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Tel Aviv: what’s in a name

April 22nd, 2009 | 5 Comments

Building Tel Aviv in 1910

Minutes of a meeting of the Ahuzat Bayit Committee, early 1910:
Dr.Hayyim Hisin: “I suggest that we call our new neighborhood Herzliya, in memory of Herzl”
Abraham Gerson Hanoh: “But there is a chance that we will incur the wrath of the (Ottoman) authorities by naming it after Herzl”
Arieh Akiva Weiss: “This is true. We have to find a name that the goverment will agree to. And let us not forget that we are only building a small neighborhood (sec:!!!), a part of the big city of Jaffa. I suggest the name New Jaffa.”
Menahem Sheinkin: “I suggest the name Tel Aviv, which is the Hebrew name of Herzl’s book ‘Altneuland’, as it was translated by Nahum Sokolow. This is the name by which Herzl wished to express the hope for our future in the Land of Israel. In addition, Tel Aviv has a local, Arab sound and so the local population will be able to get used to it quickly”

On May 21, 1910 the committee accepted Menachem Sheinkin‘s proposal to name the new neighborhood Tel Aviv.

Written by Frits

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Filed under: centennial, history · Tags: ahuzat bayit, altneuland, committee, hanoh, herzl, herzliya, jaffa, nahum sokolow, neighborhood, ottoman, sheinkin, tel aviv, weiss

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5 Responses to "Tel Aviv: what’s in a name"

1. Tel Aviv Fever says:

   22/04/2009 at 16:46

   WOW! This is such a beautiful picture, as picture and what is says! Before this there was 'nothing'…
   Tears in my eyes, no lie…
2. Amir says:

   30/05/2009 at 15:53

   wow, this is strange, I wonder who makes the translation for this site, the hebrew version of Weiss words is

   ????? ???? ???? ????, ???? ????? ??? ???? ??????, ???? ????? ?? ???, ???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???? ???. ???? ???? ?????-??? ?????? ????, ?????? ????? ???? ???? '???-???' ??? ???-????."

   Which should read,: Many years from now, one would know that New Jaffa is the Hebrew city, and we shouldnt call it any other now, cause this would be as though we have built a city within a city. A new quarter isn't like a new settelment, and in foreign languages the city we be called Nof-Yafo like New York
3. Amir says:

   30/05/2009 at 15:54

   This is the correct translation and it is consistent with Weiss' view since the day he founded Ahuzat Bayit in 1906. His vision was to build a new modern Hebrew city the would be independent and large and would serve as the gate of Eretz Israel, in the same manner New York was the gate of America
4. Amir says:

   30/05/2009 at 15:57

   http://www.ani.org.il/?CategoryID=402&Article… (The Hebrew version)

   [youtube 7BwdxsovSs0 (a nice viedo) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BwdxsovSs0 (a nice viedo) youtube]
5. Frits says:

   30/05/2009 at 20:52

   Amir,we didn't take the text from the Hebrew,but from an article in the Jerusalem Post and please, don't be so "sarcastic" ( We are two Dutch guys,one in Holland,one here, with an enormous love for Tel-Aviv..I am for 100% sure that there isn't one website on the Internet who brings daily news about Tel-Aviv,2 or 3 items,about Art,Architecture,Fashion,Music,Ballet/ Dance, Galleries,Events,Movies)
   Warmest regards,
   Frits

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