Page 64 - Q01-2021 Fins Magazine

Shir Katzenell in the Supporting mermaids who deal with their own insecurities is over 1,500 members. A community actively encouraging and
equally as important to Shir. Dealing with her own self doubts
embracing new mermaids. Shir excitedly explained, "You just
Mermaid World MERMAID ISRAEL - MERMAID WORLD at the beginning of her mermaid journey, Shir had to learn invite everyone, and everyone comes. No matter if they're six,
Creating her business, “Mermaid World”, in 2016 to bring the
magic of mermaiding to Israel, Shir started telling people about self-acceptance."When I started, I realized that I'm about to be or if they're 35, you just come together. At the last meetup we
had, before quarantine happened again, was at a beautiful
the face of mermaids in Israel. I thought, maybe I'm not thin
by Patricia Pastrano the mermaid community, the world mermaid community, and enough, maybe I'm not pretty enough to represent mermaids. beach. We are a very warm and close group of people who
how it connects to ecological and environmental subjects. mermaid regularly. We also encourage and embrace people

Emphasizing in
every workshop two
values: protecting
our environment and
acceptance of who you are.

Ever since university, she
worked and volunteered in
environmental education.
"All of that was important
to me to bring inside my
Bat Yam, Israel | May 23, 2020 | Photo Credite: AP Photo/Oded Balilty
business and inside the
mong the Associated Press top photos of 2020, sat a mermaid community. So
pod of mermaids lounging in a tide pool near Telaviv, my business is a zero waste
A Israel. A mermaid community living in a Middle East business. When people
country that has experienced over a 100 years of turmoil. Shir come we never use single Performing at 2019 WMC in China.
Katzenell, co-founder of the Israeli Mermaid Community use plastics and emphasize
(IMC), described: “Living in Israel, it’s not an easy situation the importance of saving
to be in. Sometimes we have rockets fall on our houses, and their environment."
sometimes all the guys get drafted to war.
Plastic makes up an estimated 70% of debris in Israel's local

It’s important to maintain the amount of magic in your life. seas. By removing single use plastics, they are contributing to
If I could do something to make people's lives more magical, the saving of their local environment.
then that's what I want to do. So I started Mermaid Israel as a
platform for people to come and have fun with tails. I wanted Members contributed their time and efforts in the "World's
people to come, I give them a pool, I give them chills, and they Largest Beach Clean-Up" held in Israel last October. Along
just, you know, have fun." And then it dawned on me, 'Just because I don't look like that it's their first time or just their second. Here they have
100 locations along the coast of Israel, they were part of 18,000 Ariel, it doesn't mean that I can’t be a mermaid.' It emphasizes
people that picked up 62 tons of trash. how important it is to communicate to people that you don't a mermaid tail, but they're too afraid to go by themselves."
Passionate about inclusion of all, she continued, "I wanted
have to be a certain figure or size to be a mermaid. No matter people to have tails at home. I wanted them to feel comfortable
how much I preach about it, I still get kids asking me on my
Collaborating with environmental to go to the beach with their tails. I want them to not feel
movements in Israel, like “Eco Ocean”, or TikTok. 'Can fat girls do it?' If I'm full size, can I still do it?' I embarrassed about people who were staring. Meetups really
“The Mediterranean People”, mermaids keep posting videos that show amazing, full figured mermaids, allowed us to do that. Because we were together. Together,
began gaining exposure and raising plus size mermaids, and they go, 'Oh my God, I can do it too.' we have a power that you don't necessarily have when you are
awareness in the local communities. Getting There were so many girls that came to my workshops with their alone. Especially when you begin, and you are worried about
included in their partner’s social media families or their friends. And they said, 'No, I can't because what people might think about you.»
literature after participating in beach clean- you know, I'm, I'm not the right pants size to be a mermaid.' I
ups, presentations and demonstrations sat and talked to them, and they ended up doing it. It's such a
was a good feeling. "When you open their huge success in my mind. Mermaiding is not just about being a CHILDHOOD DREAM
brochures, you can see pictures of the magical figure. It's also about accepting yourself and being who Deciding to go full time in 2018, she left a very safe workplace
mermaids in the community. We really you are." that she loved. As an adult with children and a mortgage, it
became a big part of preservation, which was a huge decision. Full heartedly believing in the value of
is amazing in my mind, because we're ISRAELI MERMAID COMMUNITY what she was doing and how much joy it brings to people, she
connected to two really well established dove in. "For years I was a little Disney girl, who had dreams
movements." With Michelle Koretsky in 2017, Shir established the Israeli and fairy tales all day. And then I was an adult. And I chose to
Mermaid Community and "it was exciting." With attendance leave that behind to chase a childhood dream."
of about 40 people in swim meetups, their pod is active with