22 Bialik

Excited to take part in this special project!
Beit Bialik is the home of the national poet Haim Nachman Bialik at 22 Bialik St., in Tel Aviv, near the old city hall.
Bialik had a special connection to the city of Tel Aviv, he made his home there, the construction of which was completed in 1926. The house was built on a plot of land that Bialik financed with the proceeds of a special edition of his writings. The house was built in an eclectic style, designed by the architect Yosef Minor. It is said that initially Bialik objected to building a balcony in front of the building facing the street, but it was built anyway, due to the insistence of the architect Minor, who claimed that “a house without a balcony is like a front without a nose”.
A garden was planted around the building that included typical plants from different regions of Israel, including the seven species.
In addition to being a writer, poet, translator and publisher, Bialik was also a prominent figure in Tel Aviv society. In this context, Bialik hosted ordinary guests in his home on Monday and Thursday afternoons.
Bialik died in 1934 and about nine months before his death he left his home in Tel Aviv, moved to Ramat Gan, and began preparations to build his home there.
In 1937, his wife Manya transferred the house to the municipality as the “Beit Bialik Association” whose task is to preserve the house. In exchange for the property, the municipality gave her an apartment to live in. The house was renovated shortly after, and opened to the public under the management of Moshe Ungerfeld.
In the 1960s, another building, the “Mania Bialik Woman’s House” was built on the grounds of the Eretz Yisrael Botanical Garden behind the house. This building was designed to accommodate activities to promote Hebrew poets and writers. After Ungerfeld’s death in 1980, the house underwent another seven-year renovation. The Society of Hebrew Writers made the house the center of its activities, and held cultural and literary gatherings there. On January 4, 2009, the house was reopened after a restoration project, headed by Nitza Metzger Smock, which included the renovation of the building, while preserving and restoring its original details, and editing a new and up-to-date display.
In the house there is an archive that includes original manuscripts of Haim Nachman Bialik, manuscripts sent to him for perusal, many letters from adults and children as well as various printed matter kept in his estate. The house displays paintings and sculptures created by Israeli artists such as Nahum Gutman and Reuven Rubin. In addition, a clock is kept in the house that plays “HaTikvah” every hour and on the entrance floor there are ceramic tiles prepared in “Bezalel” depicting the Parshat of the Spies, the Twelve Tribes, the Feast of the Covenant as well as “Yudah the Captive” and “Yudah the Liberated”.

Nega Carpentry restores the windows in the historic building while paying attention to every detail, uniquely combining the peak of technological advancement with the preservation of the special character of the original building.

Architecture: Nitza Smoak
Preservation contractor: Avner Gilad – preservation and restoration of buildings
Supervision and project management: Meirav Shaul