The Elevator to the Sea, Netanya

The elevator to the Sea is one of the most unique attractions on the Netanya promenade. Beyond its significant importance in terms of accessibility – as it allows everyone, including those who have difficulty walking or use a stroller, to easily reach from the high promenade to Sironit Beach – I am personally always drawn to the view. It is one of my favorite spots, and I find myself returning there again and again, sometimes just to observe from the edge of the bridge, and sometimes to take photographs.

The upper panorama was taken at sunset, and it is one of my favorite images. It is composed of numerous photographs meticulously stitched together by hand, and it vividly illustrates the depth, breadth, and richness of the view from the promenade – from the beach to the towers, from the cloud-laden skies to the winding street below. Especially at sunset, when the warm light touches the cliff line and enhances the colors – it is a magical moment I try to capture every time anew. This panorama hangs in the office where I worked for seven years – the Netanya City Center Management – so it not only documents the view I love so much but also symbolizes a significant period in my life.

What I particularly love is that this view does not remain constant. Over the years, new towers have been added to the frame, and even on the beach itself, additions are being built – like new breakwaters that continue to alter the coastline. Every time I visit, I discover a small detail that has changed, giving me a sense of continuity and development.

On a particularly wintry day, I arrived just in time for a break in the rain. The wind was still blowing, the air was clear, and the clouds – simply magnificent. This time I decided to focus on the sky. I created an especially wide panorama, focusing on the clouds and their rounded formations. It was not an easy task, because the sky dome is truly a dome – round – which means the clouds are not aligned in a straight line like the horizon. This created a technical challenge, as to make the panorama look natural, one needs to stretch and adjust gently – a little pull here, a little push there – until everything aligns and looks uniform.

But perhaps the most interesting discovery from this point is not in the clouds or the Sea – but in the sun. From the edge of the elevator bridge, one can track the sun’s position at sunset throughout the year. It turns out it does not set in the same place every day. On the shortest day of the year – December 21 – the sun sets on the left side of the left breakwater. In contrast, on the longest day of the year – June 21 – it approaches the right breakwater. In between, during spring and autumn, it moves back and forth across a wide arc in the sky. I created a time panorama showcasing these three dates: December, March, and June – the short winter day, the vernal equinox, and the long summer day – and the result visually and fascinatingly illustrates the sun’s movement throughout the seasons.