Yad Levi Eshkol

Yad Levi Eshkol is the official non-governmental organization commemorating Israeli prime minister Levi Eshkol. The organization was founded in accordance with a government resolution made in 1970. Yad Levi Eshkol is carrying public activities in the fields of education, research and documentation. Its founding chairwoman was Mrs. Miriam Eshkol who headed the organization until 2008.

History

The initial resolution to establish an institution in memory of prime minister Levi Eshkol was made shortly after his passing in 1969. A committee made up of government ministers and members of the Jewish Agency directorate was headed by Yigal Alon and recommended that Yad Levi Eshkol be formed to organize Eshkol's archive.

Yad Levi Eshkol was registered in 1970 with Mrs. Miriam Eshkol as founding chairwoman, alongside public figures such as Ephraim Ben-Artzi, Gershon Zak, Aviad Yafeh and others. It maintained its status until 1990 when it was registered as a non-governmental organization. Founding members in 1990 included Avraham Agmon, Moshe Sanbar and Aharon Uzan. Miriam Eshkol remained as chairperson until 2008 when she was named Honorary President of Yad Levi Eshkol.

Since 1977, Yad Levi Eshkol maintains rights on the Jacobs Residence which served as the official Prime Minister's Residence until 1974 and housed David Ben-Gurion, Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir. Eshkol lived in the residence on two occasions, as Minister of Finance (1953-1955) and as Prime Minister (1963-1969). It wasn't until two decades later that Yad Levi Eshkol was able to raise funds and make restoration work on the building, stopped in 2003 due to insufficient funding. Restoration recommenced in 2014 and the building is expected to be opened in 2016, dedicated to remembrance of Levi Eshkol.

During its long history Yad Levi Eshkol maintained prime minister Eshkol's archive, initiated and supported publications and promoted public acts of commemoration in forms of academic conferences. The Levi Eshkol archives contains tens of thousands of documents dating from World War I era and until the Prime Minister's passing. Digitization of the archives commenced in 2014, alongside attempts to expand its findings by launching an oral history project for gathering testimonials of Levi Eshkol's acquaintances.

Yad Levi Eshkol sponsored publication of Levi Eshkol's biographies in Russian (2005) and in Hebrew (2014).

External links

• Yad Levi Eshkol's official website