‘Yekke’ contributions to Israel celebrated at festive Galilee event

The industrial park contains an open museum and a Yekke Museum, the latter devoted to the documentation of the people of the Fifth Aliya.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
STEF WERTHEIMER stands beside a photo of himself from 81 years ago when he appeared in a margarine advertisement. (The Open Museum Tefen) (photo credit: Courtesy)
STEF WERTHEIMER stands beside a photo of himself from 81 years ago when he appeared in a margarine advertisement. (The Open Museum Tefen)
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The contribution “Yekkes” – people of German and Austrian background – made to Israel, specifically to its advertising industry, was celebrated on Monday at a festive event held at the Tefen Industrial Park in the Western Galilee.
The park was established by Stef Wertheimer, one of the most successful and best-known of Israeli Yekkes, who participated in the event alongside Hagit Gadassi, chairman of the Association of Israelis of Central European Origin, which, together with the Yekke Heritage Center in Tefen, spearheaded the event.
Many other Yekkes and their descendants also attended the event.
The industrial park contains an open museum and a Yekke Museum, the latter devoted to the documentation of the people of the Fifth Aliya – those who fled Austria and Nazi Germany in the 1930s and took an active role in the creation and development of the State of Israel.
As part of the event, the exhibition “Now to the Adverts” was opened, displaying advertising posters for consumer goods, food and beverages from the time of the establishment of the state. There was also a fashion show of Ata clothes, guided tours and creative workshops.
The museum’s director, Ruti Ofek, said: “The exhibition shows the tremendous importance of the advertisers from Central Europe, in the establishment of the advertising industry in the early days of the state and in the shaping of Israeli consumer culture.”
The exhibition presents nostalgic posters of the best Israeli companies and brands, including Osem, Tnuva, Ata, Elite, Prigat, Strauss and Assis.
Greer Fay Cashman contributed to this report.