Levi Eshkol was Israel’s fourth Prime Minister,
serving from 1964-1969.
On December 20, 2016,
the Levi Eshkol House officially opened its doors.
After months of construction this former official residence of
Israeli Prime Ministers is now open to the public.
At the opening, President Reuven Rivlin spoke to
dignitaries, Eshkol family members, and friends.
Off the entrance is the book-lined, main living area.
The simple kitchen
and dial telephone reflect the changes of last 50 years.
The Six-Day War in 1967
was commanded from these humble surroundings.
Photos of Eshkol
with famous
and not-so-famous people line the walls.
Sadly, Miriam Eshkol z”l, wife of Levi Eshkol,
who worked hard on this project,
passed away at the age of 87 at the end of November 2016.
Her photos draped in black were next to lit memorial candles,
as the opening day was still within the traditional month of mourning.
Visitors will be able to learn about,
Prime Minister Levi Eshkol z’l
who established Israel’s ties with West Germany,
was the first Israeli Prime Minister officially invited to the US,
and served through the lowest and highest moments of 1967.
He was also the first Prime Minister of Israel to die in office.
In a corner of the garden, a goldfish-filled pond
is hidden from the street by this wall.
After being derelict for decades,
the former official residence on Ben Maimon Street,
has come alive as a new tourist site in Jerusalem, Israel.