Yehuda Magidovitch
Yehuda Magidovitch was one of the most prolific Israeli architects. Among his prominent works are the Galei Aviv Casino, a café-restaurant, the great synagogue of Tel Aviv, the former Soviet Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Cinema Esther, both in Tel Aviv.
Biography
Early life
Yehuda Magidovitch was born in 1886 in Uman in Ukraine, back then part of the Russian Empire. He studied in Odessa. In 1919, he emigrated to Mandatory Palestine on board the Ruslan with fellow architect Ze'ev Rechter, artist Yitzhak Frenkel and historian Joseph Klausner.Career
Magidovitch became the first chief engineer of Tel Aviv in 1920. In 1923 he established his own design and construction company. In 1934 his son Raphael also joined the office.Magidovitch first built in the 1920s in the eclectic style, but beginning in the early 1930s he started moving towards Art Deco. His first International style designs from 1934 retained a personal artistic expression.