Hana Yaffe from Haifa is a landscape architect. Her profession is a field of design that deals with the planning of outdoor spaces - from house yards to city squares, gardens, parks, streets, promenades, nature reserves, national parks and all open areas.
Landscape architecture with the aim that the final assembly will look completely natural
In the past this field was called "garden architecture" whereas today, landscape architecture is connected with the architecture of the buildings themselves and is an integral part of urban planning and design.
The role of a landscape architect is to plan and connect nature and the environment with man-made buildings - in such a way that the final assembly looks completely natural, as if no human hand has touched it. Indeed, this aspect is most prominent in Hana Yaffe's works.
Many parameters and detailed planning
A landscape architect is required to plan on many levels and take into account many parameters such as ecology, social-sociological planning, analysis of field conditions, the division of public space into different roles and populations - as well as detailed planning of vegetation, materials, rainwater drainage and the connection of the external space to the buildings and their systems. It should be noted that proper planning by a professional landscape architect is an integral part of the process of establishing small or large gardens.
"I live here too"
Here is the section that brings you fascinating Haifa characters in their homes where the introduction is through the stories, the charges and the unique point of view of the people who make up the human mosaic of our city Haifa. That is, these are the people who live and live here - just like the name of the section - "I also live here".
As part of this section we will get to know Haifa characters and their place of residence. The introduction is not through the square footage of the apartment, or a real estate appraisal or a design description only, but the essence of this acquaintance is to get to know the host's house - to the stories, to the emotional charge and to the unique personal point of view. This time we will get to know the landscape architect Hana Yaffe.
Many projects and a prestigious award
For twenty-five years, Yaffe worked at KKL-Junk, and among her work is the development plan for the "Distinct Site", in which she participated in the documentation of the archaeological findings that were uncovered at the site. She also planned the planting of many forests in the area for which she was responsible, for example: Mount Yona, Mount The jump and along the banks of streams.
Hana Yaffe planned and brought to fruition projects in which there is an emphasis on the aspect of conservation in its various forms. For example in the projects: Biriyeh Citadel, 28th Citadel, the old Jordan Guard, the preservation and accessibility of the ancient synagogue in Navoriyeh, the Baron Garden in Rosh Pina, the Spring Park in Metula - as well as the Olives Promenade, the Valley View Promenade in Nazareth Elit, the Geological Park in Kiryat Shmona, the Mount Shaul Trail in Gilboa and the development of paths along the sides of many streams such as Nahal Harod, Nahal Kishon, Naaman, and the development of Nesher Park on Nahal Katia in the city of Nesher.
For the development of Nesher Park, in 2007, Hana Yaffe won the "Caravan Prize for Garden and Landscape Architecture".
A girl in her soul, an optimist, a woman of justice and principles
Hana Yaffe, who was born in Haifa (1959), can be described as a woman who is a child in her soul, an optimist, a strong soul (according to her many friends), a woman of justice and principles. Hana describes a happy childhood in the Hadar neighborhood - where she lived, with her elder brother Hami graduated from it in 3 and a half years), revolved around their studies at the Raleigh school from grade XNUMX to grade XNUMX.
The father of the family was an accountant and also a gemologist (studied gemology at the Stock Exchange in Raz) and the mother, who was fluent in many languages, was a senior secretary in an attorney's office. Her love for nature stemmed from her childhood days when she used to go out on Saturdays with her father from the Hadar neighborhood to what was then called "the mountain" (up Mount Carmel) for flower-identifying trips.
The grandfather and his young granddaughter
Hana's brave connection to the beauty of nature and aesthetics, is anchored in the character of her grandfather who was an essential figure in her life. In the early 30s, the grandfather and his wife immigrated to Israel from Romania via France and settled in Haifa.
The grandfather was also involved in the creation of copper engravings, jewelry and handicrafts. From here it was a short journey for the young granddaughter Hana to handicrafts, sewing unique dolls, ceramics and painting. The parents supported her talents and even sent her to drawing classes on Jerusalem St. and to the art camps that were at Beit Miller.
Radar operator in the Communications Corps and team commander
She began her service in the army as an "archer", which was the previous version of an observer. Hana believes that although the female observers are the eyes of the fighters in the field through various collection teams deployed throughout the country, a role that includes operating systems that help detect and thwart elements hostile to the State of Israel and conducting surveillance on the perimeter fence and identifying suspicious behavior in the civilian space - the high ranks will block reports The observatory has not changed since its service until recently.
