A Word from the President of The Council, Shlomo Hillel

The President of the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel

It is a great honor for me to succeed the late Shlomo Hillel, one of the founding pillars of the State of Israel, as President of the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel

Our beloved land—the cradle of the Bible and of the Jewish people, the focus of their prayers throughout two thousand years of exile, together with the Zionist vision—forms the very foundation of the State of Israel. Israel, entrusted to us by Divine Providence and Jewish history, is a legacy we are duty-bound to safeguard with the utmost vigilance Memory is the genetic code of the Jewish people. Our land is dotted with heritage sites; these sites are the vehicles of our collective memory, and preserving them is the mission of the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites The Council was established in 1984 by a resolution of the Knesset Education Committee. It is entrusted with preserving heritage sites dating from the year 1700 onward, and primarily those from the nineteenth century and beyond. It fulfills this mission both directly and indirectly. Directly, it manages a group of heritage sites, preserving and presenting their stories—and through them, the story of the Land of Israel—to the public, with a particular emphasis on youth and young adults. Indirectly, it provides professional guidance and consultation on heritage conservation, the physical restoration of historic sites, the installation of the distinctive blue heritage markers, and coordinates a nationwide network of preservation activities extending across the entire country, including sites and communities belonging to Israel’s non-Jewish minorities. The Council also assists planning authorities in ensuring that the principles of conservation, as required by law, are fully integrated into planning processes rather than being compromised by them. In addition, the Council plays an active and energetic educational role in fostering public awareness and appreciation of heritage sites. Indeed, the Council is often engaged in difficult struggles. Fulfilling its mission is by no means easy, particularly in the realm of funding, yet it remains steadfast and undeterred Its dedicated volunteers, the members of its public institutions, the Board of Trustees, the Executive Board chaired by Major General (Res.) Uri Orr, Director General Omri Shalom, and the Council’s professional staff—all of whom carry out their work with a profound sense of purpose—bear this responsibility with distinction and deserve our gratitude and appreciation. The emblem of the Council is the original building of the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv, one of the city’s most iconic early landmarks. The building was demolished in 1959 to make way for the Shalom Tower, an act that sparked widespread public protest

My late mother was a graduate of the Herzliya Gymnasium. She wept bitterly on the day the building was demolished. Such a loss would not occur today, in part because the Council would not allow it. This reflects a central element of its mission

The Council’s headquarters are located at Mikveh Israel. At the entrance to the campus stands a prominent sign marking the establishment of the Mikveh Israel Agricultural School in 1870—before the First Aliyah. This date roughly coincides with the historical period on which the Council primarily focuses. Mikveh Israel serves as a constant reminder of our heritage

The Torah teaches

“Remember the days of old; consider the years of generations past. Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will explain to you”
(Deuteronomy 32:7)

Yigal Allon, commander of the Palmach and later a minister in the governments of Israel, is credited with the saying

“A people who do not know their past have a poor present, and their future is shrouded in uncertainty.”

True to its name, the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Isarel preserves memory through the preservation of our heritage sites

Its mission is to ensure that every heritage site worthy of preservation is indeed preserved

My late mother, when encouraging me to enter public service, would often say “The State has not yet finished being built” Those words remain true today, including with regard to our enduring responsibility to preserve our heritage sites and the legacy they embody

The war that has confronted us since Simchat Torah 5784 (October 7, 2023) has become the defining reality of our lives.

The destruction of communities adds another painful chapter to the sacred task of preservation

The Almighty commands Abraham

“Arise, walk through the land”
(Genesis 13:17)

These words inspired Yoram Taharlev’s beloved song

“Rise and walk through the land, with backpack and staff, and surely along the way you will once again encounter the Land of Israel”

The Land of Israel and the State of Israel are our home. Their history is engraved upon our hearts in letters of gold It is our duty to safeguard our heritage, including through the preservation of the sites that embody it. We invite all Israelis to experience firsthand the heritage sites of our country and the stories they tell

Justice (Prof.) Elyakim Rubinstein
Deputy President (Ret.), Supreme Court of Israel
President, Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel