City Notes: Tze’elon beach closed due to dangerous vegetation

Due to the significant drop in Lake Kinneret’s water levels by two meters in the summer months, tamarisk bushes and the roots of sharp reeds surfaced along 150 meters of the beach.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
There will be about 60 stalls at today’s arts and farmer’s market at Moshav Ben-Shemen. (photo credit: Courtesy)
There will be about 60 stalls at today’s arts and farmer’s market at Moshav Ben-Shemen.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
NORTH
The Drainage and Rivers Authority announced last week that it had to close Tze’elon Beach, due to the Water Authority’s refusal to uproot vegetation that endangers bathers. Due to the significant drop in Lake Kinneret’s water levels by two meters in the summer months, tamarisk bushes and the roots of sharp reeds surfaced along 150 meters of the certified beach, on its eastern coast, as well as part of Golan Beach.
The Kinneret Drainage and Streams Authority said it had warned the Water Authority about the safety hazard and expressed concern about the presence of sharp and prickly bushes in the lake’s water, endangering swimmers. To avoid this situation, particularly ahead of the High Holy Days when the Kinneret fills up with people, permission was sought from the Water Authority to uproot the dangerous vegetation so that it would not grow again and endanger bathers.
Workers from the Drainage and Streams Authority attempted to remove the hazardous vegetation using ropes without entering the water, since the Water Authority prohibited the use of tools and mechanical equipment in the Kinneret’s waters for fear of ecological damage. This attempt failed.
Experts from the Drainage and Streams Authority said that the removal of the tamarisk bushes would only be possible through the use of tools from inside the water, in the specific problem areas. They maintained that a supervised removal of dangerous vegetation would provide an effective solution to the problem. Instead, however, the Kinneret Drainage and Streams Authority was forced to close the beach until it receives approval from the Water Authority for an effective solution to the problem.
“There is a need to find ’the golden mean’ between the needs of the Kinneret’s ecosystem and the needs of the vacationers and bathers,” said director-general of the Kinneret Drainage and Streams Authority Zvika Slutsky. “It is our responsibility to develop the public beaches and make them suitable, convenient and safe for bathing.”
Haifa photography exhibition captures life in Mandatory Palestine
A photography exhibition displaying historic pictures of British Mandate Palestine is set to open in Haifa City Museum tomorrow. The exhibition, titled Between Haifa and Jericho, showcases hundreds of photographs taken by Ze’ev (Wilhelm) Aleksandrowicz, who first arrived in Palestine from Poland as a tourist toward the end of 1932, and then returned to visit between 1934 and 1935. Through his pictures, Aleksandrowicz narrates the story of the region from his perspective, largely dedicating his work to describing the rich life of the local population, as well as depicting natural and urban landscapes.
CENTER
Reut Institute celebrates 10th anniversary with Tel Aviv conference The Reut Institute was scheduled to hold a conference on Thursday at the Habimah National Theater under the banner “Where is Israel heading?” in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The Reut Institute is a non-profit organization that focuses on societal innovation within Israel and the Diaspora.
Various leaders and activists in Israeli society were set to participate in the conference, including US Ambassador Dan Shapiro, head of the Council for Higher Education Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, founder of the Haredi College in Jerusalem Adina Bar-Shalom, Oslo Accords architect Dr. Yossi Beilin, Women of the Wall chairman Anat Hoffman, chief foreign envoy of the Judea Samaria and Gaza Council Danny Dayan, MK Stav Shaffir (Labor), MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List – Ta’al), MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) and many other public figures.
Conference organizers said the event would offer “a panorama of visions for the future of Israel in the coming decade” in the fields of national security, social-economic development, science and technology innovation, and the Jewish world.
White City Shabbat to host Rosh Hashana dinner for young professionals
White City Shabbat will be hosting a dinner for young professionals in Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, the eve of Rosh Hashana. The event will be held at the Goren Synagogue on Modigliani Street and will be begin at 8 p.m. Attendance at the dinner costs NIS 90 and entrance is free for lone soldiers.
Catered kosher food, Golan Heights wine, whiskey, arak, and apples and honey will be served to guests.
White City Shabbat is a Tel Aviv-based NGO that organizes public Shabbat meals once a month at the Goren Synagogue, as well as other events geared toward the English-speaking and immigrant community that include holiday learning classes, halla baking classes, and religious lectures.
Ben-Shemen market back for the new year
Moshav Ben-Shemen is opening its gates for the second time to invite members of the public to its arts and farmers market. Visitors will be able to purchase art, furniture and clothing at the rural market. Fair organizers Galia Bloch and Ayelet Rothman said that they intend to run the market once every quarter, as a platform for non-commercial artists and farmer to sell their items at attractive prices.
There will be about 60 stalls, some of which will be used by southern residents who are in need of assistance following the tough weeks of the recent Operation Protective Edge. The stalls will include vintage furniture, ceramics, women and children’s clothing, jewelry, knitted fabrics, organic agricultural produce, wines, cheeses, breads, spices, olive oil, fresh food (including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free), cakes and cookies, and flowers.
The event will take place this Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Entry is free of charge.
Additional details can be found at www.facebook.com/benshemen.il
SOUTH
JNF-KKL begins rebuilding South
The Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) announced last week that it had begun work to rebuild the South following the 50-day-long Operation Protective Edge, which had a grave impact on southern Israel. KKL-JNF said that while much has been said about the damage done to the economy following the latest conflict between Israel and Gaza, the rockets that hit the area significantly damaged the environment, sparking fires and scorching land in the Gaza periphery. After discovering severe damage to forests in the area, KKL-JNF decided to get to work to rehabilitate the land, roads and infrastructure. The project is estimated to cost some NIS 30 million.
Ahead of Rosh Hashana, the organization decided that its first step would be to plant 50 acres of forestry next to the Re’im parking lot in the Be’eri Forest in the western Negev. KKL-JNF also planted trees in the Kissufim Forest, an area which the IDF used extensively and parts of which were destroyed. After the planting phase is finished, KKL-JNF will repair roads that were damaged by heavy vehicles, and parking lots which were used by the military during the operation.
The rehabilitation work is expected to take many months.
Ashkelon municipality clamps down on unauthorized stables
The Ashkelon municipality and police closed down six stables suspected to be illegal, following complaints filed by residents concerning horses around the city. The Local website reported that according to the complainants, horses wander around Ashkelon and are a nuisance and danger to traffic, pedestrians and beach-goers. Last week police and municipality inspectors raided five stables which were allegedly operating illegally. They confiscated five horses, and removed 12 additional horses from the city. Another stable was destroyed over the weekend on suspicion of taking over public land. Oded Edri, commander of the municipal policing unit in Ashkelon, said that they would continue to clamp down on stables that are operating illegally and disturbing other residents.


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