Tel Aviv's First Cinema

IsraelTel Aviv

Eden Cinema is Tel Aviv's first silent film theater, which later became a cinema. In the early days of the city, and for many decades afterward, the Eden Cinema was one of Tel Aviv's most important cultural institutions and became an integral part of the history and nostalgia of the city and its residents.

The cinema was built in 1914 at 2 Lilinblum street in its intersection with Pines street, in the Neve Tzedek neighborhood, by entrepreneurs Moshe Abarbanal and Mordechai Weisser. Its name was given by the writer S. Ben Zion. It was initially built with one indoor hall, and later another open hall was added for outdoor summer movie screenings. Each hall had about 800 seats. Apart from movies, opera and theater performances were also presented in the cinema over the years, and various events took place. 

הסרט הראשון שהוקרן בקולנוע היה "ימי פומפיי האחרונים" האיטלקי. בשנות ה- 20, תקופת הזוהר של הקולנוע האילם, הוקרנו בו סרטים רבים שנוצרו בהוליווד ובאירופה, כשהם מלווים בתזמורת קאמרית מלאה. הסרט המדבר הראשון שהוצג בו היה "זמר הגאז'" בשנות ה- 30, ובהמשך הוקרנו בו סרטים רוסיים, צרפתיים והודים רבים. עבור דורות של ילדים שגדלו בעיר, האטרקציה המרכזית הייתה לעומת זאת סרטי המערבונים האמריקאים.

The cinema was active until 1975. During the 1980s it was used by Bank Leumi, after which it was abandoned.

(Anecdote authored by: עמיר)

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