Photos: A dive into Israel’s mermaid community
Updated On Apr 23, 2019 12:53 PM IST
On a recent night at a Tel Aviv pool, dozens of mermaid enthusiasts slipped on their shimmering skin. Huddled on deck, they chatted about the latest developments in mermaid culture, including "The Little Mermaid" remake release date, silicone tail costs and relevant book recommendations. They glided through the water and splashed around, their glittery tails slapping against the surface.
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Last year, Shir Katzenell (R) made a drastic life change, leaving a prestigious job in the Israeli army to pursue a childhood dream: becoming a mermaid. Ever since getting hooked on Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” as a kid, she longed to turn into one. While her friends moved on, Katzenell’s enchantment endured. She fantasized about swimming alongside fish in a tail and sequined bikini. Then she actually gave it a try. (Oded Balilty / AP)
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Michelle Koretsky, poses for a portrait as she wears a mermaid tail at her home in Ra'anana, Israel. As it turns out, Katzenell wasn’tnot the only one. Together with a friend and fellow mermaid-fan, Michelle Koretsky, she started an unlikely social scene: a group of aspiring mermaids in Israel, which has grown on Facebook to nearly 1,000 members. (Oded Balilty / AP)
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Inbar Ben Yakar, a member of the Israeli Mermaid Community at home in Kiryat Yam, Israel. It’s the Israeli pocket of a worldwide community that she claims is gaining prominence. “It was a crazy revelation,” said Katzenell. “I realized I was part of something big.” (Oded Balilty / AP)
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Adi Kazav (L), and Lied Adi Hagbi pose for a portrait at their home in Netanya, Israel. Now, as a 34-year-old “full-time mermaid,” Katzenell sells brightly-colored tails, some with dizzying $800 price tags, and teaches people swimming in them. The tail-clad group convenes regularly to romp in public pools across the country and participate in demonstrations to raise awareness about ocean preservation. (Oded Balilty / AP)
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Ligal Shternhell, a member of the Israeli Mermaid Community, at her home in Kibbutz Ein Carmel, Israel. “Some come because they’re just interested or feel a special connection to the water. Others because they really dream of becoming mermaids,” Katzenell said. “They’ve often been embarrassed, told they were weird or crazy. But here they can find people who understand them.” (Oded Balilty / AP)
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One of the clan’s few mer-men, Yuval Avrami, marveled at how his fabric fin flitted in the water, describing it as a “dream come true.” He said he learned about the trend through transgender friends and became fascinated by “the transition from one species to another, the ability to inhabit a new, magical identity.” (Oded Balilty / AP)
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Another member, an aerobics instructor named Udi Frige, said he had been swimming in the sea with his legs pressed together for decades, imitating mermaid choreography from the movie “Splash.” Frige, 39, compared confessing his mermaid obsession to coming out in the LGBT community. “It’s my thing, it’s unique, it’s who I am,” he said. “It requires lots of difficult explanation, especially if people don’t know me.” (Oded Balilty / AP)
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