The Beit Yitzhak Collection features home videos that follow Gertrude Feuerring’s trip to Israel, following the county’s 1948 declaration of independence. The widow of Isaak Feuerring after whom Moshav Beit Yitzhak (now Beit Yitzhak-Sha’ar Hefer) was named, Gertrude Feuerring was a key player in establishing the Jewish community in the area – an enterprise funded by her via her late husband’s estate. The videos contain technicolour footage of her visit to Israel, against the backdrop of her own personal and historical ties to the Moshav and its creation.
Stein and her companions set sail from New York on 25 May on board the RMS Mauretania, bound for Israel. At their destination, they visit Jerusalem and the surrounding areas, the Old City, and the famous Jaffa Rd. Later, they head to the Sea Galilee, before moving on to Tel Aviv and exploring the post-(independence)war ravaged streets of Jaffa. A visit to an Arab village then follows, where they share a meal with the locals, before heading on to Haifa. The collection also features their high-profile visit to Beit Yitzhak, marking the Moshav’s 10th birthday, including an exhibition paying homage to the place’s history and its many achievements.
This is a film collection of immense historical significance that will, no doubt, serve as an invaluable source of information for scholars, filmmakers, students, museums, various organisations, etc. The Beit Yitzhak Archives have kindly entrusted this collection with the Israel Film Archive that is now in charge of its ongoing management and maintenance, scientific preservation, and long-term accessibility to the general public.
For any permission and rights enquiries, please email archivebi@gmail.com
