Did you know Tel Aviv commemorates its artists with memorial plaques? These markers are part of a special city project. It is called “In this house.”
The book Plaque is more than stone. It is a tribute. It honors artists who lived and worked right here in Tel Aviv. The project started in 2000. It is modeled after similar projects in other major cities. London’s “Blue Memorial Plaques” are one example.
These signs are usually uniform. They feature the Tel Aviv-Yafo emblem. They also say “In this house lived.” The plaque notes the artist’s field and name. It includes their birth and death years plus identical text in English.
You will find streets with many artists memorialized. Frug and Dov-Hoz Streets stand out. Aharon Meskin and Raphael Klatchkin once lived here. The Bertonov family also called this place home. Shimon Finkel, Bat Ami Pugatchov, and Yaffa Yarkoni lived nearby too. Yemima Avidar Tchernovitz resided in this vibrant area. Yeho’ash Street also boasts artistic history. Dahlia Ravikovitch, Dan Tsalka, and Friedel Stern once lived here.
Placement of The book Plaque depends on current residents’ consent. Sometimes occupants object. In these cases, the sign goes on a nearby street. Alexander Penn’s plaque is one example.
Not only artists receive commemoration. Some signs honor those who greatly shaped Tel Aviv. Even if they weren’t artists themselves, their contributions mattered. Moshe Feldenkrais, David Ben-Gurion, and Yaakov Ben-Sira have plaques. Akiva Aryeh Weiss, the initiator of Tel Aviv, is also remembered.
Abraham Sutzkever has a unique plaque. It is on Tashah Street. This Yiddish poet’s sign includes Hebrew, English, and Yiddish text.
Most plaques are stone rectangles. Some are on pillars. These are often bulky. This is the case for Alexander Penn and Hanna Rovina. Usually, the plaques are on the front of the house. Jacob Fichman’s plaque is an example. Sometimes, they are inside. Arik Lavie and Avraham Ben-Yossef have plaques inside stairwells. Other times, they are in gardens. Arik Einstein, Assi Dayan, and Shmulik Kraus’s signs are in courtyards.
Houses with multiple artists get special treatment. Aharon Meskin and Raphael Klatchkin share a plaque. They likely died before the sign went up. Aaron Avni and Aaron Ever-Hadani have separate signs.
Sadly, some signs disappear temporarily. Construction can cause this. Hopefully, The book Plaque will return after building completion.
So, next time you see The book Plaque, remember its purpose. It is a tribute to Tel Aviv’s artistic soul. It honors those who shaped the city’s culture and character.