Zefat Academic College

‫ע“ר‬

ZEFAT ACADEMIC COLLEGE

Reviving the Historic Heritage of

Beit Bussel

A New Campus for the Health Professions at Zefat Academic College

Februar y 2010

This page

Students in front of the renovated Beit Hadassah at Zefat Academic College Opposite page Breathtaking aerial view of Zefat

Zefat Academic College: Expanding Horizons, Creating Opportunities

A traditional center of learning and

Zefat and nearby Rosh Pina, Hazor, Tiberias,

bachelor degrees in physiotherapy, emergency

enlightenment since the 1500’s, Zefat

Arab villages and ultra-orthodox communities.

medicine, laboratory testing and laboratory

has much to offer: it is picturesque and historically-rich, and commands magnificent views of the Upper Galilee. However, the city Zefat Academic College, located in the

lacks 21st century educational and economic

ancient city of Zefat, was established 30

opportunities, and a large proportion of local

years ago as one of the first regional colleges

residents are caught up in cycles of socio-

in Israel and has grown into a vital source of

economic hardship.

higher education in the Galilee. Distinct from

attending the College. To accommodate this growth and create professional opportunities for a larger student body, the College has embarked upon a ten-year plan to expand its facilities and academic offerings. Partially affiliated with Bar Ilan University,

all other academic campuses in Israel, the

Zefat Academic College adds

College inhabits Zefat’s historical buildings

enormous value to the city. It offers a

and interweaves with the urban fabric,

gateway to professional development

independent degree programs, including

invigorating the city with a lively presence.

and a promising path to social

nursing (as part of the health track), social

mobility for the young men and

work, behavioral science, arts and literature,

Once the College culminates its plans for expansion, a sprawling new campus will welcome all who enter Zefat with a renewed and distinguished “Gate to the City” and a main approach to the illustrious “Old Quarter.”

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By 2013, an estimated 2,500 students will be

Reviving the Historic Heritage of Beit Bussel

Zefat Academic College is in advanced stages of independence and has five

women of the region.

and the only law school in a public college in

The 2,000 students that are currently studying

In the next two years, Zefat Academic

towards degrees, and the over 300 students in

College will be completely independent from

pre-academic courses are young people from

Bar Ilan University and will begin awarding

the north of Israel.

imaging, organizational information systems, religions: spiritual cultures and mystics, and in multidisciplinary studies (pending final approval by the Israeli Council for Higher Education).

The Beit Bussel site presents a major platform for the growth of Zefat Academic College and for the fulfillment of its role as a leading regional college. We invite you to join us in this opportunity to broaden the College and spark significant development in the Galilee by building a new campus for the highly sought-after health professions.


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The proposed site for the new campus is the historic Beit Bussel complex, across the road from the present-day buildings of Zefat Academic College.

Beit Bussel Complex

Above Aerial view of Beit Bussel Opposite page Left: British aerial view of Beit Bussel, 1945 Top right: Northern view of Beit Bussel today Bottom right: Landscape development on adjacent site

Beit Bussel Complex: Proposal for division according to functions 2008 Building Number 1 – Gate House

Net Area (m2)

Main Functions

150

Main entrance, student welfare services, student union

Beit Bussel Complex

2 – Palatine wedding hall

1,340

Auditorium, main library, offices

1. Historic entrance “The Gate House”

3 – Scottish Nun’s House

1,180

Classrooms, research and study laboratories, conference room

2. Renovated wedding hall Palatine

4 – Doctor’s House

3. Historic “Scottish Nun’s House” 4. Historic “Doctor’s House”

520

5 – Modern Rest House

1,057

Total Net Building Area**

4,247

Offices, conference room Dorms for 60 students*

5. Modern “Rest House” guest house * An additional site plan for student dorms on an area of approx. 3,200 net square meters will accommodate an additional 200 students ** Total Gross Building Area = 10,884 4



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Opposite page Left: The Gate House, 1938 This page Top right: The Gate House today Bottom right: Strolling on the main road of Beit Bussel, 1938 Bottom of page: Palatine wedding hall

Beit Bussel A Dialogue between New and Old

Zefat Academic College is located in the center of the city, surrounded by several historical buildings. Among them is “Beit Bussel” – a four-acre (17 dunam) complex of impressive Templar-style and modern structures – purchased in 1867 by an English missionary, who opened the first Arab-Jewish hospital in Zefat in 1904. Today, most of the buildings on the hillside complex stand empty and neglected. Over the span of a century, however, it was home to a Scottish missionary college, the headquarters of the Turkish and British military, a strategic point in defense of Zefat during the War of Independence, and as a rehabilitation center when the State of Israel

