Albert Einstein comes to life in new museum in Jerusalem
In February 2023, Professor Albert Einstein made a historic visit to the land of Israel, and on a rather gloomy day, he showed up in Jerusalem. He was somewhat disappointed with the appearance of the city, and like many before him, did not hide his preference for the young, small, and bustling Tel Aviv. However, when looking back a hundred years, it was discovered that, actually, the genius physicist's visit to Jerusalem, and the lecture he gave on the Mount of Olives, were the most memorable moments of his one-time trip to the Holy Land. It was the greatest event in the small Jewish settlement and a defining moment in history that led to the official launch of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem two years later.
Einstein was, in fact, one of the founders of Hebrew University. He served on its board of trustees, served as chairman of the university's academic council, and promoted its development and activities over the years. The evening of his visit to Jerusalem was quite festive. Menachem Ussishkin, one of the leaders of the Zionist movement, opened with a speech full of pathos and terror.
"You can see Mount Moriah facing the building. We pray that this house, the home of the Hebrew University where we educate students here on Mount Scopus, will be a house for science for all nations. From the moment you step on this stage, the stage will be our pride and our sanctity. We have been waiting for two thousand years for our big brother to come up on stage."
Einstein's lecture, which included scientific matters, was delivered in French as he did not know Hebrew. Most of what he said was not understood by the majority of those present in the room, or as the mayor of Tel Aviv, Meir Dizengoff, explained "I went to Jerusalem to hear the guest's lecture. From his entire lecture, I understood only one thing – no one in the entire large audience understood anything from the lecture."
Despite this, the local press and the Jewish settlement members, together with the Jews of the world understood that the previous evening they had witnessed a truly significant historical moment. The newspaper "Haaretz" reported to its readers: "An important and encouraging event happened today in our short life. Today, the greatest member of our generation, both in Israel and in the whole world, Albert Einstein, the father of the theory of relativity – arrived in Israel. What Newton was for the last 300 years – Einstein will be for future generations."
By Marilyn Monroe's side
Indeed, in the hundred years that have passed, the Jewish-German scientist, who passed away in 1955 – has become the most famous and most recognizable Jewish icon of all time. His wild-haired portrait (and additionally the famous photograph in which he is seen sticking his tongue out at the camera) have become famous throughout the world. His writings were translated into many languages, and his face has appeared in works of art worth hundreds of millions of dollars, for example, Andy Warhol's painting. At least three books about Einstein are published every year, TV series and movies about him are produced every three years on average, and you can find his famous physiognomy on cups, socks, and even kid's dolls. Even Maimonides, another supreme icon of the Jewish people, did not receive such an honor.
Even almost 70 years after his death, Einstein's strong branding has been maintained. From Japan to Brazil, from Israel to Australia – Einstein is studied, taught, and recognized everywhere as an icon that crosses cultural fields. But it seems that the most joyful announcement is related to the great physicists in the history of mankind, Next to Sir Isaac Newton, took place last October, when – as was first revealed in Israel Hayom – the establishment of the Einstein Museum was finally approved, which will be located most suitably on Hebrew University of Jerusalem's campus which is also where the breathtaking archive of all his work is located. We were granted an exclusive first look at the project, which will become a magnet for tourism both from Israel and all over the world, and which will completely change everything you thought you knew about the ultimate symbol of genius.
But wait a minute – how does one even build a museum in Israel? The first government decision, number 4653 on May 20, 2012, regarding the establishment of the Albert Einstein Museum in Jerusalem, was led by the then (and also the current) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After about a decade, during which nothing actually progressed, a government meeting was held at the Givat Ram campus of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem to mark Jerusalem Day in 2022. Throughout the meeting, then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett requested to re-examine the promotion of the establishment of the Einstein Museum.
The minister of Jerusalem affairs at the time, Ze'ev Elkin, supported the idea and assigned the director general of his office, Nathaniel Isaac, to lead the project. As previously mentioned, the museum plan launch was finally approved in October of 2022. Knesset trivia enthusiasts will probably always point out that this was the last decision passed by the "change government" before it prematurely disbanded.
The government's decision on the issue focused on two features: a promise from the Hebrew University to allocate adequate space to the museum within the Safra campus in Givat Ram in Jerusalem and allocate to the matter a sum of 41 million shekels from government-provided sources; and a promise from the government to do as much as possible to promote the establishment of the museum including the transfer of an unprecedented amount of 22 million Shekels. To succeed with the promise that was made, along with the money the government pledged to invest, the Hebrew University, which owns all of Einstein's estate, had to recruit a large donor.
This is where Jose Mugrabi (84), one of the world's greatest art collectors, comes into the picture. Although in art circles Mughreb is considered a household name, from the point of view of the general public he has remained largely an unknown figure. In recent years, he has shifted his focus to Israel. Here he has been exposed more to the public, who have discovered his story of success.
