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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE December 12, 1986 Page 29
1861-1936
Dizengoff: A mayor to remember
by Helen Hill
World Zionist Press Service
Say “Dizengoff’ and the fam
ous street in the heart of Tel Aviv
immediately springs to mind.
With its sidewalk cafes, fancy
shops and constant pulse of peo
ple, Dizengoff is a living testi
monial to the man who conceived,
founded and fostered the city
and who served as its passion
ately caring father until his death
50 years ago this fall.
Right from the beginning, when
a group of visionaries stood in
the sand dunes north of Jaffa in
1909 and declared, “We shall build
our homes here,” Meir Dizengoff
was there.
Dizengoffs dreams for Tel
Aviv were far removed from his
youth in Russia, where he was
involved in revolutionary activi
ties and was once even arrested.
In the 1880s, he turned his atten
tion to his own people, and con
centrated on Zionist activities
through the Hovevei (Lovers of
Zion) movement.
After an unsuccessful attempt
to start a bottle factory in Tan-
tura for Baron Edmond de Roths
child, which was to supply bot
tles for the wines produced in the
settlements, Dizengoff returned
to Russia where he went into bus
iness in Odessa. Active in Zionist
affairs, he was a delegate to the
Zionist Congress and opposed
the plan to settle Jews in Uganda.
He believed that the Jewish
homeland must be in Palestine,
and in 1904 he founded the Geula
Company to purchase land there.
The following year he moved to
Jaffa.
The cramped, unsanitary con
ditions of the Jewish community
in Jaffa and their exploitation by
Arab landlords led Dizengoff, as
chairman of the Jaffa Housing
Society, to promote the creation
of a new garden suburb outside
the city. The stated intent was “to
create for ourselves a new quar
ter, to build good and lovely
houses, and to create a better and
finer way of life.”
I el Aviv's Dizengoff Street and Dizengoff Center, named after the city's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff,
who died 50 years ago last month.
Dizengoff chaired the commit
tee through the negotiations with
the Turks, local landowners and
potential residents. At the last
general meeting of the Ahuzat
Bayit Company — its original
name in May 1910, the members
voted to change the name of the
new area to Tel Aviv. Meir
Dizengoff was the driving force
behind lei Aviv. His pleasing
personality and accessibility made
him liked by all. His knack of
perseverance and his ability to
overcome difficulties were traits
which proved very useful in his
dealings with the Turkish gover
nor of Palestine, Jamal Pasha.
When, during World War l,
Dizengoff’s request that the
Turks cancel their order exiling
all Jews from Tel Aviv was re
fused, the city’s leader was ordered
to Damascus. After a stormy con
frontation with the Turkish au
thorities, Dizengoff succeeded in
getting the expulsion order modi
fied.
In 1921, w hen Tel Aviv became
a city, Dizengoff was elected its
first mayor. “We want to build
our city quickly; we have no
patience,” Dizengoff told a visit
ing journalist at that time. New-
quarters and neighborhoods
stretched the city limits at north
and south and when the first
power station was opened in 1923,
Tel Avivians discarded their hur
ricane lamps. Horse-drawn wag
ons gradually gave way to motor
buses, marking a new era for the
country’s transportation system.
By the mid-1920s Mayor Diz
engoff recognized that the town
had outgrown its original con
cept of a garden suburb. He had
dreamt of a population of 25,000,
but by the end of the ’20s there
were over 50,000 people living
there.
Waves of Polish and German
immigrants in the ’20s and ’30s
brought a European flavor to Tel
Aviv as they opened shops and
businesses and built large houses.
The city, graced by gardens and
parks, hotels and a fine beach
front, became renowned for its
flourishing cultural life
On one visit to the United
States, Dizengoff returned with
S 100,000 in municipal loans to
help in the development of Tel
Aviv. His charm, diplomatic tal
ents and ability to converse in
several languages made him a
welcome visitor in Jewish com
munities abroad.
In 1925 the mayor’s leadership
role was interrupted when, at a
stormy meeting of the town coun
cil on the issue of abolishing fees
in municipal schools, Dizengoff
lost his temper. Red in the face,
he shouted: “I’ve had enough!
Em resigning!” and stalked out
of the council chamber. He re
fused to change his mind and
stayed out of office until 1928,
when his successor handed the
post back to him.
Back in office, Dizengoff im
mediately took charge of “his”
lei Aviv. Each morning at day
break, the mayor made the rounds
of the city on horseback to see
that everything was in order. One
old-timer remembered getting up
at dawn to see him: “There he
was cantering down Rothschild
Boulevard, stopping for a chat
with a bricklayer, dismounting
to examine a tree branch broken
by some children; slowing down
to admire a new facade.”
Convinced that any proper city
should have a museum. Mayor
Dizengof f donated his Rothschild
Boulevard home for that pur
pose. When the famous meeting
of members of Ahuzat Bayit took
place, the plots were allocated by
a lottery of sea shells; 60 white
shells with the names of eligible
families, 60 grey shells with
numbers of plots. Mr. and Mrs.
Dizengoff were allocated the site
on which the actual lottery was
held, and it was in their house
that David Ben-Gurion proclaimed
the establishment of the State of
Israel in May 1948.
In May 1934, the British au
thorities finally recognized Tel
Aviv as a city, and it became the
Yishuv's economic, financial,
political and cultural center. The
opening of the Tel Aviv port
broke the dependence on Jaffa,
and the two became separate cit
ies until their reunification many
years later.
When Dizengoff died, 40,000
people filed past his body which
lay in state in the Tel Aviv
Museum. The city came to a
standstill on the morning of the
funeral to pay its final respects to
Meir Dizengoff, the mayor of the
first all-Jewish city.
