Art and designמשה הראל

Moshe Harel

Moshe Harel was an Israeli architect who designed science and research buildings, and who fought in the Dutch resistance against the Nazis in World War II.

1920 to 2001Science and research buildingsDutch resistance against the NazisPlanning at the Weizmann Institute

Born: 13 October 1920, Sittard
Died: 15 August 2001, Herzliya
Occupation: architect, resistance fighter

Moshe Harel was born in 1920 in Sittard

Moshe Harel was born Marcel Ernest Hertz in Sittard, the Netherlands, the eldest son of the Hertz family. The family moved to Rotterdam when he was young. He went to a high school there and studied architecture at the University of Delft, finishing in 1940.

In 1942 the family faced deportation and was hidden by the Nagtegaal and van de Pol families. Harel posed as a deaf and mute Christian farmer and joined the Dutch resistance near Arnhem under a false name. He linked resistance commanders with helpers, hid Allied soldiers and aided them after the Battle of Arnhem in 1944.

He married Rachel Roos in 1945 and worked at an architecture firm in Rotterdam. He received a certificate of recognition from the US Congress and a medal from the Dutch queen. In 1950 the family moved to Israel, first to Kibbutz Beit HaShita and later to Holon.

In 1951 he joined the office of architect Lotte Cohn, and in 1953 he became a partner of Nachum Zalkind. The office focused on science and research buildings and took part in planning at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He was president of the Rotary Club in Herzliya Pituach and died in 2001, leaving 3 sons.

Milestones in Moshe Harel's life

1920
Born in Sittard, the Netherlands.
1940
Finished architecture studies at Delft.
1942
Went into hiding with his family.
1944
Helped Allied soldiers during the Battle of Arnhem.
1945
Married Rachel Roos.
1950
Immigrated to Israel.
1953
Became a partner of architect Nachum Zalkind.
1954
Drafted into the IDF Engineering Corps.
2001
Died.

Moshe Harel served in the military

He served in the Dutch resistance during World War II. He was drafted into the IDF in 1954 as a signaler in the Engineering Corps, fought in the Sinai campaign and the Six-Day War as an officer, and left as a captain.