He was born in Israel in 1939 by the name of Joseph to parents that made Aliyah from Syria. They were living in the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem and ran their own convenience store. At the age of 16, He travelled to visit close relatives in Colombia. There he started to work as a delivery boy, and later started working in imports. At the beginning of the 1980's he entered the field of art and began to build his Andy Warhol collection. He bought the first works of Warhol in 1987, and a year later he no longer wanted to work in textiles and moved exclusively to the field of art – which captured his heart.
In 1989, he bought Warhol's most famous painting, "20 Marilyn Monroe", for 4 million dollars – and today the pop artwork is valued at more than 200 million dollars. If anyone is interested it is not for sale, for now at least.
Mugrabi splits his time between New York and Tel Aviv, and we met him in his apartment in Israel to ask what made him invest 14 million dollars in establishing a museum named after Albert Einstein in the capital of Israel.
I will answer you by saying that, in my opinion, this is my best investment ever, without a shadow of a doubt," he explains in a sentence half in Hebrew and half in English. "I don't know how to buy missiles for Israel, but I know how to contribute to my country by providing the ability to develop the children and youth, who in the future will know how to advance the country to distant places. A combination of art and education is the best combination, and you have to reach my age to understand that," he says, smiling at his wife, Marie, who is sitting next to us.
"Ultimately, at my age, you realize that when you pass away, family, friends, and the whole world think about you for a short time, and then you are forgotten. It's okay, that's the way of the world, and I accepted it a long time ago. However, knowing that I left behind the opportunity to provide those who want the opportunity to learn about Albert Einstein, causing more children to discover him for the first time and open their minds to do great things – this is the best thing money can buy. "And yes, for me it's also a closing of the circle, because I was born as a child to a modest family, not far from the university, and now, I can give back with this beautiful gift. For me, it's very clear, and I went about this matter in a very clear and simple way."
A center for Academic Research
"Einstein House", as the place is going to be called, will consist of the following elements: a museum that will present content based on Einstein's character and research, including scientific demonstrations, original documents and various means of illustration such as holograms; a permanent home for Einstein's archive; and an educational-scientific center that will work to make the unique content accessible to the general public, alongside being an academic research center. "It is important for us to emphasize that this is indeed Einstein's house and not a museum," emphasizes Prof. Asher Cohen, president of the Hebrew University, with a smile, when we meet him surrounded by his abundant Einstein library.
On the shelves you can find hundreds of books of many types, perhaps most of all, they indicate the person who was thirsty for knowledge – from classical literature to professional literature. Cohen is waiting for us in the room full of history, accompanied by Professor Hanoch Gutfreund (88), most likely the world's number-one expert on Einstein. Gutfreund is sharp as a razor, remembers articles by heart that have been published about Einstein, and remembers dates related to him (he also ran 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in the last two marathons in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem). And of course, he is an Israeli physicist, professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who previously served as the university's rector (academic head) and president.
As of 2020, Gutfreund has served as the director of the Einstein Center and the head of the executive committee of the National Science Foundation. "I must say that I have been teaching about Einstein all my life; however, only after I stopped teaching students did I really begin to understand Einstein. I feel that if only I had had all the knowledge I have now, back when I was teaching students, I would certainly have been a much better lecturer. I began to understand him deeply, and this is something that is important to show in the museum as well. I have so many ideas, for example, I think about using his holograms of him talking with other scientists – and more".
Gutfreund's enthusiasm when he talks about the originator of the theory of relativity and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 is contagious. After all, there isn't anything related to Einstein that does not pass through the archive he manages, and there is no researcher in the world who does not need Guttfreund's approval to know if a certain detail about Einstein is true or false, and that it can be included in the academic work/documentary/television series.
"Einstein's presence cannot be ignored. It is not only physics students these days who come to study for a degree, but also youth and the general public who want to know and learn about the man and his tremendous importance to humanity. The establishment of this house is truly such a happy event for many. Einstein was the greatest scientist of the 20th century, and perhaps of all time, and his fame derives from his achievements in science. In addition, there was great appreciation for his personality even outside the world of physics, and the positions he expressed on a variety of subjects aroused interest and influence.
In many articles, in exchanges of letters with his contemporaries, in public appearances and in public activities, Einstein expressed his opinion on subjects such as nationalism and nationalism, war and peace, religion and morality. He was truly a humanist. I believe that with the help of the professionals who will take part in the establishment of the museum, we will be able to make the professional side of Einstein accessible, the theory of relativity and his other writings have always been a challenge – how to try to make them easily understood for the general public. And of course, we will also show the other sides of his diverse personality."
