In Hadar, on Halutz Street 20, at the corner of Halutz and Brevold streets, is one of the most beautiful buildings built in Haifa in the international style, and known to many because of the Hadar branch that operated there for many years.
The house is at 20 Halutz
The house was designed in 1938, by the Templar architect Karl Roof, as an apartment house combined with commerce on the ground floor for Mrs. Amatol Baha Irani, a very important figure in the Baha'i community. Although the building is designed in the international style, it is finished in stone, as is typical of many buildings of its kind in Haifa, which expressed a combination of European design ideas with a local tradition of stone construction.
The building consists of two symmetrical blocks sitting on the corner of Halutz and Brewald streets. The blocks are connected by a vertical block, the stairwell, which is open to its entire height by narrow vertical windows. Covered, rectangular and rounded balconies are combined in both blocks. The cladding of the building is stone with two types of processing: messam (fine processing) and tubza (rough processing).
Amatul Baha Irani (1910-2000)
Amatul Baha Irani was born in Canada as Mary Sutherland Maxwell to a Christian family. Her father was an architect and her mother was a spiritualist. she marriedShogi Effendi, the continuation of Abdul Baha who was "the guardian of the Baha'i religion". She was one of the most important figures in the Baha'i community. In 1957, with the death of her husband, Shogi Effendi, she played a very important role in the "World Hall of Justice", the supreme institution of the Baha'i religion. She died in Gal 89 in Haifa and was buried in the Bahá'í World Center in the city.
Karl Ruff, the architect of the building
Karl Roff was born in Haifa in 1904, to parents who were members of the Templar community that founded the German colony in the city. We will recall that the settlement of the Templars in Israel began in 1868, when a large group of members of the sect landed in the port of Haifa and decided to settle there.
In July 1932, the young architect Karl Roff (28), received a directive from the German Nazi Party to found a Nazi party in Palestine. Karl Roof enthusiastically tied himself to the task and within a few weeks, the majority of the approximately 2500 Templars then living in Israel became supporters of the Nazi Party from the German homeland.
Finally, we should note that the British deported most of the members of the community to Australia in 1941, because of their active support for Nazi Germany. The last Templars who were allowed to remain in Israel after the divorce, also left Israel, of their own accord, in 1950.
Building preservation
The building was declared a "building for conservation" by the Department for the Conservation of Buildings and Sites of the Municipality of Haifa. Compared to other buildings, this building has preserved its character (and beauty), probably thanks to the stone cladding. In 2017, the heirs of Mrs. Amatol Baha Irani sold the building to a real estate developer.
Recently the building was resold and purchased by a group of Jewish real estate developers. They renovated it in accordance with the conservation requirements of the municipal conservation department and upgraded its infrastructure. Today the building, which stands in all its original glory, is rented out for residential and commercial use. This case represents a growing trend among Haifa real estate developers who are willing to invest in the preservation and upgrading of "buildings for preservation" in particular, with the aim of turning them into profitable real estate.
In doing so, they continue to prove that investing in the preservation of buildings can definitely pay off.
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Interesting articles. Beautiful illustrations. thanks.
Regarding the Templars, I would like to correct it. They did not leave the country voluntarily!
The British found out, but after the end of the war, some of them returned to the colonies in the Land of Israel. After the establishment of the State of Israel, those who remained were deported. Requests from Jewish friends didn't help either. I heard that there was one Templar of Danish descent who was allowed to stay but not in his home. It was part of the policy of the State of Israel and of course related to their assets.
Regarding the connection to the Nazi party. Indeed there were many in the Nazi party. Some out of faith, some because it was accepted. There were also those who opposed and did not join. In any case, their deportation by the British had nothing to do with being members of the Nazi Party, but because they were enemy subjects. When the war was over, they could return.
A wonderful article. thanks
The building was once beautiful, but its decades of neglect have made names for it, as well as other special houses around the city.
Haifa has many houses like this and even more beautiful ones. But the city does nothing to preserve the historical and beautiful houses.
As always, a pleasure to read. interesting
And the drawings are great.
Thank you very much for your comment, have a good week!
In response to Karnit: There is no connection between the deportation to Australia, which was carried out due to the Germans approaching the borders of the Land of Israel and fear of the Templars becoming a "fifth brother", and the exchange of citizens that took place during World War II through the Red Cross in which the citizens of the Land of Israel who were stranded in Europe at the outbreak of the war were exchanged for Templars with German citizenship. These are 2 completely different events.
Small correction: as far as I know, Roof was not an architect by profession but a surveyor. He was indeed engaged in house planning. Regarding the deportation to Australia, it was done as part of exchanges with Germany, they were released in exchange for the immigration of Jews of German origin who had already become naturalized in Palestine, i.e. returning residents.
Thank you for your response. According to the inscription on the sign announcing it as a building for preservation, Karl Roof was an architect. Shabbat Shalom!
As a native of Haifa (Bat Galim) and later in Hadar, I remember the unique buildings of the city and am happy to know that there are those who preserve the heritage of these buildings. I attended high school at Bialik Gymnasium and unfortunately they did not preserve the unique building. rope
Thank you for your response, Shabbat Shalom!
Thanks for sharing David. And always admire your drawing talent... that you continue to draw the beautiful buildings of Haifa and share historical stories with us.
Hi, David. You brought us a unique architectural gem. Well done!
Thank you very much for your response, Shabbat Shalom!
The Baha'is in Haifa are settlers from Persia
The Templars in Haifa are settlers from Germany
The Christians in Haifa are settlers from Armenia, Lebanon and Syria
The Druze in Usafia are settlers from Egypt
The original Jewish settlement were Jews from Yemen
The Russians also settled there and built a church and a monastery
The Muslims conquered it from the Crusaders who were settlers from Europe
French and British also settled there who wanted to rule it
Haifa was a small and forgotten settlement in front of Acre.
But almost all its residents are immigrants and children of immigrants.
Thank you for your response. The Jewish settlement existed in the Haifa area (Shakmona, etc.) even in the days of the Crusaders, regardless of the Yemeni elite and/or others later.
From persecuted to settlers, they were upgraded here... something that also defines all old and new immigrants... which also includes all religions and groups. including everyone. us too Maybe not exactly.