Kerem Ha Teimanim - History

History

Kerem HaTeimanim was officially established in 1904, with consecration taking place between the years of 1902-1908 as an early neighbourhood in the growing pioneer city of Tel Aviv by recent immigrant Yemenite Jews, who had a Zionist ideology based on oriental and spiritual lines, rather than political or revisionist lines. Although many of its residents were part of the Haganah, it was known for its staunch support of the Etzel and the Lehi. Its architecture was based on the designs of the former Jewish ghettos in Yemen, with Colonial British and Ancient Hebrew features. This is significant since the rest of Tel Aviv was constructed in Bauhaus architecture. Over the years, it produced many famous Israeli personalities including Knesset Member Michael Ratzon of the Likud, Dan Bus Corporation Chairman Dan Sharabi, Platinum Singer Boaz Sharabi, Israeli roots singer Daklon and Israeli Footballer Pini Balili, who started his career at the famous Shimshon Tel Aviv Football Club, one of Israel's best football (soccer) clubs in the 1970s and 1980s that was born out of the neighbourhood's sporting culture. Unsurprisingly, Zohar Argov, an 80s Yemenite Israeli Singing Superstar, who grew up in Rishon LeZion and not Tel Aviv made an album entitled Bekerem Hateymanim, in celebration of the neighbourhood's significance for Yemenite Israeli culture.

In the early 90s, it underwent a massive refurbishment campaign and was restored to its former glory in the early 2000s. In late 2004, it saw the building of the Lev HaIr Tower (see link), which became the neighbourhood's tallest building. Moreover, the tower holds a public library, offices and several commercial businesses, bringing much needed resources to the neighbourhood.