Tel Aviv Port (נמל תל אביב; Namal Tel Aviv) is a commercial and entertainment district in northwest Tel Aviv, Israel along the Mediterranean Sea.
Contents
1 History
2 Awards and recognition
3 References
4 See also
5 External links
History[edit]
Site of the future port with the Levant Fair and Cafe Galina (ca. 1934)
In the wake of the general strike of the Arabs of Mandatory Palestine at the outbreak of their 1936–39 revolt, an alternative was needed for Jaffa Port [1] The new port, founded by Otzar Mif'alei Yam, opened on a small scale in 1936,[2][1] and was finally completed and inaugurated at its current size on February 23, 1938.[3]
Tel Aviv Port, 1937-1938
The port remained fully operational for less than two years. The outbreak of the Second World War put an end to its civilian use,[1] as the British Navy took over the facilities.[3] After the end of the war in Europe, an attempt to reactivate the port remained unsuccessful due to the lack of shipping at the time.[1] During the civil war between Jews and Arabs from November 1947 and until Israel's declaration of independence in May 1948, as well as in the ensuing international war in 1948, the Jewish, then Israeli forces imported a substantial amount of equipment and weapons via the Tel Aviv port.[1][3]
After the War of Independence, the port operated on a partial basis and was finally closed down on October 25, 1965 when its operations moved to the newly-built Ashdod Port.[1] After that followed a period of decay, and by the end of the century the area was used by day as a low-key shopping place for tiles and plumbing supplies, while at night it attracted prostitutes and drug addicts.[1]
The change came with the appointment of architect Orna Angel at the helm of the Marine Trust Company that owns the port area.[1] After completely overhauling the infrastructure by 2002, the administration attracted shop owners to move to the upgraded area by charging token rents.[1] An open competition for the landscaping of the space around the buildings was organised in 2003, and by 2008 the new boardwalk in wavy shapes evocative of the sand dunes that once stood at this place, was opened to the public.[4][5] As a result of the transformation, the Tel Aviv Port, known in short as the Namal, has become the most popular attraction in Tel Aviv with 4.3 million visitors annually.[citation needed] In 2011, it was announced that the site would be developed to become a major tourist site with recreational and cultural venues similar to Times Square in New York.[6]
Tel Aviv Port Light with archaeological site of Tel Kudadi
in 1933 the site of the Levant Fair was open beside the Tel Aviv Port.
About Tel Aviv Port
The dream of a port was born in 1913, a short time after the birth of Tel Aviv. Jaffa port was the primary marine gateway into the land of Israel, and the committee for Tel Aviv, still a suburb of Jaffa at the time, decided to construct an independent port. During the 1920s, various plans were drawn up for construction of a pier for unloading merchandise at the end of Allenby street, which could serve as the basis for an independent port, or for the expansion of Jaffa port in the direction of Tel Aviv. None of these plans were every realized, although some of them were approved by the British Mandate. The opportune moment for realizing the dream and building a port only occurred with the start of the Arab Riots (Arab Uprising of 1936-1939) on the 19th of April 1936. The general strike declared by the Arabs resulted in a complete six-month long closure of Jaffa Port. Jaffa port is the seaport through which a significant part of all imports and exports from Tel Aviv were conducted, and at the time Tel Aviv was the largest city in the county. Haifa port, which was a sophisticated port, could not be relied on due to the distance and transportation problems. The Jewish leaders pressured the British Mandate to authorize the unloading of merchandise on the Tel Aviv seashore. “Recent events in Jaffa have proven once again that the Jewish settlement in Tel Aviv and its environs is in critical need of a direct outlet to the sea, without being dependent on Jaffa port” – a memo written by the Tel Aviv Port and Transportation Committee at the time. The pressure bore fruit and approval was granted in mid-May. The desire to take tangible steps, due to the fear that the British would withdraw their approval, required rapid action, and construction of the first wooden pier in northern Tel Aviv commenced. The location was chosen due to its proximity to the estuary of the Yarkon River, the Yarid Hamizrach buildings that were designated to serve as warehouses, and the wide beach that was owned in part by the Municipality. “A wooden bridge on the sea, two wooden sheds, a not very big ship” – these were the beginning of Tel Aviv Port. On the 19th of May, a ship named Chaterty, under a Yugoslavian flag, reached the port with a cargo of cement bags. The workers gathered at the port, including the famous Salonika dock workers, and unloaded the cement bags onto the beach as crowds gathered to witness the event and sang the Tikva (anthem). This was an act of construction and creation in response to the violent riots. Meir Dizengoff, the mayor of Tel Aviv, who was sick at the time, came to observe the birth of the first Hebrew port in two thousand years, and said: “Here will be a great port...”. Over the next few months, a long iron pier was constructed deep into the sea (replacing the wooden bridge that was swept away by the waves), and the anchorage pool for boats was excavated under the supervision of the city engineer, Y. Shifman. Since the government did not participate in the construction costs due to political consideration, and even prohibited the municipality from participating in these costs, the port was constructed by a private company. The shares of the company – Marine Trust Ltd. – were issued to the public, that bought them enthusiastically. The Jewish settlement was proud of the port – a large economic undertaking that the community succeeded in creating independently, and saw this as a first step towards independence. Two years after the opening of the port, a passenger dock was opened, and another dream was realized. A year later, World War II broke out, and the port was closed, and many of its workers enlisted into the British Army, and much of the equipment and facilities were requisitioned for the war effort. After the war, renewal of ship traffic slowly began. Prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, Tel Aviv port was the only port under Jewish control, and therefore was of great importance for the supply and smuggling of weapons at the beginning of the War of Independence. Since the port was constructed, and even after the establishment of the state, various plans were proposed to expand the port and turn it into a deep water port. The government of Israel finally decided that the southern port on the Mediterranean shoreline would be constructed in the estuary of Soreq river, and not in Tel Aviv. With the start of operations of Ashdod port at the end of 1965, Jaffa and Tel Aviv ports were closed. Tel Aviv port was of political and symbolic importance, although its economic contribution was minor. For many years after its closure, the port served as an area for warehouses and storage. Over the years many plans were proposed for re-planning the entire Yarkon peninsula region. In 2001, the management of Marine Trust Ltd., in collaboration with the Municipality of Tel Aviv, decided to restore the first Hebrew port to the first Hebrew city. The port, which since the 1960s had been a backyard that was cut off from the city, became, after the environmentally friendly reconstruction, and renovation of the original buildings, into a unique meeting point between the city, residents and the sea, and one of the most beautiful and lively leisure and entertainment venues in Tel Aviv – Jaffa.
