Beit Hapalmach

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Beit Hapalmach established in 2000, located in Ramat Aviv, Israel, is dedicated to the Palmach, the strike-force of the pre-state underground Hagana defense organization, which was later integrated into the Israel Defense Forces. Beit Hapalmach commemorates the contribution of the Palmach to the creation of the State of Israel.

The museum is an underground in a series of multi-media experience chambers, starting with a memorial for the fallen. The first room one enters is a scale version of Tel Aviv's Herzl Street in 1941, where newsreel of the period reporting on the war in Europe projected on the street scene. This sets the stage for the telling of the formation of the Palmach, which was geared to dealing with two threats: the German army in North Africa and the attacks by Arabs on the Yishuv, the Jewish community.

The next chamber is suddenly an eucalyptus grove at night, far from any prying eyes. Where visitors meet a unit of seven new Palmach recruits and their commander in their training orientation.

The these actors, representing archetypes of Jewish origins, carries the visitor through the rest of the program.

Chamber after chamber, visitors follow the unit through training, experiences, personalities. Some are assigned to blowing up bridges, others to leading supply convoys to Jerusalem, others to bringing in immigration ships. Two fall in love.

The visitor is with them when they listen to the UN vote on the fate of the country, and battle through the War of Independence.