The Bahai Insider

Extension of International Bahai Endowments

One of the most enduring works of the Guardian was the preparation of a secure foundation for the support of the World Spiritual and Administrative Centre of the Faith in the Holy Land. The acquisition of properties situated in the heart of Mt. Carmel and in the plain of Akka was essential to this purpose and was vigorously pressed by Shoghi Effendi throughout his ministry.

The decade of the fifties saw a marked acceleration of this process and notable victories were won. Foremost was the cleansing of the area immediately surrounding the Shrine of Baha’u’llah from Covenant-breakers and the acquisition of their properties, which were expropriated by the Government of Israel and transferred to the Faith. The purchase of land for the future Mashriqu’l-Adhkar on Mt. Carmel was another milestone at the World Centre, as was the addition of the plot on Mt. Carmel, formerly owned by the sister of a “notorious enemy” of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, which opened the way to the building of the International Baha’i Archives. Other significant purchases provided the land needed for the development on Mt. Carmel of extensive new gardens containing the “arc”, about which, in future, the various buildings of the World Administrative Centre will be built. Another important step was the pur¬chase of five houses at the foot of Mt. Carmel, part of the German colony settled before 1870 by the Templars, in anticipation of the coming of the Lord of Hosts. The precincts of Baha’¬u’llah’s Shrine were protected by further additions of land, and a house near Bahji which had been used by ‘Abdu’1-Baha was acquired.

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Establishment of a Bahai Court in Israel

Following the passing of the beloved Guardian, the Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land made a further study of the possibility of establishing a Baha’i Court in Israel, and in November, 1959 announced:

“We wish to assure the believers that every effort will be made to establish a Baha’i Court in the Holy Land prior to the date set for this election. We should however bear in mind that the Guardian himself clearly indicated this goal, due to the strong trend towards the secularization of religious courts in this part of the world, might not be achieved.”

The International Baha’i Council made a further study of the possibility of establishing a Baha’i Court in the Holy Land. It was found that circumstances existing in the State of Israel made it impossible to attain this goal of the Crusade in the manner stipulated by Shoghi Effendi. The Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land confirmed this -finding.
(Bahai World, Volume 13 Page 251)

Read More: Bahai Israel Relationship

Israel Presidents and Head of State visit Bahai Centres

1-President Mr. Izhak Ben Zvi (1954)

(President Izhak Ben Zvi of Israel)

The official visit of the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Izhak Ben Zvi, and Mrs. Ben Zvi, to the Guardian in April, 1954 led to a most cordial relationship between them, and Shoghi Effendi later called upon the President and Mrs. Ben Zvi in Jerusalem. On December 6, 1955 the Mayor of Haifa, Aba Khoushy, visited the Baha’i House of Worship inWilmette, Illinois, and was received by Mrs. Amelia Collins, Vice-President of the International Baha’i Council and Mr. Horace Holley, Secretary of the American National Spiritual Assembly.
(Bahai World Volume 13 Page 250)

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