The neighborhood cinemas that were in Haifa

We recently finished The series of articles that is a salute to Haifa's neighborhood cinemas, the film festival that took place a little over a month ago, seems now, against the background of the war and the difficult events in Israel, like distant history. But perhaps precisely because of this, it is pleasant to remember, starting with the movie theater "Coliseum" which opened its doors in 1919, to the cinema "Nof" which opened in 1968. Of all these, only "Ammi" survived, branding itself as a "Sinecafe" and a cinema of quality films • Summary article

In total, we surveyed 35 cinemas that were opened within a period of half a century. All this, without mentioning the multi-screen cinemas (Rav Gat, Rav Or, Panorama, Rav Mor and many others), to which the torch passed from the neighborhood cinemas, and which they carry to this day.

The uniqueness of the neighborhood cinemas was that they were centers of activity that were integrated into the cultural and social fabric of the city. Around the big cinemas, mainly in Hadar, entertainment centers have developed with falafel stands, restaurants and cafes, and young people on "irons" on the edge of sidewalks. Buses and taxis took passengers to these places of entertainment, and the city was, in many ways, more alive and vibrant than it is today.

Along with many of the characteristics of the modern world, cinema has turned from a social experience into a consumer product. The movie theaters have become huge, multi-screen supermarkets, based on a different business model, and are usually, and not coincidentally, located in large shopping centers, which themselves symbolize a revolution in shopping and entertainment patterns.

In this process, the cinema lost its status as a community-social institution. From a central component of the urban space, the cinemas have become complexes on the outskirts of the city, which are usually reached by private car. The small theaters and VIP complexes neutralized the community viewing experience and made the cinema experience more individual. The retreat of the cinemas to closed and private complexes, for its part, greatly damaged the old city centers and the experience of living in them.

Haifa was once the world cinema capital of moviegoers. According to official data from the UNESCO organization, in 1954, every Haifa resident visited the cinema about 30 times a year on average, compared to 24 visits to Tel Aviv and 18 to Jerusalem, and the Devar newspaper excitedly informed its readers:

"Israel ranks first in the world according to the percentage of cinema visits, and Haifa ranks first in Israel".

Thanks

Many good people cooperated with me in the creation of this series of articles, and due to the brevity of the canvas I will not be able to thank everyone here. I will only mention here Itamar Roteloi, whose contribution to some of the articles was very significant, and my friend Dr. David Brown, whose amazing illustrations brought back to life the cinemas that are no longer with us.

And what's next

• Dr. Brown and myself intend to publish an anthology of Haifa's neighborhood cinemas that will be based on this series of articles.
• At the next film festival, which will be the 40th festival of Haifa, we hope to weave, under the auspices of Atos, the salute to the cinemas of Haifa, as one of the main motifs of the festival.

Next we bring the illustrations of the cinemas by Dr. David Brown.

Movie theaters and cinemas that have not yet been illustrated: "Carmel", "Empire", "Gan Ha'ir", "Herzliya", "Hadar" (at the corner of Herzl-Balfour).