Neve Zedek, which means Oasis of Justice in Hebrew was the first neighborhood built outside of Jaffa’s walls. The city of Tel Aviv evolved from this new venture. The man behind the construction of the new neighborhood and the undisputed leader of new community, some even referred to him as a Jewish sheik, was Shimon Rokach.

Born in Jerusalem, he was sent to Jaffa, in 1884, by his father, who had obtained the rights to collect tolls on the Jerusalem-Jaffa road from the Turks. His task was to oversee the Jaffa end of the operation.

Rokach was an illustrious public servant, who was active in many different areas. He was one of the first to organize the planting of orange groves in the Sharon and to devise a marketing system for the citrus fruit, which included exports to Europe. He also bought the land that later became Tel Aviv’s first cemetery (known as the Trumpeldor cemetery), where many of the city’s founding fathers are buried. Shimon and Rachel Rokach had five children. Their son Israel served as deputy mayor of Tel Aviv under Meir Dizengoff and later was himself the mayor.

Neve Zedek was established because at the time, living conditions in Jaffa were not good. Sanitation was poor, it was overcrowded and rents were high, due to the masses of new immigrants, of the First Aliyah.

Intellectuals quickly favored the new neighborhood of Neve Zedek. It was home to the weekly newspaper, Hapoel Hatzair. Authors including Hayyim Nahman Bialik, Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Joesph Aharonovitz and Dvora Baron made their home here. Nahum Gutman, who would later become one Israel’s most well known artists, lived in the neighborhood as a child.  In fact the Nahum Gutman Museum is located in the building that housed the editorial board of Hapoel Hatzair.

An Austrian architect designed the Rokach House, which people came from afar to see, because of its unique dome. The house, which was built in 1887, was one of the first ten houses in Neve Zedek. Today it is an acknowledged historic site and museum. But it wasn’t always that way.

Over the years as the city of Tel Aviv developed, Neve Zedek saw a downward decline. The house was abandoned for about 30 years and was in terrible disrepair.  It’s hard to believe, but this historic house was actually slated for demolition. Lea Majaro-Mintz, Rokach’s granddaughter, who is an artist, undertook a legal battle that lead to the private restoration of the house.

Majaro-Mintz is considered a pioneer of restoration projects in Tel Aviv. The plan aimed at restoring her grandfather’s house to its former glory was so successful that the Council for the Preservation of Historic Sites in Israel acknowledged the work. In addition, in 1997 the restoration project was awarded the Henry Ford European Conservation Awards.

Today the Rokach House operates as a private museum that features Majaro-Mintz’s works and also serves as a venue for unique cultural events.

Unfortunately the explanations that accompany the exhibits are only in Hebrew. However, there is a 12-minute video in English that provides a history of the neighborhood (just ask to be shown the English version). The only drawback of this Gem is that it is only open to the general public, two days a week.

The sculptures that won Majaro-Mintz the Jerusalem Prize for Sculpture in 1983 are on display in addition to some of her other works. She is probably best known for her sculptures of the female figure and the way she has chosen to portray women. Her sculptures do not focus on women as beautiful or sexual objects. Rather she features women as tired creatures that must endure modern life, taking on all of the careers that were previously reserved just for men, while continuing to have the primary responsibilities of child-rearing etc.

In her book, Conversations in Clay, she addresses the issue of beauty and ugliness and writes, “We are told that youth is better and that old age is ugly, yet when I try to translate youth into language forms I am forced to restrict myself to the simple, the smooth and the shallow: the features of the face and the figure are round and tight – no protrusions, no moles, no wrinkles. All is reduced to simple functional form, common to all people.”

In recent years the Neve Zedek area has been undergoing a quiet gentrification. Its population is currently a mix of younger upwardly mobile professionals, students and ‘old-timers’. As expected, rents in the area have skyrocketed.

It’s worth just walking around the neighborhood, which boasts some of the most beautiful old style villas in the city (see Pines Street numbers 26 and 28). However, quite a few of the buildings in the neighborhood are still in dire need of restoration. Neve Zedek has a number of galleries and small eateries, so it’s worth planning some extra time, in conjunction with your visit to the Rokach House.

Some of the special events that are held at the Rokach House include concerts, as well as lectures (in Hebrew). To attend these events you should make reservations ahead of time, as space is limited. You should also note that Rokach House does not accept credit cards, so make sure you have cash.

The Rokach House is located at 36 Shimon Rokach Street, Neve Zedek (Tel Aviv). Shimon Rokach Street is located at the corner of 38 Pines Street.

03-510-0655, 03-516-2531 TEL

Visiting Hours: Friday and Saturday only, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Group tours are available during the week, by prior arrangement.

Entry fees: 5 NIS, Special events, 85 NIS