During the thirties, Jewish athletes fled Europe to the land of Israel, then a British mandate, when the Nazi party came to power in Germany. They were mainly university students and professors who had practiced rowing in Germany. They brought a few rowing boats with them to Israel. In 1934, a rowing club was established in the port city of Haifa (Haifa Rowing Club), shortly thereafter another in the city of Tel- Aviv and fifteen years later a third club was founded in Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Kineret. At the opening ceremony of the 1935 Maccabia Games-the Jewish Olympics that takes place every four years- an Israeli rowing team, consisting primarily of new immigrants participated.

From the day that the state of Israel was established in 1948, rowing was recognized as an Olympic sport. In 1995, rowing became an independent sport federation. There are four active rowing clubs in the country. Two clubs, the Tel-Aviv Rowing Club and Hapoel are located in the city of Tel-Aviv on the bank of the Yarkon River. The Haifa Rowing Club is located in the port city of Haifa, at the mouth of the Kishon River.
The Tiberias Rowing Club is located in the city of Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

INTERNET LINKS
http://www.rowing.org.il

REGIONS

Tel- Aviv-Yaffo
Avg.temp: Winter: 10-18C; Summer: 25-35C
Sites of interest: Yaffo (Jaffa) is one the most ancient cities in Israel and the oldest port in this part of the world. Yaffo is an interesting tourist attraction. Tel-Aviv, the first Hebrew city of the new era, established in 1906, is the business and cultural center of Israel. It is called the "city, which never stops". Tel-Aviv enjoys a beautiful 14-kilometer long sea front, with beaches, marinas and variety of water sports only thirty- minutes drive from Ben- Gurion International Airport. The best time for rowing is early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Haifa
Avg. temp: Winter 10-18C summers 25-35C
Sites of interest: Haifa is an important port, built on the slopes of Mount Carmel. Haifa has been inhabited since the Bronze era. It is a beautiful city, rich with places of interest like the Bahai shrine and gardens, the German Colony, Druze villages and holy places like the church of "Stella Maris". Haifa has many beaches, a marina and variety of water sports. The best time for rowing is in the early morning and late afternoon.

Tiberias and the Kineret (The Sea of Galilee)
Avg. temp: Winter 14-20C; Summer 28-35C; Sites of interest: The Kineret is the lowest sweet water lake in the world at 208 meters below sea level. Situated in the Jordan valley, surrounded by breath taking scenery and historical places for Jews, Christians and Moslems; it is famous for Jesus' life and the miracles performed by him in this area. Tiberias is the largest town on the Sea of Galilee, an ancient town that was built in 18 A.D. and named after Tiberius Caesar. Tiberias is known for its hot springs. It is surrounded by numerous tourist attractions, including a variety of water sports. Rowing on the Kineret is very enjoyable and recommended in the early mornings and late afternoons.

NATIONAL FEDERATION

Israeli Rowing Federation
P.O. Box 6101
61060, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Contact: Mr. Eli Szabo
Tel: +972-9-762 3264
Fax: +972-9-742 4955
Email: info@rowing.org.il
www.rowing.org.il