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The Menachem Begin Heritage Center is a national project to commemorate the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel, one of the great leaders of the Jewish People in the generation of the Holocaust and Heroism.
Menachem Begin dedicated his whole life to the independence of Israel in its historic homeland. He was born on 16 August 1913 (Shabbat Nachamu) in Brisk, which was then part of Lithuania, and immigrated to the Land of Israel In 1942. A year later he was appointed Commander of the Irgun Zvai Leumi.
Upon the establishment of the State, Menachem Begin emerged from the Underground and created the Herut (Freedom) Party. On 17 May 1977, he was elected Prime Minister of the State and began to advance the process towards peace with Egypt, and in 1978 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Menachem Begin passed away in Tel Aviv on 4 Adar B 5752, 9 March 1992.
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center functions on the basis of a law adopted by the Knesset on 28 March 1998. The buildingis located on the Hinom Ridge facing Mount Zion and the Walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
It comprises of four floors totaling 5000 square meters. It contains the Begin Archives, which has many important documents, video and audio tapes; the Begin Museum, which portrays his life, work and achievements; a Research Institute, which studies Menachem Begin's activities and legacy in the social fields, the State and culture; an Educational Section that will operate a "Junior Knesset" that will teach parliamentarism and democracy in schools all over the country and research and study of the Zionist struggle for the establishment of the State.
The building was designed by the architects Spector-Amissar of Jerusalem and is in the area of Yemin Moshe and Mishkenot Sh'Ananim and the Scottish Church of Saint Andrews. The building, which is open to the public, will regularly host cultural activities, educational and information programs and other events.
Herzl Makov
Director General
Menachem Begin Heritage Center
