(haipo) – We go up and down stairs every day, rushing to our next destination, almost without raising our heads. But there are stairs that carry not just steps, but memory, history, and hope. The stairs of the prophets In Haifa they are like that. The film "Stairs of Hope" I would like to pause for a moment and remind you: Behind the stone and erosion lies the story of an entire city.
Haifa – Bride of the Sea and Cultures
Haifa was once a magnificent city, “the bride of the sea.” A city where Jews and Arabs lived side by side, children played together without division of identity or opinion, and synagogues operated in the heart of mixed neighborhoods, until the Jewish residents moved to Hadar.
In this space stood Khoury Palace The magnificent, surrounded by green orchards, is a symbol of cultural wealth and communal life. Today, in its place, stands The Tower of the Prophets, living testimony to the changes the city has undergone.
The stairs as a historical axis
The War of Independence, 1948, shook Haifa. The Prophets' Steps were a strategic player in the conquest of the city, and over the years they became a space loaded with memories. Many Arabs fled, houses became the property of absentees, and people who experienced the events carried their personal stories with them into the urban story.
A personal story within an urban story
The film weaves together the story of Walid Karkabi, the conservation architect for the Haifa Municipality. A family story that touches the heart of history: His grandfather, Elias Tibi, owned a porcelain shop. The family, who returned from Lebanon, found that Jews with protected tenant status were living in their home and could not be evicted, and were forced to sell their dream home at a very low price, due to financial hardship. This is one story among many that illustrate how great history permeates everyday life.
Art as an Act of Conservation: Yossi Kori and Step In
From these stairs grows new hope. Architect Dr. Yossi Kori He established a unique gallery on the stairs called Step In – An open artistic space that enlivens the neighborhood and its surroundings.
The gallery is driven by an ecological and sustainable concept: a garden, an irrigation system, modular design, and a deep connection to the place. The gallery's gate features the image of Hassan Shukri, the mythical mayor of Haifa, a symbol of coexistence and moderate local leadership.
Breaking free from the culture of erasure
One of the gallery’s goals is the preservation, not just of buildings, but of memory and culture. Corrie seeks to confront the “culture of erasure,” and create an enabling space where every person can present their essence. It is a place of Haifaism, of diversity, of equality, and of art as a bridge between people.
Hope that crosses stairs
"Stairs of Hope" It is not just a film about a place, but about an idea: Despite the destruction and pain, one person who dreams can change the face of history, in a city and even a country.
Art is a universal language, a bridge between cultures, and the gallery on the stairs welcomes everyone, just like Haifa itself.
The strength of the city, like the gallery, lies in diversity, preservation, and the hope that is born from every small step.
A wonderful and moving article, it's just a shame it's accompanied by gloomy music.