Tel Aviv is my second favourite city in Israel after Jerusalem, because of the art deco architecture, known as Bauhaus, a German word. There is a museum on Bauhaus, another on Bialik who promoted the Hebrew language, and about 15 more museums for you to visit.
Haus is German for house. But let's look at ANU museum.
Jerusalem has history dating back to biblical times. But Tel Aviv, founded in the early 1900s, is all history from the era of my parents and grandparents, and myself, as I lived through the second half of the 1900s.
ANU
Now there's a new, extensive museum, the world's largest museum on Judaism. It is on the university campus. (And much more cheerful than Yad Vashem, which is about the holocaust.) An Israeli bank, Hapoalim, has sponsored free entry during Passover. There are also concessions or rather discounts during paid for days for various other groups. Children under five free.
ANU
The word anu is Hebrew for we.
Beit Hatefutsoth
Beit means building or house. (Think of the city of Beth lehem which means house of bread or bakersy.) Ha is Hebrew for the. tefutsoth means diaspora.
Characters of different levels of orthodoxy, from different countries, with different beliefs.
Characters you might recognize in the photo s below, at the top the Vilna Gaon (gaon translates as guru or genius),
the museum features the desk of Balfour (famous for the Balfour declaration), Herzl,
Leonard Cohen
You start on the top or third floor, with the present day. What might you recognize? Leonard Cohen, singer, a very interesting history of a modern jew who dipped in and out of Judaism and Israel. Following links, I found his song, Hallelujah, on You Tube, sung in Yiddish.
Jewish Hero In China
Other heroes include the Austrian Jewish doctor, Jakob Rosenfeld, who went to China, (on the side of the Communists) was given the highest honour, to a foreigner for the first time, for saving soldiers, villagers, whatever was needed, helping with childbirth. He is now a hero in China.
The Sad Story of Sol
On a sadder note, there is a Jewish girl who was executed in Morocco. As a teenager, aged 17 years old, she appears to have had an argument with her mother, and maybe switched to the local majority Muslim religion, with the encouragement of a devout Muslim next door neighbour, converted back, or not, and been executed.
I have read several versions of her life story or rather death story, are given, both from the time or shortly afterwards, and later
Her grave is in Morocco in a Jewish cemetery. Now she has a place in this museum in Israel.. Oddly, or happily, she is revered by as a martyr and saint by both the Jews and Moslems.
Nowadays people of both religious persuasions are enthused by her apparent devotion to her old or new religion, and refusal to convert, or stay converted.
You might be appalled that a young seventeen year old girl should lose her life, and be sacrificed or persuaded to sacrifice herself, not to save another person's life, but for a system of belief. But if you want to enjoy a holiday, it's best not to get upset about something which happened many years ago. You can read about this sad but fascinating story and try to decide what you think really happened.
I think it should be said that many Moroccan Muslims and Jews are friends, and the same goes for Singaporeans and Israelis, as well as some modern Arab leaders and Israelis.
Is this a true story? Apparently, yes. Her grave is in Morocco. It is small but attractive, like a little house with a blue roof.
There's plenty more, and you can read about it all on the museum's own websites, Wikipedia and all over the place.
Bank Hapoalim sponsors free entry to 170 places in Israel over this holiday and other holidays. You have to book tickets online.
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANU_-_Museum_of_the_Jewish_People
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Hachuel
For Jewish food and recipes see
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