Perestroika in Haifa 30 Years of Aliyah from the Former Soviet Union

Current Exhibition

Thursday, 22.07.21, 19:30

Saturday, 22.10.22

curator:

Yifat Ashkenazi

More info:

04-6030800
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Perestroika in Haifa

30 Years of Aliyah from the Former Soviet Union

When Mikhail Gorbachev rose to power in the Soviet Union in 1985, he introduced significant changes in various areas. Among them was “perestroika,” the restructuring of the Soviet economy. Gorbachev’s initiatives resulted in the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. in the early 1990s, accompanied by a massive exodus of Jews, many of whom settled in Israel.

This exhibition marks three decades since that major wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union. The influx made a decisive impact on Israel, not only in terms of its sheer numbers, but in the distinct culture and outlook that the new immigrants brought with them. Although they settled throughout the country, the city of Haifa stood out because of the size of the community that made its home there. Its presence began to be felt throughout the city, on Russian-language signs, in shops, a variety of workplaces, and more. The new immigrants were able to preserve their old culture and traditions almost entirely, while at the same time acclimating to their new country. They rebuilt their lives in Israel – and within it, Haifa – achieving in essence their own private perestroika.    

Fully half the staff of the Haifa Museums are immigrants from the former Soviet Union – and not by chance. This exhibition is designed to bring them into the limelight: the women and men behind the scenes, the ‘mothers and fathers’ of every exhibition we have mounted, the maintenance staff, accounts and marketing, the ticket office, curators, and more. The veterans among them have been with the Haifa Museums for over twenty years, but this is the first time they have been invited to stand on stage, front and center. They are in fact the heart of the Haifa Museums, without whom the institution would not be what it is today. We dedicate this exhibition to every one of them.

The personal stories of the workers are like test cases that reflect the immigration as a whole: what they left behind and what they built anew, their yearnings, their disappointments and joys, the difficulties they encountered and their ability to adapt. Their story is like those of many immigrants across the land, including Haifa itself.

Our thanks to everyone who participated in creating the exhibition, sharing the story of their immigration with the general public, and opening their homes and their hearts.

Curator: Yifat Ashkenazi

 

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