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Beit Bussel is a noted landmark along the historical trail of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed five-year national heritage preservation plan. Our mission is to transform the Beit Bussel complex into a state-of-theart campus for the health professions while restoring one of the most important historical sites in Israel. The plan is to acquire the land, renovate the buildings and adapt them to the needs of the health track, for example, study and research in physiotherapy, nursing, emergency medicine, laboratory testing and laboratory imaging, all professions in high demand in Israel and around the globe. The new campus will include a modern library, an academic conference center, classrooms, laboratories, a communications and computer center, student dormitories and a student club. It will also operate as a professional training center and a focal point for health studies for the entire northern

was established. The main building was

region and the Galilee.

closed in 1984 after serving as a temporary

Once the campus is completed, it will serve

absorption center for Jewish Ethiopians. A

as one of the main entrances to the Old

few years ago, a local entrepreneur bought

Quarter of Zefat, as well as the enhanced

a modern building on the complex and

“Gate to the City”, reflecting its revived and

renovated it to an events hall.

distinguished character.



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The beautiful Scottish Nun's House today

Opposite page Counter clockwise from top: Dr. Anderson in women's hospital unit Scottish Nun's House Men's hospital unit Scottish Nun's House 8


Invitation to Partnership The expansion of Zefat Academic College is a prime example of Rashi Foundation’s investment in local colleges in the periphery of Israel. We believe in the vast potential of the College to generate economic and social improvements that benefit the entire Zefat community. As such, Rashi Foundation has also co-funded the establishment of a new Multi-Purpose Building, which will include a new Law School for the Galilee, and is managing the construction project, due to be completed in 2013.

Opposite page From left: Doctor's House then and now This page The neglected Rest House today

We invite you to partner with us in saving and preserving Beit Bussel's neglected buildings and in realizing the vision of a thriving new health professions campus at Zefat Academic College. This expansion project will not only revive a forgotten chapter of Zefat’s cultural heritage, it will establish an excellent center of higher learning that is accessible to aspiring young people throughout the region.

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About Zefat Academic College Zefat Academic College is a rapidly expanding public college located in the Central Upper Galilee. After more than 30 years as regional branch of Bar Ilan University, Zefat Academic College is now an independent academic institution awarding B.A. degrees in the disciplines of Humanities & Social Sciences, Law, and Health. Zefat Academic College is a leading institution within the historic city of Zefat, and offers its area residents vital opportunities for academic advancement & social mobility. The recent expansion of Zefat Academic College is providing greater accessibility to quality higher education in the rural north of Israel, and contributing to the development of the region. Contact Information for Zefat Academic College Prof. Aharon Kellerman

President І [email protected]

Shmuel Har Noy

Executive Director І [email protected]

Lisa Keshet

Director of Resource Dev. & PR І [email protected]

Zefat Academic College

11 Jerusalem St., P.O.B. 160, Zefat 13206, Israel Cell: +972-52-427-6111 Fax: +972-4-692-7735

www.zefat.ac.il

About Rashi Foundation Rashi Foundation was founded in 1984 by Mr. Gustave Leven (1910 – 2008) to assist the underprivileged in Israel, focusing on the young, at-risk, and special needs populations. Presided by Mr. Hubert Leven, Rashi Foundation is committed to providing quality and opportunity in education and social welfare for the underserved in Israel’s periphery, through programmatic and capital projects. Among Rashi Foundation’s core activities is a long-standing support for developing academic colleges in the Galilee and Negev because of their power to trigger regional growth and equalize academic opportunity for residents. Regional colleges are accessible to young adults of the periphery and attract students from the center of the country, generate employment, and bring the economic and social benefits of a new young adult population to the area. Contact Information for Rashi Foundation Elie Elalouf

Executive VP and General Director І [email protected]

Ronit Segelman

Director of Partnerships І [email protected]

Rashi Foundation

Kfar Hanoar Ben-Shemen 73112, Israel Phone: +972-8-914-6610 Fax: +972-8-921-9404

www.Rashi.org.il

© 2010. Produced by the Partnerships Unit of the Rashi Foundation (2.2010A)