Hana says that during her military service, she herself reported about unusual traffic at the border. She reported again and again but without any response from the echelon above her... until terrorists did indeed infiltrate. Hana Yaffe, who completed the course for radar operators in the Communications Corps, continued in her position and even served as a team commander.
Studies …
Hana Yaffe is a landscape architect, a graduate of the Technion in Haifa, with a master's degree in natural resources and environment management and an additional master's degree in the history of ancient maritime civilizations from the University of Haifa, as well as a doctoral student in the Faculty of Architecture at the Technion.
Yaffe studied Buddhism in various settings as well as "body theater" - pantomime in the Jacques Lecoq method, and also studied for three years in the Asian studies department at the University of Haifa as part of a pre-doctorate.
… and work
After completing her studies, she was accepted to work at KKL-Junk as a planner and then as an architect for a high school area. Within this framework, she was involved in a variety of projects, the most prominent of which are the Olive Park in the Nof Ha'Emek neighborhood in Migdal Ha'Emek, and the development of the park that surrounds the ancient theater that was uncovered in Shoni.
During her years of work, Hana Yaffe trained in various fields, including rehabilitation and reconstruction on behalf of the Chamber of Engineers and Architects, law and labor relations, environmental aspects in planning and a directors' course on behalf of "Maen - Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Women in Israel". She also attended and completed the first course for accessibility consultants for those with special needs.
Conferences, congresses and trips around the globe
As part of her work at KKL-Junk, as well as on various private vacations, Yaffe was and remains a seasoned and experienced traveler around the world. She participated as a lecturer in the ECLAS Congress held in 1997 at the Technion, in the IFLA Congress in Buenos Aires (1997), in the IFLA Congress in Athens (1998), in the IFLA Congress in Costa Rica ( 2000) and at the FAO conference in Viseu, Portugal in 2001, as well as at the annual conference of the Israeli Geographical Society in 2006 in Jerusalem.
In addition to all this - in the years 2003-2005 Yaffe took part in the "Delta" project on behalf of the common European market and in 2007 represented the KKL-Junk in Montana and Idaho in the USA - at the CIPAM seminar for managing protected areas and public participation.
Winner of the "Caravan Prize for Garden and Landscape Architecture" for 2007
KKL-Junk's landscape architect, Hana Yaffe won the Caravan Award for 2007 for planning Nesher Park. Every three years since 1971, the Caravan Award (the "Oscar" of landscape architects!) has been awarded by the Municipality of Tel Aviv, and it is Israel's main award for landscape planning .
Yaffe won this award for its design of Nesher Park, which was built on a large area that was initially earmarked for construction. Following an alternative plan that she designed beautifully and submitted on behalf of the KKL-Junk to the Nesher municipality, the designation of most of the area was changed to a green area, where this park was established.
The judges' committee justified the selection of Yaffe as the winner of the prize due to her contribution to the rehabilitation of a damaged area, and the development of the area to a spectacular park linking the neighborhoods that border it.
Eagle Park and the hanging bridges
Nesher Park, which was opened in 2004 by KKL-Junk and the Nesher Municipality, is a spacious park that offers its visitors a unique local attraction in the form of two bridges hanging between the wooded mountains. The bridges are tens of meters above Nahal Katia, which is a short stream that descends from Mt. Carmel towards the city of Nesher.
The two narrow and swinging bridges stretch 70 meters long, and they hang over the tops of the trees and the river channel. It goes without saying that the bridges are completely safe, and even those who suffer from a slight fear of heights should not be afraid.
The excursion route in the park is suitable for all explorers of the family. The walking route in the park goes directly to the hanging bridges. A network of marked paths allows walking routes of different and varying levels of difficulty.
The subject of the PhD: commemoration spaces for extreme events in the Second World War
In 2009 Yaffe retired from the KKL-Junk, and since then she has been engaged in various topics such as: preparing environmental impact reviews and voluntary planning, the main of which is the development of projects for the public.
