National Institutions House, Government building and heritage site in Jerusalem, Israel
The National Institutions House is a two-story government building on King George Street in central Jerusalem, divided into three sections for different administrative organizations. It houses the Jewish Agency, the World Zionist Organization, and the Jewish National Fund.
Construction started in 1928, with the ground floor completed in 1930 and the upper floor finished in 1936. It was built to serve as an administrative center for major Jewish organizations during the British Mandate period.
Inside the building, a memorial shaped like a Star of David displays the names of Jewish people who faced antisemitic persecution around the world. Visitors can stop in front of it and read the names recorded there.
The building sits on King George Street, one of the main roads in central Jerusalem, and is easy to reach on foot from other well-known squares and streets nearby. A visit fits well into a walk through the surrounding area.
When Israel's independence was declared in 1948, many members of the People's Assembly could not reach Tel Aviv in time and gathered on the balcony of this building instead. A place built for paperwork became the setting for a founding moment of the modern state.
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