""The Authority in Nature": Going for a walk? These are the safety rules in nature reserves

The Haredi community is increasingly hiking in nature, especially during periods such as Hol HaMoed and the days between the seasons. Alongside this trend, there have been unfortunate cases in recent years in which yeshiva students and Haredi families have entered trails in nature reserves without proper guidance, lack of knowledge of the terrain, and without proper assessments – which has led to risky situations and dangerous rescues. Just last week, seven yeshiva students were rescued in a stream in the north after becoming separated from the trail in the evening.

In light of this, the Haredi Authority, headed by Deputy Minister Uri Maklev, together with ZAKA, initiated the "Haredi Authority in Nature" project - a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to make information and safety rules accessible to the Haredi public in adapted language and through accessible means.

At the center of the project is a large-scale field system that includes dozens of dedicated stewards who were specially trained by the Nature and Parks Authority, led by Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman, to provide a response to the Haredi public at popular nature sites.

The stewards provide practical information, guidance on safe routes, and warnings about risks – all with a tailored approach.

Deputy Minister Uri Maklev: “This is a unique project that will save lives. We have seen the difficult cases in the past and there is a clear need to make information accessible to the public. We established the Haredi Authority for such purposes – to create a government service that understands the Haredi public and provides it with a tailored response.”

The bulk of the operation is carried out in the field, face to face with the travelers, to prevent in advance entry to dangerous routes or those unsuitable for families with children.

Precautionary recommendations in nature reserves:

• Get to know the route in advance – including difficulty level, length, and light times.
• ⁠Check the weather – and do not enter a route that could become dangerous in rain or extreme heat.
• ⁠Be properly equipped – 3–5 liters of water per person, a flashlight, suitable shoes, a charged phone, a hat and appropriate clothing.
• Leave contact information in the vehicle – including a phone number and schedule.
• ⁠Do not shorten routes or deviate from a marked route.
• Do not enter unfamiliar waters – unless permission has been obtained, the depth has been checked, and you have knowledge of swimming.

This program is another layer in the activities of the Haredi Authority to make government services accessible to the Haredi public while maintaining caution and safety.

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