<div><br clear="all">> Without mechitzed swimming (and how was that arranged with the local<br>> authorities?) how did any of the rabbonim in Europe (and previously,<br><span></span>> including as far back as Chazal) arrange for this to happen?
<br><br>AFAIK they didn't. I know that my zeide never taught my father to swim,<br>and nor did my elter-zeide teach my zeide, and I'm pretty sure that goes<br>back many generations, and nobody seems to have raised an objection from
<br>the gemara in kiddushin, probably because it's not brought down lehalacha.<br>============================</div>
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<div>While not being sure, I would venture an assumption that of those Jews living near water, i.e., rivers and bays, a certain percentage learned to swim as young children just like anyone else would even if the Rabbis weren't the swimming instructors or supervisors.
<br>-- <br>Yisrael Medad<br>Shiloh<br>Mobile Post Efraim 44830<br>Israel </div>