The house of the "Old Menharim" on the Carmel • Dr. David Bar On

Beit Rotenberg in Haifa

In the heart of the "Kaiser Park" planted by the Templar settlers in the central Carmel area (today near the "Dan Carmel" hotel) is the home of Pinchas Rotenberg, the founder of the Israel Electric Company.

"The Old Man of Harim"

Pinchas Rotenberg, known as "the old man from Menharim", founder of the Electric Company (1923) and builds the first power plants in the modernizing Israel. In 1932, after the construction of a series of dams on the Jordan, he established the hydroelectric power plant in Naharim, which produced electricity from the power of the water flow, hence its name. But Rotenberg, before becoming one of the leaders of the Jewish settlement and the head of the "Haganah", managed to become a revolutionary in Russia and in 1917 was active in the October Revolution that led to the establishment of the Soviet Union.

The architect Shmuel Rozov

The impressive stone-roofed house, with its simple facade and balcony overlooking the Haifa Bay and the Haifa power plant, was designed by the architect Shmuel Rosov. Rosov, born in Saint Petersburg, studied architecture in London and in 1924 began working as an architect for the Electric Company, in this position he designed the building of the power plant in Haifa, hence the acquaintance of the two personalities, Rotenberg and Rosov.

Among his other works are the residences of the Electric Company employees, the Dan Carmel Hotel, the former "Palace" cinema and the "Doe's Pond" on the Lui Promenade.

"Youth - the hope of our future"

Since 1943, the "Youth House - Institute for Youth Education" has been operating in Beit Rotenberg, in the spirit of Rotenberg's words: "Our youth are the hopes of our future." In his correct Hebrew education - the security of our existence"