October Newsletter - Heritage

Heritage - With a Performance of Ours!

The Well House, Netanya

In mid-September we were invited to perform in Netanya at a fundraising event to take place at a heritage site called “The Well House,” or Beit Habe’er. We had never heard of this site, even though we both spent a lot of time in Netanya many years ago. (Larry lived in Netanya from his Bar Mitzvah until after joining the army, and Mindy’s parents lived there for six years.) We were both very surprised to find out about this little gem of a museum, which tells the story of the rich history of the beginnings of the city of Netanya, clandestine immigration, and the establishment of the State of Israel.

On site there is a water well that is still functional, and surprisingly deep! You can see some of the museum and the well in the pictures and short video below.

Taken from the site’s webpage:

A remnant of the “Pardes HaGdud” (Battalion’s Orchard) farm, which specialized in growing orchards and was established in 1927, two years prior to the foundation of Netanya, by five partners from the Land of Israel and abroad, all veterans of the Hebrew battalions as war veterans managed to receive a concession from the British High Commissioner to purchase the land. The farm was built as a square courtyard and at its eastern side stood the Well House with the farm director living at its top floor. Orchards were planted around the site. The farm was run as an independent settlement with a few families and a school. Until the establishment of the State of Israel the farm and the orchards served as a base for Haganah operations and hiding undocumented immigrants (ma’apilim). Today Beit Habe’er serves as a museum for the history of Netanya in the years 1928-1948, a period of twenty years in which the city had a small town (moshava) status.

What’s at the site: A visitor and guidance center for the history of Netanya and the settlement of “Pardes HaGdud” - the first water well, still in order and pumping water; an exhibition of photos depicting the beginning of Netanya; exhibits from the period; a presentation on days past and Netanya today; short films about the first families, the grand sycamore tree, illegal immigration, and the resistance movement . The courtyard houses a magnificent exhibition of large photos of Netanya’s past, a clandestine immigrant ship, and work tools from the period.