Metzudat Ze'ev
Encyclopedia
Metzudat Ze'ev is an office building located on 38 King George Street
in Tel-Aviv, Israel
. It is also known as Beit Jabotinsky or sometimes simply as HaMetzuda .
Built in a Brutalist
style, the building was planned in 1936 and its construction lasted until 1963. Upon completion, at 60 metres (196.9 ft), it was one of the tallest buildings in Tel Aviv. The building is named after the founder of the Revisionist Zionism
movement, Ze'ev Jabotinsky and serves as the headquarters of the Israeli right-wing Likud
party.
movement, Betar
youth movement, and as the secret meeting place of the Irgun
fighters. In 1936, these movements consolidated a plan for a new building. The building's architect was Mordechai Ben-Horin, and the construction work lasted for a considerable number of years. It is said that during the years when it was still a three-floor building, the Betar youth conducted their meetings within the inner courtyard, where a big mural slogan stated:
In 1963, construction work ended, and since then the building has been a center of activity for the right-wing Herut
movement and political party (the predecessor of the Likud
party), and other related bodies. On the night of the 1977 "revolution
", when for the first time in Israel's history, the right wing won an election, Menachem Begin
delivered his victory speech to an audience of party activists in the Independence Hall of the building.
Today, the building houses the Likud party's staff, the Betar
movement, the Herut Women organization, the Mishkei Herut Betar settlement movement, the Jabotinsky Institute in Israel and Jabotinsky Museum, the Irgun Museum and the Partisans and Fighters Museum. The rest of it is occupied by businesses.
King George Street (Tel Aviv)
King George Street is a street in Tel Aviv. The street extends from Masaryk Square in the north to Magen David Square in the south, where it meets with Allenby Street, the Carmel Market, Nahalat Binyamin Street, and Simta Plonit...
in Tel-Aviv, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It is also known as Beit Jabotinsky or sometimes simply as HaMetzuda .
Built in a Brutalist
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is a style of architecture which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, spawned from the modernist architectural movement.-The term "brutalism":...
style, the building was planned in 1936 and its construction lasted until 1963. Upon completion, at 60 metres (196.9 ft), it was one of the tallest buildings in Tel Aviv. The building is named after the founder of the Revisionist Zionism
Revisionist Zionism
Revisionist Zionism is a nationalist faction within the Zionist movement. It is the founding ideology of the non-religious right in Israel, and was the chief ideological competitor to the dominant socialist Labor Zionism...
movement, Ze'ev Jabotinsky and serves as the headquarters of the Israeli right-wing Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
party.
History
Metzudat Ze'ev is one of the oldest towers in Tel Aviv. It is built on the site of the shack that, during the 1930s, served as the headquarters of the Revisionist ZionismRevisionist Zionism
Revisionist Zionism is a nationalist faction within the Zionist movement. It is the founding ideology of the non-religious right in Israel, and was the chief ideological competitor to the dominant socialist Labor Zionism...
movement, Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
youth movement, and as the secret meeting place of the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
fighters. In 1936, these movements consolidated a plan for a new building. The building's architect was Mordechai Ben-Horin, and the construction work lasted for a considerable number of years. It is said that during the years when it was still a three-floor building, the Betar youth conducted their meetings within the inner courtyard, where a big mural slogan stated:
In 1963, construction work ended, and since then the building has been a center of activity for the right-wing Herut
Herut
Herut was the major right-wing political party in Israel from the 1940s until its formal merger into Likud in 1988, and an adherent of Revisionist Zionism.-History:...
movement and political party (the predecessor of the Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
party), and other related bodies. On the night of the 1977 "revolution
Israeli legislative election, 1977
The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. For the first time in Israeli political history, the right-wing, led by Likud, won the election, ending almost 30 years of rule by the left-wing Alignment and its predecessor, Mapai...
", when for the first time in Israel's history, the right wing won an election, Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
delivered his victory speech to an audience of party activists in the Independence Hall of the building.
Today, the building houses the Likud party's staff, the Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
movement, the Herut Women organization, the Mishkei Herut Betar settlement movement, the Jabotinsky Institute in Israel and Jabotinsky Museum, the Irgun Museum and the Partisans and Fighters Museum. The rest of it is occupied by businesses.