Another story of Old Jerusalem, and this time – Shrine of the Book during construction, the Israel Museum, 1964.
The building was designed by the architect Philip Bartos. David Gottesman, the financier of the project, chose Bartos as the building’s architect in 1955. Gottesman also purchased three of the scrolls stored for the museum and agreed to finance the building so it could exhibit them. Bartos was chosen because he was married to Celeste Ruth, Gottesman’s daughter. The architect John Kiesler collaborated with Bartos in designing the building.
Four more scrolls were bought by the archaeologist and the vice chief of staff of the IDF, Yigeal Yadin.
The building was originally meant to be a part of the Givat Ram campus and was supposed to serve as the national library.
The building’s design had a unique shape, reminiscent of a clay urn in which scrolls were kept, an ancient tomb, or in Hebrew – karambo. This was a bold structure with a special architecture and was originally supposed to combine water elements, which exist to this day, and fire that was supposed to erupt from the dome, but due to budget issues, this part of the project was not implemented.
During the building’s restoration, in 2005, an attempt was made to implement the fire structure in the dome, but the preservation architects did not receive permission from the fire department.
This unique building has two-thirds below ground level, a symbol of the young country struggling to grow roots and firmly establish itself in the ground. A black basalt wall was built in front of the building, contrasting with the color of the white dome, which symbolized the 2,000-year exile, the contrast with the white building also symbolized the rise of the people of this country.
To this day, the scrolls are displayed in the hall, together with the Aram Tzuba Crown, which is considered the most accurate copy of the Bible and has undergone many revisions. Its story could easily be used as a script for a science fiction thriller.
The building stands majestically to this day next to the Israel Museum and has become one of the icons associated with Jerusalem.
This is our Jerusalem, the historic Aram Tsuba Crown, architectural nepotism, an innovative and unique modern building, and priceless scrolls, the need to ascertain one’s roots, fire brigades, past and present living side by side in confusion.
Shabbat of peace to the far and near Jerusalem.
Photo – Israel Museum, Jerusalem
