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Independence Hall - Israel Travel

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Independence Hall

Visiting Independence Hall during an Israel tour, is an opportunity to see where it all began. Located on the first floor of Bet Dizengoff (Dizengoff House), at number sixteen Rothschild Boulevard, the hall was the site of the Declaration of the State of Israel, on May 14, 1948, by its first premier, David Ben-Gurion.

A Brief History of Dizengoff House

The land upon which Dizengoff House was built was purchased by Meir Dizengoff and his wife Zina in 1909, as part of the initiative to establish a new Jewish Neighborhood outside of Jaffa. Construction was completed in 1910, and later the neighborhood became part of city of Tel Aviv. With the death of Zina in 1930, Meir Dizengoff decided to convert the house to a museum in his wife’s honor, and Dizengoff House became the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. In the early 1970s the museum was moved to a new building on Shaul Hamelech Boulevard.

The Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel

When David Ben-Gurion decided to proclaim the Independence of the State of Israel, he chose Dizengoff House as the most suitable location to gather the Jewish National Council of Palestine. The location was thought to be the safest option in respect of possible bombing raids by Arab air forces. The hall was prepared in haste, and chairs from nearby cafes provided the seating for over 300 invitees. Once the event became public knowledge, residents gathered in front of Rothschild Boulevard, and listened to the proclamation over a load speaker system.

Dizengoff House Today

Other than Independence Hall, Dizengoff House is also the home of the small Museum of the Bible, which is located on the first and third floors of the building. The museum includes exhibits that tell the story of the Bible and that of the Jewish people throughout the ages. Among the exhibits are bibles in various languages, including Korean, Persian, Aruba (spoken in Nigeria) and Amharic (spoken in Ethiopia). There are also ancient copies of the Bible, including the oldest copy of the complete Bible dating back to the tenth-century. Also of interest is model of the Second Temple (516 BC- 70 AD). On the third floor there is one room exhibiting various artifacts and furniture that belonged to the Late Meir and Zina Dizengoff.

Visiting Independence Hall

Independence Hall is located at number sixteen Rothschild Boulevard. It is open Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 09:00-14:00, and on Wednesday, from 09:00-17:00. For information call 03-5173912.