בית חנה סנש
Anna Szenes house

The Anna Szenes Association is a public association chosen to commemorate the legacy of Anna Szenes, registered association: 580349256

In November 1999, 55 years after Anna’s murder, a public association was formed to commemorate Anna and her friends to the mission. The association is registered with the Registrar of Associations and operates according to the associations’ laws and in accordance with the association regulations as approved by the Registrar of Associations. The association has a proper management certificate for all the years since its establishment.

The association has an executive committee, chairman, treasurer, and secretary and audit committee. All of them are volunteers and do not receive any wages or remuneration for their activities. The association also has a CPA and accounting.

The objectives for which the association was established
  • 1

    Bringing Anna Szenes' legacy to the public in general and to the youth in particular, including visitors from Israel and abroad.

  • 2

    Upgrading the Anna Szenes House in Kibbutz Sdot Yam and turning it into a visitor center, which will tell the story of Anna and her friends to the mission, including a comprehensive exhibition and auditorium.

  • 3

    Arranging and cataloging the rich Anna Archive located in Kibbutz Sdot Yam and its transfer to digital media.

  • 4

    Collecting historical material related to the activities of Anna and members of the paratroopers' delegation and implementing it in the Anna Archive.

  • 5

    Assistance to the Anna Szenes House regarding educational and enrichment activities that occur in the museum.

  • 6

    Holding events for the general public related to Anna and her fellow paratroopers, including memorial ceremonies.

  • 7

    Supporting Anna Szenes House and fundraising in order to enrich the contents of the museum.

Over the years, the association has also done the following:
  • 1

    Promoted and accompanied plans to upgrade Anna Szenes House and partnership in the execution of the extensive renovation and upgrade (built in 1950, renovated and upgraded in 2020).

  • 2

    Published a new book "Anna Szenes: Letters 1935-1944", a collection of about 200 letters written by Anna, as well as financial support in order to print new editions of the book "Anna Szenes – Diary, Poems, Testimonies".

  • 3

    Arranged and catalogued the rich Anna Archive located in Kibbutz Sdot Yam and its transfer to digital media.

  • 4

    Held memorial ceremonies for participants, as well as a grand ceremony for the inauguration of the Anna Szenes House and the opening of the 100-year events noting Anna's birth (July 2021), with the participation of the President of the State and public figures.

  • 5

    Purchased the equipment required to manage the house and enrich visitor experience.

  • 6

    Produced curriculums for the learning center in the Anna Szenes House.

  • 7

    Held seminars and educational programs for various organizations.

  • 8

    Fundraising.

  • 9

    At the beginning of 2021, the association started managing the Anna Szenes House.

Contributions

The association raises funds from institutional organizations and private donors. Each contribution is utilized to promote the association’s objectives and the funds received are directed to activities, decided by the management in the annual plan.

A donor can request that their money be directed to a specific target or activity that they want to promote and their request be honored.

You can donate by bank transfer or by check/cash, sent to the address of the Anna Szenes House. A receipt, as well as a thank you letter, will be sent to any donation received.

Bank account details for the transfer of donations – Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, Or Akiva 438 branch, account number 304996, in the name of the Anna Szenes Association chosen to commemorate the legacy of Anna Szenes, number 580349256. 

 

Address of the association – Anna Szenes House, Kibbutz Sdot Yam, zip code 3780400, Phone 04-6364548, Email address senesh@sdot-yam.org.il

בית חנה סנש
Anna Szenes house

Telephone

04-6364548

E-mail

h.senesh@sdot-yam.org.il

Museum location

Sdot-Yam

Facebook page

Anna Szenes house

בית חנה סנש
Anna Szenes house

Sunday – Thursday, from 10:00 to 16:00

Fridays from 9:00 to 13:00

The museum is closed on Saturday and holidays

בית חנה סנש
Anna Szenes house

Sunday – Thursday, from 10:00 to 16:00

Fridays from 9:00 to 13:00

The museum is closed on Saturday and holidays

Anna szenes

Conferences, Events, and Seminars

The Anna Szenes House complex in Kibbutz Sdot Yam, apart from being a museum, is also a cultural center and a fitting place for holding conferences, seminars, and a variety of social or family events. The place includes a large auditorium in which it is possible to hold lectures, and screen films and presentations with a sound amplification system, a huge screen, and approximately 100 seats. We also have a sprawling lawn with abundant plants that can accommodate up to 300 people, and a large stage for ceremonies and music and dance performances (which also includes a sound amplification system, lighting, and a large screen). The Caesarea Antiquity Museum complex contains an impressive garden, a lovely lawn, and ancient marble items, such as columns, sculptures, and Corinthian capitals.
Optional activities and events at our complex:

  • Conferences and seminars for teachers, tour guides, academics, and cultural organizations.

  • Meetings on the topic of poetry with poets and young artists.

  • Meetings and lectures for women as part of Women's Day.

  • Meetings on the subject of the environment with "Zalul" organization.

  • Storytelling events.

  • Public sing-along events (inside or outside).

  • ODT workshops, cupping glasses, and other workshops on various topics.

  • End-of-the-year events for schools.

