Ashkelon Plans New Separate-Sex Beach Location

Ashkelon is moving forward with plans to relocate and upgrade its separate-sex beach, a move expected to significantly improve the bathing experience for the city's Haredi, religious, and traditional populations, as well as tens of thousands of visitors. The initiative involves an investment of tens of millions of shekels.

A professional tour took place Thursday, attended by Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Galam and Interior Ministry Director-General Israel Ozana, to advance the relocation of the separate beach to a more suitable and accessible location. The proposed change would shift from the current model, which designates separate days for men and women, to a system allowing full separation throughout the entire bathing season.

This upgrade aims to provide a more comprehensive and readily available option for families and visitors, while strictly adhering to modesty standards. The Interior Ministry is collaborating with the Ashkelon municipality and professional bodies to finalize necessary assessments before announcing the chosen site and proceeding with operations for the next bathing season.

Interior Ministry Director-General Israel Ozana stated that this project is part of a broader national effort to regulate separate bathing beaches across Israel, ensuring diverse, accessible, and safe facilities tailored to various communities' needs and lifestyles. Mayor Galam emphasized his commitment to serving the Haredi public in Ashkelon and expressed gratitude to the Interior Ministry for its support in realizing this significant improvement.