The Dan Hotels
are pleased to announce
the June 15th, 1996
opening of the

DAN PEARL
HOTEL
JERUSALEM

Ideally located in the center of Jerusalem
near Jaffa Gate and the old city

(—/

• BEAUTIFUL ROOMS
• FAMILY SUITES (4 BEDS AND A KITCHENETTE)
• LUXURIOUS DELUXE & PRESIDENTIAL SUITES
• INDOOR SWIMMING POOL
• HEALTH CLUB WITH SAUNA & JACUZZI
• ELEGANT LOBBY - LOUNGE
• RESTAURANT & COFFEE SHOP
• MIKVA & SYNAGOGUE

Meeting Rooms for Conferences & Simchas
Accommodating up to 500 people

OUR INAUGURAL OFFER

1 NIGHT FREE

INCLUDING BREAKFAST FOR GUESTS
STAYING AT LEAST 5 CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS (4 + 1)
LIMrrED PERIOD UNTIL JULY 25Th ONLY!

RESERVE NOW!

For information and reservations,
please call your travel agent or
Israel Hotel Representatives
(212) 752-6120 or outside New York
State Toll Free: 800-223-7773/4
or FAX: (212) 759-7495
INTERNET SITE: www.danhotels.co.il
E-MAIL: danhtls@danhotels.co.il

Octn,

grate& Ktraet

I

13 GENTERAMONS

•HONESTY

DEPENDABILM

110

•QUALIFY
1 1 1 7-11
op

All Business' Are Not Created Equal.
There Is A Difference.

WELNTRAEB JEWELERS

In Store Specials Everyday
Sunset Strip 29536 Northwestern Hwy. • Southfield • (810) 357-4000

Hours: Mon.-Sat 10-5

An impromptu artist on the Tel Aviv beach.

Sun, Surf And Sizzle
On The Tel Aviv Beach

RUTH ROVNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

I

t's 3 p.m. on a sunny day and
the Tel Aviv beach is sizzling,
not only with heat but with
non-stop activity. There are
games of handball near the wa-
ter, kids splashing each other un-
der the outdoor shower nozzles,
lifeguards shouting directions
into their bullhorns.
People are walking, talking,
eating, drinking, swimming, surf-
ing. There's even a skydiver float-
ing high above the water.
For many Tel Avivians, the
beach is their playground, their
favorite meeting place and their
personal spa and fitness center.
From May through October —
or for the true devotees, all year
long — they come here to swim,
sunbathe, schmooze, stroll, jog or
even sleep (although on this live-
ly beach, falling asleep is quite
an accomplishment).
And for visitors, the Tel Aviv
beach is an ideal way to experi-
ence the essence of the city — its
vitality, energy and diversity. Tel
Aviv proudly proclaims itself the
city which never sleeps — and
its beach easily lives up to that
slogan. It's one of the few beach-
es anywhere that is alive with ac-
tivity virtually round the clock.
At dawn, the action begins.
That's when "beachcombing"
takes place and the sand is
combed clean by machines oper-
ated by municipal employees.
Next come the fitness enthu-
siasts — the joggers, the early
morning swimmers, the aerobics
and calisthenics groups. Some
even practice yoga headstands.
In this, they follow a long tra-
dition. Israel's first prime minis-
ter, David Ben-Gurion, was
photographed in his 60s doing
yoga headstands on the beach.
Whether on the sand or in the
water, some natives have been
doing their beach workouts for
years or even decades. For in-

stance, Israel Biran, a tour guide
for the city, has been coming for
a morning swim since the 1930s.
`There was no air conditioning
then, and the only way to get cool
was to swim in the sea," says Is-
rael, a sturdy, suntanned native
now in his 70s who is still fit and
trim.
He and a friend start out at 8
a.m. from Gordon Beach, swim
west one mile, then head south
and swim almost all the way to
Jaffa and then swim back. They
do this every day, May through
October. "I'm a fanatic about
this," confesses Israel.
He's been on other beaches
when he's been away on travels,
but always misses the Tel Aviv
beach. "You can't find this soft
sand anywhere else," he says. "So
I'm always homesick for what I've
got here. This is one of the best
beaches in the world!"
Besides swimming, the beach
offers other water sports. Facili-
ties include a marina, a diving
club and four surfing clubs.
Later in the morning come
those who are here not to exer-
cise but to relax on the beach. The
handball games begin; the sun-
bathers rent beach chairs (for the
modest fee of $2.50 per day) and
the surfers ride the waves in the
surfing-only areas.
By noon, the cafes and beach-
front restaurants fill with people.
Nobody goes hungry on the Tel
Aviv beach. Ice cream, mineral
water, Cokes, sandwiches, sal-
ads, sundaes — the outdoor
eateries have all this and more,
plus tables with umbrellas offer-
ing front row seats of the beach
activity.
And for those who don't want
even one grain of sand in their
toes, there'S the beach prome-
nade. Designed by Israeli archi-
tect Yakov Rechter, the wide
walkway with its palm trees and

c