  • On Holocaust Day - "Remembrance in the Living Room" (Anna Szenes House invites the narrator/moderator).

  • Events for companies and workers' committees.

  • Family events such as weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, birthdays (with quiet music, and up to 60 people).

In addition, we cooperate with Kef Yam, which organizes, among other things, beach events for companies and workers' organizations, allowing for a very wide range of possibilities.

Anna szenes

For Soldiers and the Security Forces

For Soldiers and the Security Forces

At Anna Szenes House, special importance is given to imparting to soldiers and members of the security forces Anna's story, the story of the paratroopers' delegation, and the values that arise from them.
The activities we offer:

  • Sunday culture for regular soldiers.

  • Visits of groups of soldiers as part of an arrangement with the Council for the Conservation of Heritage Sites and the Ministry of Defense.

  • Tours for police units and various security bodies.

  • Tours and activities for women serving in the security forces as part of Women's Day.

  • Social gatherings – rotation of commanders, company meetings, graduation of military courses, etc.

  • Tours for students of the pre-military preparatory schools.

Anna szenes house

Educational Activities

 At the Anna Szenes House, we place a central emphasis on passing down Anna’s story to future generations.

Anna was an inspirational figure, from whom many values can be drawn, such as perseverance, her ability to give, her volunteering spirit, her assertiveness, leadership, and more. In addition, Anna’s story and letters teach us not only about her private world, but also about the period in which she was active, a formative period in the history of the State of Israel, the Jewish people, and the world.

Anna Szenes House offers activities and tours designed for schools and various frameworks of the educational system.

Tours for schoolchildren

Tours at the Anna Szenes House are suitable for students from 6th to 12th grade. The tours include a film in the auditorium, a guided tour of the museum's exhibition (adapted to the age group), and discussion circles in which questions, topics, and values rise from Anna's story and character.

A view from the sculpture garden overlooking the sea and the "Walk to Caesarea" coastal route

It is also possible to combine a visit to the observation point from the sculpture garden overlooking the sea and the "Walk to Caesarea" coastal route, which follows the footsteps of Anna Szenes, the Palyam (the sea force of the Palmach), and the illegal immigration to Israel toward the end of the British Mandate period.
Other educational activities:

  • The Anna Szenes House is also a significant stop along the "Beacon of Revival" journey of high school students.

  • Activities for bat mitzvahs.

  • Tours for "Taglit" groups and youth from abroad.

  • ODT workshops.

  • Tours, conferences, and seminars for teaching staff (history, Land of Israel studies, literature, etc.).

  • Tours for youth movement members.

Anna szenes house

Tours for groups

Tours for groups at Anna Szenes House include a variety of options, from the standard tour of the Anna Szenes House, to an extended tour that includes a scenic view from the observation point, a walk on the beach, a visit to the Anna Szenes House, and a visit to the Caesarea Antiquity Museum. The tours are tailored to various types of groups: Senior citizens, schools, families, organizations, companies, and tourists from abroad.

It is also possible to personally adapt the tour to the visit you’re interested in and choose from the options offered:

A geographical view from the sculpture garden located on a cliff overlooking the sea

A geographical view from the sculpture garden located on a cliff overlooking the sea, which can also include an explanation of the kibbutz and the elements seen in the landscape, such as the Sdot-Yam pier, Herod's Palace, and the rock reefs. The sculpture garden is located about fifty meters from the parking lot and near the dining room. From the observation point, you can continue on foot to the Anna Szenes House, which is a walking distance of about two hundred meters.

The coastal route

"A Walk to Caesarea" follows Anna Szenes - this route starts at the observation point at the sculpture garden and continues down the path leading to the beach. From there, there's a leisurely walk along the beach (300 meters) up until the path leading to Anna Szenes House. The walk includes a brief explanation of the affiliation between marine nature and man, the story of the illegal immigration to Israel toward the end of the British Mandate period, and the story behind the song "A Walk to Caesarea", which was inspired by Anna's walks along that same beach.

Movie/ the light-and-sound show

that tells Anna's story, from her childhood in Budapest, her immigration to the Land of Israel, and to her tragic demise in the Hungarian prison. The film includes touching testimonies told by Anna's acquaintances, with authentic photographs, diary sections, and poems. The film concludes with a brief reenactment of Anna and her comrades parachuting into Slovenia, as performed by IDF soldiers in July 2021.

Exhibition tour

A guided (or independent) tour of a new exhibition that tells the story of Anna through a journey between her life's stations. The exhibition combines poems, quotes from her diary, photographs, original objects, and interactive representations. The exhibition also tells the story of the other paratroopers, among them the six paratroopers who never returned, to who we've dedicate a special commemorative corner.

A guided tour of the Caesarea Antiquity Museum

the Caesarea Antiquity Museum in Sdot Yam is an archaeological museum that contains exquisite finds discovered in Caesarea and the region, of all its many and varied periods. The tour includes three different themed exhibition rooms and a large courtyard with sculptures and architectural items, allowing a glimpse of the city's fascinating past and the daily life of its inhabitants. The museum is adjacent to the Anna Szenes House.