Yitzhak Rabin Center
The Yitzhak Rabin Center is a museum, library and research center in memory of the fifth Israeli Prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin.
Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin was born in 1922 in Jerusalem and studied in an agricultural boarding school. In 1941 he joined the Palmach and by 1947 he was its Chief Operation Officer. During the 1948 war he directed several operations, and later he continued in his military service, reaching the highest position of Chief of Staff. In 1967, Rabin commanded the IDF in its swift victory in the Six-Day War. In 1974, after several years of being Israel’s ambassador to the US, he was appointed Prime Minister. He was re-elected again in 1992 and on his second term he led Israel to the controversial Oslo Accord. Former terrorist Arafat was appointed leader of a Palestinian National Authority, which was granted control over parts of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza strip. Despite Arafat’s declarations, and Nobel peace prize, Palestinian terrorist attacks continued. The accord divided the Israeli society. Right wing Israelis blamed Rabin for the terrorist’s attacks and being a traitor for giving away land that should belong to Israel. On November 4th, 1995, after participating in a big peace rally in Tel-Aviv, Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli right-wing extremist.
The Yitzhak Rabin Center
Following the assassination of Rabin, several monuments were erected in his memory. The main memorial, called Yitzhak Rabin center, was designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, on a hill above the Yarkon park, in northern Tel-Aviv. The main, permanent, exhibition, weaves the history of the State of Israel with the personal biography of Yitzhak Rabin. Sensor-activated audio guides lead the visitor through the rounded corridor, providing explanations, music, recorded speeches and news broadcast excerpts that complement the visual exhibit. The exhibit itself includes 200 videos and 1,500 photos, immersing the visitor into the central events in the life of Rabin and the State of Israel. The presentation ends on November 4th, 1995, the day Rabin was assassinated.
Touring Yitzhak Rabin Center
The Rabin Center is open every day of the week. It is recommended to book the visit in advance, especially if you are a group. While the museum is not so big, it is recommended to allocate atleast two hours to appreciate the very detailed presentation.
A tour of Rabin Center can be combined with a guided day tour of Jaffa and Tel-Aviv.