After a fire
or a flood...
after any disaster...
it takes money to
help people
rebuild their lives.
A lot of money.
Give to the
Red Cross.
Wie’ll help. Will you?
Legal Notices
"BUCKLER BROADCASTGROUP, INC.”
has been duly incorporated on November 17.
1986, by the issuance ol a Certificate ol
Incorporation by the Secretary ol State in
accordance with the applicable provisions ol
the Official Code ol Georgia, Annotated.
The initial registered office ol the corpora
tion is located at Four North Parkway
Square. 4200 Northside Parkway, N.W.,
Atlanta. Georgia 30327-3020 and its initial
registered agent at such address is Elliott
Cohen.
COHEN POLLOCK MERLIN
Attorneys at Law
Four North Parkway Square
4200 Northside Parkway N.W'..
Atlanta. Georgia 30327-3020
12/5; 12 12; 12 19; 12 26
A Statement ol Intent to dissolve "EPIC .
INC .” a Georgia corporation w ith registered
office at 2675 Cumberland Parkway. N W .
Atlanta. Georgia 30339. has been delivered
to the Secretary ol State by said corporation
and tiled by him on November 24. 1986. in
accordance w ith the applicable prosisions ol
the Official Code ol Georgia. Annotated.
ILAB1I . HABIE & FRANCO
Attorneys at I aw
C uncord Bldg Suite 200
136 Marietta St.. N W
Atlanta. Georgia 30303
12 5. 12 12; 12 19; 12 26
“ I S DEVELOPMENT CO., INC." has been
duly incorporated on November 19. 1986, by
the issuance ol a Certificate ol Incorporation
by the Secretary of State in accordance w ith
the applicable provisions of the Official Code
of Cieorgia, Annotated. The initial registered
office of the corporation is located at 448
East Paces Ferry Road, N.E.. Atlanta, Ful
ton County. Georgia 30305 and its initial
registered agent at such address is James J.
Scavo.
WEINSTOCK, SCAVO &
MONTALTO. P C.
Attorneys at l aw
448 East Paces Ferry Road, N.E.
Atlanta, Cieorgia 30305
12/5; 12/12; 12, 19; 12/26
"EMPLOYMENT LEARNING INNOVA
TIONS. INC." has been duly incorporated
on November 19, 1986, by the issuance ol a
Certificate of Incorporation by the Secretary
ol State in accordance with the applicable
provisions ol the Official Code ol Georgia,
Annotated. I he initial registered oltice ol the
corporation is located at 3495 Piedmont
Road, Eleven Piedmont Center. Suite 806
and its initial registered agent at such address
is Joseph l.efkoll.
I IT KOFF. DUNCAN,
GRIMES & DFRMER. P C.
Attorneys at I aw
Eleven Piedmont Center. Suite 806
3495 Piedmont Road. NT
Atlanta. Cieorgia 30305
12 5; 12 12; 12 19; 12 26
“HQ-I, Inc.,” has been duly incorporated on
November 21,1986, by the issuance of a Cer
tificate of Incorporation by the Secretary of
State in accordance with the applicable pro
visions of the Official Code of Georgia,
Annotated. The initial registered office of the
corporation is located at Suite 200, South
Building, 5180 Roswell Road, N.W., Atlanta,
Cieorgia 30342-2208 and its initial registered
agent at such address is Sheldon E. Friedman.
SHELDON E FRIEDMAN, P C.
Attorneys at Law
5180 Roswell Road, N.W.
South Building. Suite 200
Atlanta, Georgia 30342
12/5; 12/12; 12/19; 12/26
"CHASE ROAD. LID." has been duly
incorporated on November 13, 1986, by the
issuance of a Certificate of Incorporation by
the Secretary of State in accordance with the
applicable provisions ol the Official Code ol
Georgia, Annotated. The initial registered
office ol the corporation is located at 333
Sandy Springs Circle, Suite 208, Atlanta,
Georgia .30328 and its initial registered agent
at such address is David .1. Perling.
DAVID .1 PERL INCi
Attorney at I aw
Sandy Springs Commerce Bldg . Suite 208
33.3 Sandy Springs Circle. N 1
Atlanta. Georgia .30328
12 5; 12 12; 12 19. 12 26
"T. J. LAWFORD DISTRIBUTORS, INC.”
has been duly incorporated on November 19,
1986, by the issuance of a Certificate of
Incorporation by the Secretary of State in
accordance with the applicable provisions of
the Official Code of Georgia, Annotated.
The initial registered office of the corpora
tion is located at Five Piedmont Center,
Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia 30305 and its
initial registered agent at such address is Jef
frey N. Berman.
FOX & BERMAN, P C.
Attorneys at L.aw
Five Piedmont Center, Suite 500
3525 Piedmont Road, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
12/5; 12/12; 12/19; 12/26
“SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL SER
VICES, INC." has been duly incorporated
on November 20, 1986, by the issuance of a
Certificate of Incorporation by the Secretary
of State in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the Official Code ol Georgia.
Annotated. The initial registered office ol the
corporation is located at Six North Parkway
Square, 4200 Northside Parkway, N.W/.,
Atlanta. Georgia 30327-3020 and its initial
registered agent at such address is Henry M
Fcinstein.
HENRY M FE1NSTFIN
Attorney at l aw
Six North Parkway Square
420(1 Northside Parkway, N W
Atlanta. Georgia 30327-3020
12 5, 12 12; 12 19, 12 26
Preserve
the
future.
Take stock in America.
Buy U.S. Savings Bonds.