On September 1, the first accessibility upgrade under a joint initiative by Clal Insurance and Finance and Access Israel was launched at Sironit Beach in Netanya. The project aims to improve accessibility at beaches throughout Israel.
Initiated and managed by Agendas, the project is being launched this year at six locations: Netanya, Nahariya, Ashdod, Haifa, Hof HaCarmel, and Acre.
The launch at Sironit Beach was held in partnership with the Netanya City Hall and through the Netanya Foundation. Attendees included Netanya Mayor Avi Slama; Yuval Wagner, Founder and Chairman of Access Israel; representatives of both Clal Insurance and Finance and Agendas; Access Israel staff members; and families and people with disabilities from Netanya.
Sironit Beach was already among the first beaches in Israel to undergo accessibility adaptations. As part of the project, its accessibility infrastructure was further upgraded, enabling people with disabilities to get closer to the waterline.
An accessible pathway designed for movement across the sand was installed, extending all the way to the water. An accessible platform was also constructed near the sea, and two specially designed beach wheelchairs were added, enabling users to travel across the sand and enter the water.
In Netanya, accessibility accommodations are also available at Sironit A, Sironit B, Herzl, and Poleg beaches.
Families and people with disabilities from the city participated in the launch event, enjoying activities on the beach and the opportunity to try out the new infrastructure. Among other things, it was possible to reach the area close to the water in wheelchairs and enter the sea using the specially designed beach wheelchairs.
Additional accessible activities were held on the beach, including backgammon tables, sand-box activities on wheelchair-accessible tables, and a lowered-net beach volleyball.
Why Do Beaches Need to Be Made Accessible?
For most people, going to the beach is a simple matter. For a person with a mobility disability, however, the sand itself can make the journey from the promenade or parking area to the water impossible.
Even at beaches designated as accessible, wheelchair users cannot always reach the waterline. In some cases, the accessible path ends too far from the sea, or there is no solution that enables people to travel across the sand and enter the water.
The joint project is intended to narrow this gap. Each participating beach will be equipped with an accessible pathway and additional solutions that will allow people with disabilities to get as close to the water as possible.
As part of the project, each beach will also receive two specially designed beach wheelchairs that can travel across soft sand and enter the water. The chairs are imported by Golan Laks.
Gali Shavad, Deputy CEO and Head of Marketing and Strategy at Clal Insurance and Finance:
“Clal Insurance and Finance regards social responsibility as an integral part of our activity and of the way in which we seek to make a positive impact on Israeli society. Making beaches accessible addresses something very basic—the ability of every person to enjoy public spaces, spend time with family and friends, and experience the sea on an equal basis.
Our connection with Access Israel and the local municipalities enables us to create meaningful change, which would allow people with disabilities not only to reach the beach, but to get all the way to the water and enjoy the sea.”
Yuval Wagner, Founder and Chairman of Access Israel:
“The purpose of accessibility is to enable people with disabilities to participate, be included, and enjoy together with everyone else. When we talk about Israel and the Israeli summer, there is nothing more fundamental than the ability to go to the sea.
We are pleased to partner with Clal Insurance and Finance and the local municipalities, and to have the opportunity to make practical improvements to accessibility at beaches. For us, an accessible sea is an essential being Israeli.
Netanya Mayor Avi Slama:
“I welcome the fact that every resident, without exception, will be able to enjoy our beaches in an equal, independent, and dignified manner. I also welcome this important partnership, which is helping to turn this vision into reality and make the sea at Sironit Beach even more accessible than before—all the way to the waterline.
It is moving to see people for whom entering the water is far from simple enjoying this special experience here on our city’s beaches.”
Sironit Beach is the first beach to participate in the project. During the year, beaches in Nahariya, Ashdod, Haifa, Hof HaCarmel, and Acre are expected to join the initiative.
The partnership brings together Access Israel’s professional expertise in accessibility, the support of Clal Insurance and Finance, and collaboration with local municipalities. The initiative was developed and is managed by Agendas.
The goal is that more and more beaches, people with disabilities would also be able to reach the waterline and enjoy the sea together with their friends and families.
Watch the Video and Experience the Event
Pictured: Gali Shavad, Deputy CEO and Head of Marketing and Strategy at Clal Insurance and Finance; Yuval Wagner, Chairman of Access Israel; Netanya Mayor Avi Slama; and Dafna Guy-Steigman, Founder and CEO of Agendas.
A blue accessible surface leads from the beach toward the shoreline, allowing wheelchair users and people using mobility aids to get closer to the water. Access Israel flags are positioned along the pathway.
Access Israel representatives, partners, and event participants pose together on the beach alongside a wheelchair user. The sea, beach, and Access Israel flags can be seen in the background.
A person enters the sea in a specially designed beach wheelchair with the assistance of a support team. The wheelchair is adapted for movement across the sand and for safe and comfortable entry into the water.
Watch the video to experience the moment.
In the photo: Gali Shvad, Deputy CEO and Head of Marketing and Strategy at Clal Insurance and Finance; Yuval Wagner, Chairman of Access Israel; Netanya Mayor Avi Salama; and Daphna Guy-Stegman, Founder and CEO of “Agendas.”
A blue accessible mat leads from the beach toward the shoreline, allowing people using wheelchairs and other mobility aids to get closer to the water. Access Israel flags are placed along the path.
Representatives of Access Israel, partners, and event participants pose together at the beach, alongside a person in a wheelchair. The sea, beach, and Access Israel flags are visible in the background.
Beach accessibility: A man sits in a specialized beach wheelchair, assisted by a team, as he enters the water.
