"I don't care if I shower": The beach that became Israel's city of makeshift camps

A magazine feature on Neve Yam beach near Atlit, which at the height of summer turns into a tent city and makeshift camps for young people and teenagers. The article describes the phenomenon of 'zulot' – improvised camps on the beach without electricity or water, where they spend entire weeks. The young people talk about freedom, simplicity, and friendship, alongside logistical challenges like lack of showers and laundry. The article also includes criticism of the dirt and damage to the beach.

A magazine feature by N12 describes the phenomenon that has turned Neve Yam beach near Atlit into a veritable city of makeshift camps at the height of summer. Along about four kilometers of beach, between the Habonim nature reserve and Kibbutz Neve Yam, improvised camps are set up by young people and teenagers, most of them from the north – the Jezreel Valley, Gilboa, Misgav, and the Lower Galilee. The article presents several groups: high school students spending their last summer vacation before enlistment, soldiers on release leave, and families coming for two days. The young people describe an experience of freedom, simplicity, and friendship, while coping with basic conditions – no electricity, running water, or regular showers. Some talk about minimal laundry (swimsuit by day, boxers by night) and rare freshwater showers. Alongside the idyllic descriptions, criticism is mentioned about the dirt and damage to the beach, as well as enforcement that removed an improvised pump. The article reflects a unique Israeli summer culture, where the beach serves as a substitute for home and vacation.