Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday participated in a cornerstone-laying ceremony for an $18 million building at the Hebrew University that will explore the legacy of Albert Einstein.
Einstein House, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, is to be built adjacent to the school’s campus in Jerusalem’s Givat Ram neighborhood and feature exhibits displaying the 1921 Nobel laureate’s personal documents and contributions to science.
One of the founders of the Hebrew University, the theoretical physicist bequeathed all of his writings and intellectual property to it. The Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University contains some 55,000 filed documents.
“Right here, we are laying the foundations for a vital living archive of the writings of one of the greatest minds in the history of humanity,” Herzog said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
“But we are also laying the foundations for a beautiful building designed by the architect Daniel Libeskind, for a legacy that goes far beyond any one person alone: This is the legacy of human curiosity—‘holy curiosity’ as Einstein himself put it.
“Over the past century, the Hebrew University has blossomed into a world-class institution that is at the forefront of global research and of contribution,” Herzog said.
Hebrew University President Asher Cohen, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and Jose Mugrabi, a prominent art collector who helped fund the Einstein House along with the Israeli government, also participated in the ceremony.
“We look forward to seeing the wonders that this House will bring to Israel and the rest of the world in the future. Einstein House represents so much more than the physical space. It will be a center of science and technology for our students and we are convinced that this place will create a new generation of Einsteins,” Mugrabi said.
