Bet Gabriel on the Kinneret

Bet Gabriel on the Kinneret (Beit Gabriel) is a cultural centre and cinema located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee near Tzemah, Israel. It was initiated by philanthropist Gita Sherover through the Gabriel Sherover Foundation, in cooperation with the Emek HaYarden Regional Council, to commemorate her son Gabriel Sherover, who died in 1988. The centre was designed by architect Ulrik Plesner, with interior design by Israel Prize laureate Dora Gad, and opened on 4 May 1993 in the presence of President Chaim Herzog, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar. It houses a theatre, a lecture and conference auditorium, an art gallery with rotating exhibitions, a reading room, meeting rooms, a restaurant, and two cinema halls. The gallery, initially curated by photographer Aliza Auerbach, focused on photography exhibitions and has shown artists such as Menashe Kadishman, Moshe Gershuni, Yaacov Dorchin, Yair Garbuz, Gary Goldstein, Tsibi Geva, Michal Na'aman, Deganit Berest, Tamar Getter, Nurit David, Rami Eter and Larry Abramson. The centre also hosted the ratification ceremony of the Israel–Jordan peace treaty on 10 November 1994. Today it operates as a regional cultural hub, offering film screenings, performances and art exhibitions.

Bet Gabriel on the Kinneret was established in memory of Gabriel Sherover, the only son of philanthropist Gita Sherover, who died in 1988 at the age of 42 from AIDS. In August 1988, Gita Sherover announced the creation of a foundation in his memory and a first donation to extend the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem. However, in March 1989, she fell out with Uziel Wexler, then director-general of the Jerusalem Development Authority, and cancelled the donation. In September 1989, she announced the transfer of the donation to establish "Bet Gabriel" in Tzemah as a regional cultural centre. Construction began in 1990, and Sherover reportedly bought a helicopter to supervise the building work, flying quickly from her home in Jerusalem to the site. In the summer of 1991, journalist Ram Evron was appointed director of Bet Gabriel to develop its artistic programme, but he soon withdrew. The centre was designed by architect Ulrik Plesner, with interior design by Dora Gad. It includes a theatre, an auditorium for lectures and conferences, an art gallery with rotating exhibitions, a reading room, meeting rooms, a restaurant, and two cinema halls. The inauguration ceremony took place on 4 May 1993 in the presence of President Chaim Herzog, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar. One of the first cultural events held there, in July 1993, was the screening of several films shown at the Jerusalem Film Festival that year. On 10 November 1994, the centre hosted the exchange of ratification documents for the Israel–Jordan peace treaty between Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan. The art gallery, initially curated by photographer Aliza Auerbach, focused on photography exhibitions and has featured artists such as Menashe Kadishman, Moshe Gershuni, Yaacov Dorchin, Yair Garbuz, Gary Goldstein, Tsibi Geva, Michal Na'aman, Deganit Berest, Tamar Getter, Nurit David, Rami Eter and Larry Abramson. Opposite Bet Gabriel, in the vegetation within the Sea of Galilee, the "Yarmouk water fountains" emerge, carrying water from the Yarmouk River to the lake via pipelines as part of the peace agreement with Jordan. Under the agreements, Israel is entitled to 25 million cubic metres per year from the Yarmouk, used to irrigate the Jordan Valley and Beit She'an Valley.

• 1994

  Israel–Jordan peace treaty ratification ceremony held at Bet Gabriel on 10 November.

• 1993

  Bet Gabriel inaugurated on 4 May in the presence of Israeli leaders.

• 1993

  First cultural events include screenings from the Jerusalem Film Festival in July.

• 1990

  Construction of Bet Gabriel begins.

• 1989

  Gita Sherover transfers donation to establish Bet Gabriel in Tzemah.

• 1988

  Gabriel Sherover dies; Gita Sherover announces foundation in his memory.

Regional cultural centre and cinema on the Sea of Galilee, dedicated to arts and commemoration.

• Cinema screenings

• Theatre performances

• Art exhibitions

• Conferences and lectures

• Restaurant

1. 1בית גבריאלhe.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bet Gabriel on the Kinneretwikidata.org
3. 3בית גבריאלbetgabriel.co.il