She is also continuing to write her doctorate on the subject of activism, artivism and performatism in commemorative spaces for extreme events in the second semester. As a test case for this thesis, she made good use of the commemorative space in Hiroshima - within the Faculty of Landscape Architecture at the Technion and the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Haifa.
The book: "Tribal Culture and Space: A Journey to Preservation and Empowerment"
In October 2018, Hana Yaffe's book "Culture and the Tribal Space: A Journey to Preservation and Empowerment" was published by Resling Publishing, which is a theoretical publishing house dedicated to promoting the theoretical-critical discourse in the field of art, culture and society.
Hana Yaffe's book opens with a description of a struggle to save a sacred and natural space of ancient grandeur and goes through the empowerment of disappearing tribes and cultures.
The book crosses continents and seas, as well as passing through disappearing landscapes. All this alongside traditional lifestyles that incorporate modernism. The book gives a taste of the customs and traditions of members of different cultures all over the world, explains, emphasizes and tells about both the commonalities and the differences between them.
Hana Yaffe's book is based on her personal encounters with the residents. In her words, she put a spotlight on the analysis of local literary texts and on the uniqueness of each and every culture. From Yaffe's book many questions and doubts arise related to both the future of these cultures and our future in general.
Help and cooperation with the band "Sesame"
Yaffe decided to organize the launch party of Sifra in a festive and unique way, in which there will be a correlation between the essence of the book and a culture of joy and community dance. Her decision was to hold a double launch party in Haifa's "Talpiot Market", that is: a street party! Ladida, and in the spirit of her story, suited none other than the "Sesame Band" which at the time was about to release their fourth album.
"Sesame" is a band that creates live gypsy music, coming from gypsy tribes around the world (Turkey, Greece and Eastern Europe). In addition to this, the band creates original music with gypsy inspiration - diverse and rich music, full of rhythm and emotion. Their show is rhythmic, engrossing on the one hand and intimate on the other, and combines both songs in different languages and instrumental pieces in unique arrangements that usually make even the most restrained audience jump.
Change and open a new page
In the past, Hana lived in a ground floor apartment in the nearby area opposite the Dan Carmel Hotel and Beit Rotenberg. This apartment of hers, which has a rustic character, she renovated and beautified - and you could stay there for a long time. However, in 2008 Hana's father passed away and in 2009 she retired from KKL-Junk, so the feeling she felt at that time was a feeling that she had to make any change and even "turn over a new page".
She thought, internalized and did. Yaffe bought an apartment where her tenants had been living for about a year. Hana's current house is in the heart of the Shambor neighborhood and it overlooks the slopes of the neighborhood and even the beach.
"Green Island" and saving the Washington trees
At the end of 2009, the view to the sea was more open, but over the years additional floors were built in the development of the neighborhood - things that are a necessity of reality. At the same time, Hana was successful in her fight, that despite the environmental development, the Washington trees in front of Mouna will not be cut down.
On the west side, the view from Yaffe's terrace is breathtaking and on the other side is a peaceful complex in the form of a small garden. This is a blooming and hearty green island which is on the other side of the building.
The dining counter serves as a drawing table
Today, when Hana thinks, works and implements new projects - her favorite place to do this is the work table... This table is nothing but the dining counter that separates the kitchen from the living room. The role of the "light table" for copying the drawings is fulfilled by the view window overlooking the balcony.
A green and airy chaise longue
In the living room, next to the chaise longue (from French: "long chair"), elongated green and designed, which allows you to hold your legs to their full length, on top of the chair - there is a unique design item in the form of an airplane toy.
Although this item was previously intended for Hana's nephew, who wanted to be a pilot, today her young and playful soul allows herself to have fun sitting on it and even "drive/fly" around the house.
"Maiden" symbolizing the essence of hope
In the bedroom, right above the bed hangs a doll. At a time when she was pretty immersed up to her neck in dealing with her health, she saw the publication of a photo that moved her very much. This is a doll that was handmade by the artist Sigal Sela, who produces unique dolls. The doll that captured Yaffe's heart, is her doll that Sela gave the name "Alma" and it symbolizes for Yaffe the essence of hope.
The Alma doll floats above Yaffe's bed, hanging on a kind of balloon and sows around her a feeling of hope for a better future.
