Residents of East Jerusalem now have access to their first public swimming pool, a facility that opened last week as part of a larger community sports complex. The new venue is located in the northern neighborhood of Beit Hanina and represents a significant investment in local recreational infrastructure.
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Sports Center spans 5,000 square meters and cost approximately $20 million to construct. According to the Jerusalem municipality, the facility is designed to provide greater access to sports activities and recreational programs. It features gyms, fitness studios, and communal spaces intended to serve the local population.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion attended a launch ceremony last week to mark the occasion. He stated that the new facility aims to narrow the gap between the city's eastern and western neighborhoods. Lion noted that this is the first time residents of East Jerusalem can enjoy a public swimming pool and an advanced community sports center located close to their homes.
The mayor emphasized the impact on the local population, describing the opening as real news for thousands of children, teenagers, and families. He characterized the project as a significant improvement in the quality of life for those living in the area.
Activists have long pointed out that infrastructure development in East Jerusalem, a district with a mostly Arab population, has historically lagged behind that of Jewish parts of the city. The municipality described the inauguration as part of a wider push to expand public infrastructure in the eastern sector of the city.
Recent projects in this broader initiative include a new educational campus in Shuafat that serves students from preschool through high school. Other developments include the 30-dunam Kidron Valley Park in Sheikh Jarrah, which features sports courts and fitness facilities, as well as a large welfare center in Wadi al-Joz.
Prior to this opening, Jerusalem had about a dozen public pools in Jewish and mixed neighborhoods, along with several associated with private institutions. While there are no formal restrictions on who can join these pools, access is often expensive and facilities are frequently overcrowded due to a low pool-to-resident ratio. In Haredi-majority neighborhoods, pools typically operate with separate swimming hours for different genders.
The Beit Hanina project was initiated by the municipality in partnership with the Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition Ministry, the Israel Lottery, and the Jerusalem Foundation. The project also received support from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and additional donors.
Local representatives were involved in the planning stages of the new center. The municipality noted that the facility is expected to create dozens of new local jobs for the neighborhood.
Wassim al-Hajj, director of the Beit Hanina community administration, said the opening addresses a real need among residents that had not been met in the area until now.
