About

The National Theatre of Israel

The Habima Theatre is one of the oldest and most central cultural institutions in the history of Hebrew and Israeli art. Founded in 1917 in Moscow out of a bold vision to establish a professional theatre in the Hebrew language, Habima has over the years become a cornerstone of Israeli culture and a home for generations of creators, actors, playwrights, and audiences. From its beginnings as a pioneering Hebrew theatre, through its immigration to the Land of Israel, its establishment in Tel Aviv, and its evolution into a leading cultural institution, Habima has accompanied Israeli society since its earliest days. It has served as a stage for many of the stories, ideas, debates, and dreams that have shaped the local culture. In 1958, the Israeli government, led by David Ben-Gurion, officially declared Habima the National Theatre of Israel. That same year, it was awarded the prestigious Israel Prize in recognition of its extraordinary contribution to local culture and society. This milestone is not only a historic achievement, but also an ongoing commitment to remain a vibrant home for live Hebrew and Israeli creation, a cultural institution with a civic responsibility, and a space for thought and dialogue. Read More...

As the National Theatre of Israel, Habima strives to present a broad, high-quality, and diverse repertoire that reflects the many facets of Israeli society - its beauty, complexity, tensions, memories, and hopes. The theatre's repertoire combines original Israeli playwriting with world classics, adaptations of literature and cinema with musical theatre, and contemporary interpretations of seminal texts with fresh stage creations. Habima places supreme importance on nurturing a new generation of creators alongside working with Israel's most prominent and experienced artists. As a living, breathing national theatre that preserves its glorious tradition while looking toward the future, it is dedicated to developing a theatrical language that strives for artistic excellence, cultural relevance, and openness to a wide and diverse audience. The theatre works to expand the boundaries of the stage, strengthen connections with diverse audiences, and build collaborations with cultural institutions, creators, and festivals in Israel and worldwide. Powered by the Habima acting ensemble - which features Israel's leading actors and actresses - the theatre champions the heritage of Hebrew and Israeli culture while maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the changing Israeli reality and engaging with questions of identity, society, and culture. More than a century after its founding, Habima continues to be a place where memory and tradition meet creation and renewal - a theatre that seeks not only to tell the story of Israeli culture, but to take an active part in shaping it.

Milestones in a Hundred Years of Habima

1917 – Habima is accepted as a studio of Stanislavski, run by Yevgeny Vakhtangov next to the Moscow Art Theatre.
1918 – Habima put on its first play: Neshef Bereshit (“Genesis Ball”), a production made up of four one-act plays: The Elder Sister, The Fire, The Sun, Read More...

The Sun, and Bad Misfortune. A Hebrew theatre became a fait accompli.
1919 – The theatre’s second production, The Eternal Jew, was staged.
1922 – Rehearsals began for The Dybbuk, written by Jewish author and folklore researcher S. Ansky. Different versions of The Dybbuk were performed at Habima around 1300 times from 1922 to 1998. Before leaving Moscow, Habima staged a production of H. Leivick’s The Golem, starring Aharon Meskin and Yehoshua Bertonov.
1926 – Habima left Moscow for a performance tour of Europe, never to return. The tour concluded in New York City in 1927.
1927 – The troupe split up. Most of the actors decided to immigrate to Israel, while Nachum Zemach and a group of actors stayed in the United States.
1928 – Habima’s remaining actors arrived in the Land of Israel.
The first production staged in Israel was Sholem Aleichem’s The Treasure, directed by Alexander Dicky.
In 1930, Habima produced and performed Twelfth Night in Berlin – the first time it had staged a Shakespeare production.
1945 – After ten years of construction, the theatre moved into its new home.
In 1958, Habima was awarded the Israel Prize and officially recognized as Israel’s national theatre.

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“Habima is not just an artistic institution. It is a cornerstone of the revival of Hebrew language and culture and of the shaping of cultural life in Israel.” Since its establishment, the theatre is committed to promoting issues of national importance, holding conversations with diverse Communities; fostering the Next Generation of Theatre Professionals; promoting Theatre in Israel and a Universal Approach.

Architect Ram Karmi (1931–2013)

Architect Ram Karmi, one of Israel's leading architects and urban planners and winner of the Israel Prize, was commissioned to redesign the historic building. His extensive and varied experience made him the ideal person to design the new building, merging both old and new and uniting tradition and innovation – both hallmarks of Habima.

The late Karmi designed a wide range of projects - public buildings, offices, academic institutions and public transportation centers - which have won many awards around the world .