Chof Hashaket in Haifa will continue to operate as a
separated beach this year as well, following great efforts by
UTJ City Councilman Rabbi Aryeh Blitental. The arrangement
was secured after the rabbonim of the chareidi
kehillos waged a campaign all winter.
The Haifa Municipality had planned to set aside the chain of
beaches in Kiryat Chaim for use by the chareidi and observant
public and to turn over the Chof Hashaket, which has been
designated as a separated beach for years, to a small rowing
club.
Last year the municipality set up a special committee headed
by Councilman Baruch Zeltz, which determined that Chof
Hashaket should continue to serve beachgoers seeking a
separated beach since it is located far away from the rest of
the city's beaches. Yet a small group of rowers remained
adamant, claiming it could no longer continue training in the
polluted Kishon River.
Last year the beach was divided into two to accommodate both
parties, but this year the municipality planned to give the
whole beach to the rowers and to have the chareidi and
religious beachgoers go to Kiryat Chaim, which is less
accessible and also not entirely secluded from the adjacent
beaches.
In waging his battle against the decision Blitental enlisted
the help of local chareidi rabbonim. Eventually an agreement
was reached to again divide the beach between the swimmers
and the rowers by laying a diagonal 2.5-meter high wall in
the water. The campaign also succeeded in blocking the
rowers' attempts to eat away at the area designated for the
chareidi and religious beachgoers.
The arrangement will allow Haifa area residents to enjoy one
of the country's best separate beaches.
