Urban Nature and the Experience of Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Two Urban Parks in Israel

Tal Alon-Mozes (Technion, Israeli Institute of Technology)

This paper examines the appearance and performance of two recently inaugurated urban nature parks in Israel. It inquires how nature was revealed and performed in these parks and how the nearby ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities experience it. Based on a review of design proposals, interviews with designers and involved stakeholders, site observations and informal discussions with the park’s users, I will explore the intricate relations between nature, community and the designed environment.

Among the mosaics of communities of Israel, the ultra-Orthodox community, which constitutes 12% of the total population, is the most disconnected from the experience of nature. This is due to religious beliefs, strict codes of behavior, overcrowded living environments, lack of accessibility, and even state standards for open public spaces, which discriminate against this community in comparison to others.

Two urban nature parks which were established during the 2010s propose a new mode of outdoor recreation activity: promoting nature literacy and bringing nature closer to the world of the community. In Jerusalem, landscape architect Rachel Weiner and architects Gil Vaadia and Shai Weinstein exposed the power of running storm-water and of a herd of free-roaming gazelles, to be observed from afar, in the crowded city. In Beit Shemesh, an expanding ultra-Orthodox city on Judea Hills, Ram Eisenberg created a stone-made riddle and sent the young park users and their parents to reveal nature’s beauty through play. Both parks challenge the common, standardized crowded Israeli playgrounds, and propose more passive recreation option, based on observation, intellectual inquiry experimentation and play. All are a novel notion for the ultra-Orthodox community. Preliminary results point to the success of the parks and to the enthusiasm of the community. In-depth investigation reveals the potential and limitations of these parks, suggesting a new way to enhance the nature experience among ultra-Orthodox Jews.