Postcard advertising the Hotel Elisabetha (also known as the Elizabeth Hotel or "Feingold Hotel") in Tiberias, published prior to its opening, while it was still under construction. [Tiberias, ca. mid-1920s]. English.

Printed at the top of the postcard: "Elisabetha Sanatorium: Hotel and Auditorium at Tiberias – in Progress of Construction." At center is a picture of the elegant hotel – designed by the architect Zalman Axelrod – signed in print: "Z. Axelrod." (The final blueprint for the hotel was actually submitted by the architect Dov Hershkowitz.)

The caption (in English) at the bottom of the postcard reads as follows: "A first class Hotel and Sanatorium with every possible modern appointment. Constant hot water from the phenomenal Springs of Tiberias – famous for their panacean curative virtues."

The Hotel Elisabetha of Tiberias was the brainchild of the real estate entrepreneur Shlomo Feingold. Construction apparently commenced in the mid-1920s according to an original blueprint drafted by the architect Zalman Axelrod. Already in the early stages, a dispute erupted between Axelrod and Feingold, and Feingold's involvement in the project was terminated. The building was then re-designed by the architect Dov Hershkowitz (previously employed as chief architect of the Municipality of Tel Aviv), and after numerous delays and a wide range of violations of building codes on the part of Feingold, the hotel was officially opened with great fanfare on February 1, 1929, in a ceremony attended by the highest echelons of the British Mandatory authorities in Palestine. The building was officially named "Hotel Elisabetha" after Feingold's wife, Elisabetha-Elisheva.

Shlomo Ben David Feingold (1865-1935), entrepreneur in the fields of real estate, construction, hospitality, and journalism in Palestine. Native of Russia. Ordained as a rabbi – presumably while still in his teens – he settled in Great Britain in his twenties. In London he became friendly with members of "the British Israelites, " a messianic Christian cult who believed they could hasten the redemption through the missionary work they were conducting among the Jews. Feingold immigrated to Palestine with his wife circa 1895. His wife was in turn accompanied by her patron, Margaret Palmer, who became Feingold's business partner. Shlomo Feingold initiated projects with varying degrees of success in Afula, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv. But the Hotel Elisabetha in Tiberias – flagship of all his construction projects – would, in the end, lead him to financial ruin.

Shlomo Feingold was a colorful and controversial figure. The Jews of Jerusalem were highly suspicious of what they regarded as his missionizing agenda. As such, he provided the inspiration for the character of the convert from Judaism appearing in Shai (Shmuel Yosef) Agnon's celebrated novel, "T'mol Shilshom."

See:

• Esther Yankelevich, "Jewel in the Crown: The Hotel Elizabeth-Elisheva of Tiberias, " "Atarim – MaMagazin" (published by the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel), Issue No. 1, 2011, Hebrew.

• Mordechai Eliav and Yosef Lang, "Shlomo Feingold: Convert from Judaism or a Jew Loyal to his Own People? A Brief Biography of this Controversial Figure, " "Katedra" (published by the Ben-Zvi Institute), Issue No. 93, September, 1999, Hebrew.

Approx. 10X15.5 cm. Good condition. Minor blemishes.