, and most of the Ma'apilim from Europe arrived on ships from the sea, which was the only means of transportation between the continents. The ships docked at ports built on the coasts of the cities of Jaffa, Tel Aviv, and Haifa.
After the state was established, people also came by planes and ships, but the legacy of the sea was already etched in the myths about voyages, storms, and wars.
Some of the most important events in Israeli history took place at sea or on its shores, including:
The sinking of the ship Altalena off the coast of Tel Aviv, the murder of Haim Arlosoroff which occurred on the shore of Tel Aviv, and the events of the Ha'apalah and the arrival of the immigrants on the country's shores.
The two large cities of the Jewish community, Haifa and Tel Aviv, developed mainly thanks to the port that was established on their coasts, which turned them into national and international trade centers.
After the state was established, air travel developed, with planes landing and taking off from Ben Gurion Airport.
The sea lost its status as a gateway for new immigrants and tourists, but it became an inseparable part of the Israeli experience. Especially in the spring and summer months, when the beach was the ultimate place for recreation. Israelis came in droves, by private car or on buses packed to capacity, to sit on a beach chair in the sand and enjoy the sun.
The sea took an honorable place in Israeli culture.
It was a source of inspiration in songs and books, in plays and movies. Its heroes were a captain or a sailor, a ship and a vessel, a fisherman and a pier, a beach and a port. There was something romantic about them, shrouded in mystery. The imagination sailed with them beyond the visible horizon and took in the unknown expanse.
Nostalgic bits of Israeli history from the 20th century:
The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway
"The Little Mermaid"
Hans Christian Andersen
"The Sailor's Farewell"
Benny Berman
The status of the sea began to change in the 1990s.
Thousands of jellyfish invaded Israel after a long journey from the Red Sea, passed through the Suez Canal, and reached all of our shores. What initially seemed like a fleeting matter turned out to be a regular phenomenon that occurs every year. Since then, swarms of the marine creature visit the country's beaches every year exactly during the peak months of the sea bathing season. They are swept ashore and sting anyone they encounter.
This was a severe blow to bathers and the special fun that the sea, its waves, and its beaches provided them—most of them have to settle for staying on the beach and entering the shallow water, and avoiding long-distance swimming as much as possible. Anyone who wants a swimming experience finds a place for themselves in one of the hundreds of pools scattered around the country.
At the same time, the importance of the sea as a transportation route diminished.
The horizon was close, and what was beyond it was available and fast, without a long sea voyage. Israelis began flying abroad in droves and found quieter, more picturesque beaches there, and most importantly: without jellyfish.
As the state celebrates its 75th anniversary, sailing on the sea is a matter for the rich only, on yachts, or for tourists on pleasure cruises.
But the sea is still a place for summer recreation, especially for the millions of Israelis who live in coastal cities or near it, and for the tourists who flock to it from around the world. Its beaches are a romantic backdrop for lovers, a refuge for loners, a place of inspiration for poets, and the combination of all these things keeps the sea a constant presence in the Israeli experience.
This is part of The Israeli Story 1948-2025 project.
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