Hitchhiking in Israel

Hitchhiking in Israel is the practice of hitching a ride in Israel, which was a popular form of transport in previous decades.

History
Trempiyada is Hebrew (טרמפיאדה, derived from the German trampen) for a designated place at a junction of highways or main roads in Israel from which hitchhikers, called trempists, may solicit rides.

In 2014, three Israeli teenagers were abducted whilst hitchhiking and found deceased soon after. Following the event, there was increased hostilities between Jewish and Arab communities. Critics blame the event on the "cavalier" attitude of young Israelis hitchhikers. Further, some journalists have observed that some Israelis insist on hitchhiking as a demonstration of their freedom and right to travel. Despite tensions and events of violence, many insist on hitchhiking and affirm its institutional role in Israeli society.

Nehemia Akiva Stern of the University of Pittsburgh claimed that hitchhiking was mainly practiced by religious Zionist youth within the West Bank and described it as "a ritual of sacred travel."