Page 240 - קרובים רחוקים
P. 240
The glory days of R and R lasted as long as Safed was a vacation destination. Apart from being
used for R and R, the compound was used as an event and cultural center for the residents
of the city of Safed. In the late seventies the R and R facility lost it attraction as a holiday
destination. The Lebanon War and the changing vacation preferences of the Israeli public led
to its final closure in the late eighties. The complex was sold by the management of the 'Clallit'
health fund owned by the Histadrut to a private entrepreneur who established a banquet hall
on the original dining room built by Rechter-Zrachi. His attempts to develop the complex met
with public opposition led by The Society for Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites.
After many years of neglect, the historic buildings and grounds were purchased by Zefat
Academic College with the aim of converting them into the main college campus. The college
took possession on 31 January 2013.
Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital also resumed activities after the War of Independence, and
for several years continued to admit tuberculosis patients. In the early fifties, the Hadassah
organization decided to significantly reduce its activities in Safed, and the hospital building
was transferred to the Safed municipality for use as a municipal hospital. In December 1954,
after the renovation of the building and with help from the Ministry of Health, a maternity
hospital was opened in the building. In the second half of the fifties, Hadassah gave notification
of cessation of contact with the hospital. Two institutions - Hadassah and the "Government
Hospital" which operated at a different site in the city - merged into a regional government
hospital. The maternity and pediatric wards remained in the Rothschild building. In April 1973,
the hospital was abandoned when its wards were transferred to the new hospital in the south
of the city, known today as the Ziv Medical Center.
A year later, the Rothschild-Hadassah hospital building became home to the Zefat Academic
College. The building was renovated and its first year of academic programs was sponsored
by Bar-Ilan University. Some years later, in 2000, Zefat Academic College was established
as a separate NGO. The organization decided to renovate the hospital building because of
its precarious physical condition, thereby saving the historic structure from demolition. The
hospital building was renovated by the architect Gali Gilady who took pains to maintain
its original architectural features, and the renovation was funded by the Higher Education
Council of Israel's Planning and Budgeting Committee and the Zefat Academic College. After
restoration, the Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital building became the central and representative
building of the college.
For the first time in history, the two sites of the historic hospitals are in the possession of Zefat
Academic College. Having 'rescued' the Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital, the college intends to
revive the Bussel compound through a combination of new construction and preservation of
its historic buildings. To this end, the college has prepared a master plan for all its buildings.
One of the principles of the program is to create a continuum between the buildings and thus to
bring 'far' buildings (Bussel House) 'closer' (to Hadassah House). The master plan was drawn
up by the offices of architect Haim Kehath, based on a number of objectives and principles:
רחוקים קרובים238
used for R and R, the compound was used as an event and cultural center for the residents
of the city of Safed. In the late seventies the R and R facility lost it attraction as a holiday
destination. The Lebanon War and the changing vacation preferences of the Israeli public led
to its final closure in the late eighties. The complex was sold by the management of the 'Clallit'
health fund owned by the Histadrut to a private entrepreneur who established a banquet hall
on the original dining room built by Rechter-Zrachi. His attempts to develop the complex met
with public opposition led by The Society for Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites.
After many years of neglect, the historic buildings and grounds were purchased by Zefat
Academic College with the aim of converting them into the main college campus. The college
took possession on 31 January 2013.
Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital also resumed activities after the War of Independence, and
for several years continued to admit tuberculosis patients. In the early fifties, the Hadassah
organization decided to significantly reduce its activities in Safed, and the hospital building
was transferred to the Safed municipality for use as a municipal hospital. In December 1954,
after the renovation of the building and with help from the Ministry of Health, a maternity
hospital was opened in the building. In the second half of the fifties, Hadassah gave notification
of cessation of contact with the hospital. Two institutions - Hadassah and the "Government
Hospital" which operated at a different site in the city - merged into a regional government
hospital. The maternity and pediatric wards remained in the Rothschild building. In April 1973,
the hospital was abandoned when its wards were transferred to the new hospital in the south
of the city, known today as the Ziv Medical Center.
A year later, the Rothschild-Hadassah hospital building became home to the Zefat Academic
College. The building was renovated and its first year of academic programs was sponsored
by Bar-Ilan University. Some years later, in 2000, Zefat Academic College was established
as a separate NGO. The organization decided to renovate the hospital building because of
its precarious physical condition, thereby saving the historic structure from demolition. The
hospital building was renovated by the architect Gali Gilady who took pains to maintain
its original architectural features, and the renovation was funded by the Higher Education
Council of Israel's Planning and Budgeting Committee and the Zefat Academic College. After
restoration, the Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital building became the central and representative
building of the college.
For the first time in history, the two sites of the historic hospitals are in the possession of Zefat
Academic College. Having 'rescued' the Rothschild-Hadassah Hospital, the college intends to
revive the Bussel compound through a combination of new construction and preservation of
its historic buildings. To this end, the college has prepared a master plan for all its buildings.
One of the principles of the program is to create a continuum between the buildings and thus to
bring 'far' buildings (Bussel House) 'closer' (to Hadassah House). The master plan was drawn
up by the offices of architect Haim Kehath, based on a number of objectives and principles:
רחוקים קרובים238