Reconstruction of the historic Tel Aviv port began in 2001. One of the guiding principles of the reconstruction process was the Green Principle, according to which the process would be executed while preserving the authenticity and natural environment that make the port unique. Planning of the public spaces and infrastructure was based on this principle, and the entire design and reconstruction process was conducted while preserving the environment and using suitable materials. First and foremost was the protection of the shoreline and stoppage of water pollution. For this purpose, a pumping station and advanced sewage systems were constructed, that divert the port’s sewage directly to the Shafdan, thus stopping the flow of sewage into the sea. In addition, there is regular supervision to ensure the use of environmentally friendly detergents, and all cleaning of public spaces in the port is performed using treated (recycled) water. In parallel, the fences around the port were removed, and the port was opened to pedestrians and bicycle riders with the goal of connecting the port to the Tel Aviv promenade and Yarkon Park, and enabling green transportation (bicycles). The reconstruction works also included infrastructure and transportation: as a leading innovator, Tel Aviv port adopted an innovative solution – underground waste systems to replace the old waste containers and prevent odor and pest nuisances. The concealed waste project was a breakthrough project in Israel, and was adopted by municipalities and complexes throughout the country. In addition, as part of the infrastructure restoration:
• The old gas systems were replaced by advanced and safe underground routing exchanges
• Carton and paper condensers were installed for recycling
• Lighting, communications and electricity systems were renovated in modern, advanced rooms
Reconstruction of structure and public spaces:
Tel Aviv port, that was desolate since 1965 (when it was closed to ship traffic), was used primarily for warehouses and ceramic outlets. Most of the structures were empty or in poor condition. With the start of development works, a renovation and reconstruction plan was prepared for the structures, as well as the open spaces (that served as improvised parking and garbage dumps) to be converted into open areas for the general public. All this was executed on the backdrop of the historic port, while preserving its “port” character.
Renovation work included:
• Removal of all asbestos roofs and replacement with modern roofs (while preserving the original lines of the buildings)
• Construction of wooden boardwalks, the largest in Israel (about 20,00 square meters of wooden boardwalk open to the public). The boardwalks were designed to integrate with the environment, and only wood with “green” stamp (approved for cutting down) was used
• Construction of several plazas using recycled material similar to deck
• Renovation of the historic piers and anchorage
Now, after completion of the reconstruction and development work, the ports continues to operate under the green flag, with consideration for the environment and community. A unique Farmers Market is held at the port, offering fresh agricultural produce directly from the growers to consumers, and events are held to promote awareness for environmental issues.***
GABRIEL GRAD
ISRAELI COMPOSER AND MUSIC CRITIC (1890-1950)
BIOGRAPHY LISTS
THE BASICS
QUICK FACTS
Enter
Israeli composer and music critic (1890-1950)
Countries
Israel
Occupations
Musician Composer Critic Music Critic
Type
Music
Gender
Male
Birth
1890 (Kaunas, Russian Empire)
Death
1950 (Tel Aviv, Israel)
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THE DETAILS
BIOGRAPHY
Gabriel Grad (1890-Tel-Aviv, Israel), 1950) was an Israeli-born composer and music critic.
He studied at Ekaterinoslav Music School today and in the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory A school of Jewish music, with the diffusion of Jewish music in Russia. In 1924 he moved to Tel-Aviv, where he founded the Benhatov Conservatory, a centre which he directed since its foundation, in 1925 until his death. He was a musical critic for several newspapers, some of them German (up to 1933).
He composed an opera Judith and Holofernes, as well as chamber music, piano works and songs generally based on typical motifs of Jewish folklore.
Bibliography
He edits SARPE, the great Enciclopedia de la Música Clásica, vol. II, p. 530. (ISBN 84-7291-226-4)Grad, Gabriel, Lithuanian composer; b. Retovo, near Kovno, July 9, 1890; d. Tel Aviv, Dec. 9, 1950. Hep studied in Ekaterinoslav and in Berlin. He was founder-director of a Jewish music school in Kovno (1920-22). He went to Palestine in 1924, and then was founder-director of the Benhetov Cons, in Tel Aviv (from 1925). He wrote an opera, Judith and Holofernes, and about 250 other works, including chamber music, piano pieces, choruses, and songs, many of which were based on Jewish folk melodies.
.[19][20] EBAY4753