(Haipo) – Last Friday, July 31, 2026, a moving event was held at Bat Galim Beach in Haifa in memory of the late Moshe Elimelech, an architect, artist, and beloved surfer who passed away prematurely. Many surfers from the surfing community went out to sea with surfboards and flowers, and gathered in a surfers' circle – a maritime memorial ceremony common in surfing communities around the world – in honor of their beloved friend.
Surfers Circle – A Marine Memorial Ceremony in Honor of a Friend
A surfer circle is a marine memorial ceremony in memory of a deceased surfer, held among many surfing communities around the world. During the ceremony, the surfers head out to sea with their surfboards, gather in a circle, and sometimes hold hands or surfboards. They say a few words in memory of the deceased, pray or observe a minute of silence, and then end with a gesture such as throwing flowers into the water, splashing water, reading together, or a final wave in his honor. The event at Bat Galim was characterized by good energy and a respectful atmosphere, with each participant taking on a role in a fluid and harmonious way.
The initiative behind the event
Carmel Shkolnik, a good friend of the late Moshe Elimelech, told Hifa about the production of the event. According to her, she and Shai (Shayka) Elimelech, Moshe's brother, met and decided to organize a surfers' circle in his memory. Shkolnik connected Shayka with Barak Ben Simhon, a childhood friend from the neighborhood who runs a small surfing club on the Bat Galim Promenade, who lovingly gave up his place for the event - including tables, gazebos and surfboards for anyone who needed it.
Ohad Elimelech, another brother of Moshe, filmed and edited the video of the event. The drone footage from the sky was taken by Nadav Gutman, who immediately agreed to volunteer to film the event.
Moshe Elimelech – an architect, artist and surfer who entered the hearts of many
Carmel Shkolnik told Hifa about her good friend: "Despite being a talented and serious architect who also won many competitions, he was one of the funniest people I've ever known. This is also one of the reasons, in my opinion, that he entered the hearts of many, many people. He simply made everyone laugh."
According to her, Moshe was smart and kind-hearted, who always wanted everyone to be well, and who managed to make the people around him feel a little happier and a little freer. Moshe was a resident of Bat Galim who lived in Costa Rica for eight years, where he ran a guesthouse for surfers. Kolnik herself stayed with him in Costa Rica for a year, and together they ran the guesthouse.
A friendship that crossed continents and oceans
Shkolnik added that she came to Costa Rica for a one-month visit, which was postponed for another month, and ended up staying for a whole year. "Between renovations, endless laughter, and barefoot living in the jungle by the sea, it was a significant period in my life that made me realize that it was really possible to live differently," she said. According to her, part of Moshe's charm was that he reminded people not to take themselves too seriously. Moshe stayed in Costa Rica for another eight years after she returned to Israel. "I am grateful for the privilege of knowing him, working with him, laughing with him, and spending a time with him that will forever remain a part of me," Shkolnik concluded.
