The Haganah Museum is dedicated to the story of the Haganah; the paramilitary organization that defended the Jewish community in Palestine and went on to become today’s Israel Defence Forces (IDF). Based on a historically significant house dating back to 1923 on Rothschild Boulevard. The museum chronicles the formation of the organization; its activities during the 1920s and 30s. It shows how it helped more than 100,000 Jews enter Palestine despite the British government’s 1939 White Paper restricting immigration, and how it transformed into the State’s Defence Forces.
Credit: Yotamti, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Golomb House
The Haganah Museum is housed in the former home of Eliyahu Golomb, the founder and commander of the Haganah. Moreover, the house was once the organization’s secret headquarters between 1930 and 1945; and is famous for being the site where many important decisions regarding the defense; settlement; security; and immigration of the Jewish Yishuv (the Jewish community in Mandatory Palestine) were made. Another resident in the house was Moshe Sharet, the second Prime Minister of Israel. In fact, Golomb and Sharet were brothers-in-law.
Bar Giora Organization
Another interesting thing is the house’s exterior; the original office and residential room used by Golomb remain as they were, and three floors of fascinating exhibits showcase the establishment of the Jewish Yishuv and the formation and actions of the Haganah were built on top of them.
The Haganah Museum: First Floor (1907-1945)
The museum’s first level focuses on the early defense organizations of the Haganah, like the Bar Giora (1907) and Hashomer (1909). Also, it depicts the Arab Riots that occurred between 1920 and 1939 and played an integral role in the development of the Haganah. Other exhibitions include the organization’s actions during the Second World War, the British Mandate and the 1939 White Paper, the Palmach establishment, and the beginnings of the illegal immigration movements.
The Haganah Museum: Second Floor (1945-1947)
The second level of the museum is dedicated to the struggle of the Haganah following the Second World War and the period of the illegal immigration of Jews into Palestine, known as the Ha’apalah. Moreover, you can also discover how the organization secretly purchased; produced ammunition and weapons for their cause and the formation of the Jewish Resistance Movement to fight the British.
Third Floor: 1947-1948
Lastly, the museum’s third floor covers the Independence War that broke out in 1947 following the UN Partition Plan, the establishment of the State of Israel, and the transformation of the Haganah into the Israel Defense Forces. Also, don’t miss the inspiring audiovisual display on this level that presents the establishment of the IDF in 1948.
The Pre-IDF Brigades
Also, visitors to the Haganah Museum can enjoy self-guided tours or book a guided tour with a knowledgeable docent. And another possibility is to use my services as a private tour guide since I use to work in the museum for two years!
Opening Hours:
Sunday: 8:am–4 pm
Monday: 8:am–4 pm
Tuesday: 8:am–4 pm
Wednesday: 8:am–4 pm
Thursday: 8:am–4 pm
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Address: Rothschild Blvd 23, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
Phone: +972 3-560-8624
Here is a link to their website!
