Guttel-Levine House – Moriya Boulevard, Haifa, Israel

While Tel Aviv’s White City has been awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site for its International Style architecture and the municipality has taken advantage of this by establishing a visitors’ center and tour of the cluster of Bauhaus buildings in its vicinity, the Bauhaus style of architecture actually thrived and prospered far more in Haifa.

Moshe Guttel-Levine (1880-1976) and his wife Zipora, daughter of Joel Moshe Salomon (1882-1975) lived in this home located at 61 Moriyah Boulevard. The house was built in 1938 in the International Style designed by architect Moshe Het (1900-1972). Besides his pharmacy (which opened in 1906) Guttel-Levine served in numerous public posts: He chaired the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Retail School Board of Directors. He was a member of the The Jewish National Council (JNC) also known as the Jewish People's Council was the main national executive institution of the Jewish community (Yishuv) within Mandatory Palestine. He also served from 1924 to 1948 on the board of the Haifa Hebrew Community. Famous for his mediation skills, he was appointed to the Order of the British Empire during the time of the British Mandate over Palestine and bestowed by them the title of "Notable of Haifa."