University President Cohen smiles as he hears Gutfreund speak. "I've never heard him say anything about Albert Einstein twice. I've heard him lecture in many places, and I always learn something new. Therefore, the curators of the museum will have a very difficult job when they sit down to talk with him. There is a rare and unimaginable treasure here, and the challenge will be first of all to master all the material – and then turn it into an interesting museum."
Images have not yet been released
So what can we actually see in the Einstein Museum? More than 80,000 documents that the physicist bequeathed to the university, alongside his book collection, which includes, among other things, the original "Judaica" encyclopedia published in Berlin in the late 1920s.
The highlight, if you can choose one out of such rare and exciting materials, is a copy of the original theory of relativity, written in German in his dense handwriting (Einstein's general theory of relativity was published in 1915, a decade after the publication of his private copy of his theory of relativity). The Nobel Prize he won will also be displayed in the museum, including the original historic medal from the ceremony (to be clear he actually won the prize not for his achievement in the theory of relativity, as many mistakenly believe, but rather for his research in the photoelectric field).
The building itself that was planned is currently in the process of being approved by the Jerusalem Municipality. This process takes a year, and we are already halfway there. As soon as we get the approval – we will start construction. This means that Einstein's house will be standing here in early 2025," says Professor Cohen with a proud smile. The planning of the museum is entrusted to the internationally renowned Jewish architect Daniel Libeskind, who was involved in the design of the "Freedom Tower" (One World Trade Center), which was built in place of the Twin Towers in New York City, and also designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin.
The design was entrusted to Ido Bruno, who previously served as the CEO of the Tel Aviv Museum. Libeskind has not yet agreed to release the appearance of the final plans, nor images, and members of his staff explain that "that's how architects are", meaning they do not show work before it is completed to their satisfaction. "When I was offered this project, my initial reaction was 'wow', and of course, I agreed immediately," says Libeskind while smiling with excitement.
"It was unimaginable to me that Einstein, the man and the phenomenon, did not get his own museum anywhere in the world. "For me, I feel tremendous pride as an Israeli to take part in such a project that glorifies Einstein, and also Hebrew University. I admire Israel, Einstein and the university, and am proud that I was offered to work on this project out of everyone". Libeskind, like the other interviewees in the article, talks about how planning a museum related to Einstein requires thinking outside the box.
"The 'house' needs to be very special, but also functional. It should tell the story who constantly talked about the importance of imagination and created things out of nothing with the help of his imagination. "On the other hand, architecture is a language for everything and anything, even if it doesn't have words, and I want the language of this museum to also speak to children and draw them in, into the wonderful world of Einstein. "The bottom line is, people all over the world know who Einstein is, it doesn't matter if they live in Africa or in Japan. I am happy that I had the privilege to design his museum. My son is a physicist, and he did his post-doctorate at the Hebrew University, so as far as I'm concerned, we're living the subject – and that's even more exciting for me."
Make "records" on the board
Libeskind adds that at this point the museum will be ready within two years and can serve as "an important tool for Israelis and for Zionism. Einstein struggled and suffered for years from antisemitism, and telling his story now is a very important matter. We will bring all these things, and Einstein's uniqueness, to this building ".
Right before we left, we asked Professor Cohen and Professor Guttfreund to take a picture with the last memory from Einstein's lecture – the stand on which he placed his lecture notes. "There are unimaginable cultural and scientific treasures here, and the museum will be the place where they will receive the respect they deserve," explains Cohen.
"Fortunately, we received a donation in the form of Jose Mugrabi. Thanks to him and thanks to Israel's government, all of Einstein's intellectual property will be displayed here." So, if all goes well, in two years this historical museum will open. Or as the Minister of Heritage, Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu described it: "Albert Einstein once said that 'the best way to teach people is to serve as an example for them.' Einstein served as an example for the Jewish people and the entire world. The Ministry of Heritage is happy to commemorate the legacy of someone who was one of the greatest scientists in the entire world, a person who still serves as an inspiration for millions of people in the world. The museum will display his scientific achievements and writings, and Einstein's deep connection with Judaism and the Jewish people."
Mugrabi concludes: "If we end up creating new Einsteins along the way, it will be our great achievement. Everywhere in the world uses the expression 'What, are you Einstein?' So to think about the potential for this museum to draw tourism and what it can do for Jerusalem and the whole country – it really excites me."
Gutfreund wanted to finish by quoting the summary of Einstein's visit to the Land of Israel, of course by heart and without any difficulty remembering, as it appeared in "Haaretz" newspaper at the time of his visit: "There is no possibility of explaining the content of the lecture or a summary of it in the newspaper. Despite the lecturer's efforts to explain his words with the help of annotations and writing notes on the board, and despite the viewers listening intently, there must have been very few who could grasp the main points of the miraculous theory. It was hard for him to be accepted into their hearts." A century later, it seems that Einstein is already deep in many people's hearts. Moreover, very soon he will gain a new life in the academic institution that he loved so much.