Marionettes, unique dolls and works of art
She brought many souvenirs and various objects from all over the world. There are marionettes typical of distant lands in Ma'una. The marionettes originated in antiquity, and apparently there were marionettes in ancient Greece. The use of marionettes in modern times originated in Italy during the Renaissance period where the commedia dell'arte developed. In Burma, the marionettes are called "yuk tea" which means "miniature".
Among the souvenirs, you can even find an "anti-voodoo" doll that guards against the "evil eye" and attracts good luck to it - as well as unique works of art, for example a mosaic work, known as "cropzi", made by the artist Neely Sheila.
Principles and wars for the sake of the small citizen and a fight for the KofH insured
In November 2005, Yaffe broke out in the fight and war for the health insurance policyholders. At the same time, Klalit Health Insurance Company was dealing with its policyholders in a way of not approving test payments even though two of its internal inquiry committees ruled in favor of the policyholder Hana Yaffe.
At that time, she coped well with cancer and heart diseases - and indeed received a refund of several thousand shekels for a test to diagnose a tumor in the chest. But immediately afterwards she was surprised to find out that the fund was suing her in the labor court, through the office of a lawyer.
She did not imagine that Klalit Hospital Fund would decide to continue the legal battle against her, this is because the fund's supreme inquiry committee itself decided that she should finance the test designed to verify whether the cancerous tumor diagnosed in her right kidney had also spread to the chest. Yaffe did not imagine that the management of KofH Kalit would dare to sue and drag a cancer and heart patient to court - especially that, as mentioned, after she had already won two internal inquiry courts of the fund.
Some time later, the fund decided to cancel the lawsuit and give up the money, but only on the condition that Shifa would sign and agree that "the two arbitration rulings will be declared null and void." Yaffe rejected the proposal, on the grounds that it is a fundamental struggle for the rights of the patient and the rights of the citizen.
She sent the defense statement to the court, in which she asked to reject the claim of the fund. "If the HMO has a lot of time to waste on such wars among its customers," Yaffe wrote, among other things, "please dedicate it to helping the sick and those in need, and if the HMO has excess resources to file such claims against the little citizen, and in my case - a cancer and heart patient, please dedicate the its resources to the Cancer Society or any other positive purpose"... and so it happened that the fund withdrew from its claim.
Voluntary activity for the community and hope for a clean future
Hana Yaffe is an environmental and social activist. Today, Yaffe promotes, on a voluntary basis, the "Friendship Park" project, which is supposed to be in the area of the military base on Tschernihovsky St., as well as the establishment of monuments on the one hand and relaxation gardens on the other hand at IDF bases.
Yaffe planned and brought about the establishment of a corner of the garden at Shemen Beach in the compound at the Drug Rehab Station, as well as promoted the garden at "Beit Maya" in Neve David - where the yard was flowered. The project with the help of "Light and Trees" cream is at the school for children with special needs - Henrietta Sold - where she established a unique ecological garden, which won a national first prize.
According to Hana Yaffe, the most successful things are precisely the projects of real estate entrepreneurs - which were avoided!!! And this is for the sake of the public good.
Now the audience already understands the "importance of green"
Yaffe hopes that the municipality and the other authorities will be a listening ear to the residents on such important issues of the quality of life.
In her opinion, only during the corona epidemic did the audience begin to understand the "importance of green" in the living area, an understanding that needs to be strengthened and strengthened. Therefore, she works vigorously to save the Haifa wadis, which she calls "the breathing lungs of the city".
Today Hana Yaffe fights like a thief, for the preservation of the landscape in general, and wishes for the construction of new neighborhoods that will be harmless to the landscape in general and nature in particular.
An impressive woman and an inspiring brave warrior
Well done
Excellent article
Full of appreciation for your work. Continue for many more years to plan a heart-expanding environment for all of us.
Torch woman. What a job and talent!!!
Good luck!!
Wow….. what a woman!!!! Amazing!!!!!
Dear Hana, the average reader does not know how great your contribution to the city of Haifa is and how much time you invest for many projects as a full volunteer. You are involved in the struggles to preserve buildings, to save open spaces, to establish public parks, to promote social and environmental goals, you help citizens and advise the elected representatives, and all with equal heart and mind, and professional integrity is a candle to your feet. I had the privilege of meeting a true partner in the preservation of the Haifa wetlands and the development of hiking trails for the community and I thank you for that and more.