Today, Haifa has two busy ports: the older one, leased to the Indian Adani Group, and the newer Haifa Bay Port operated by the Chinese SIPG. But only a little over 90 years ago, in 1933, a modern port for its time was inaugurated in the city, capable of handling large ships. This occurred under British initiative and funding from the Mandate authorities, and it was only then that the old port of Jaffa and the Hebrew port of Tel Aviv were relieved of their roles as the main ports of the soon-to-be state.
A new exhibition titled "We Are Building a Port Here" opened at the National Maritime Museum in Haifa. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a film, produced for the museum by the Ports of Israel (Haifa Port) Company, starring actor Edan Alterman, which tells the story of the development of Israel's ports. The approximately 10-minute film presents the history of port establishment in Israel – from the British Mandate period, through the first decades of the state’s establishment, to the creation of the Haifa Port Company and the building of the "Bay" and "South" ports in recent years. Alongside the film, historical exhibits and photographs of Israel's ports from the Haifa Museums' collection will be displayed.
The film was produced by Gavish Media, directed by Tom Gavish, and based on a script by Erez Polak. The film highlights several key figures through whom the story of the ports in Israel is told: Sir Frederick Palmer, the planner of Haifa Port, famous for the gate named after him; Zeev HaYam, the mythical figure of the Hebrew maritime industry; Haim Laskov, who established the Ports Authority, which later became the Haifa Port Company; and David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, who conceived and advanced the construction of the Eilat Port. Alterman takes the viewers on a journey through time, where they meet these various figures. AI technology and animation were used in the film to "revive" old archival footage, which exists only in still photographs. The curator of the exhibition is Adi Shelach.
The launch event was attended by, among others, the CEO of the Ports of Israel Company, Tiko Gadot; the CEO of Haifa Museums, Yotam Yakir; the Deputy Mayor of Haifa, Avihaiu Ahan; the curator of the National Maritime Museum, Adi Shelach; and actor Edan Alterman.
At the National Maritime Museum, a special area was created for the film screening, and high-quality multimedia equipment was purchased. The new exhibition is part of a permanent display dedicated to the story of Hebrew shipping, being built in stages at the museum. It joins another new exhibition opened this year, "Blood. Money. Ships.", which focuses on the development of Israel's merchant fleet thanks to the reparations agreement with Germany.
According to Tiko Gadot, CEO of the Ports of Israel Company: "I am proud to launch, together with the National Maritime Museum in Haifa, a new exhibition presenting the history of port establishment in Israel. This is part of a series of initiatives led by the Ports of Israel to raise awareness of maritime education in Israel, expand maritime research, and train the future generation in the field of transportation infrastructure and maritime engineering. It is no coincidence that Haifa, a port city that serves as an example of a city combining quality of life and port activity, was chosen as the location for this new exhibition. In this exhibition, visitors will uniquely encounter the establishment of Israel's ports, which are the backbone of the country's economy and make an important contribution to the Israeli economy."
According to Edan Alterman: "As someone who grew up in Haifa, this project is very close to my heart. The National Maritime Museum was one of my favorite places as a child, and the port was an inseparable part of the city. I am happy to participate in a film that tells the story of the ports and hope the audience will connect with it."
The museum is open every day except Monday, and its hours will be extended during Hanukkah. The entrance ticket price is NIS 17.5-35.