The Engel Gallery was founded in Jerusalem in 1955 and its objective was to promote and to exhibit Israeli art both in Israel and abroad; the gallery published a number of prints and books; is constantly collaborating with local and International museums; and participating in art fairs. Rafi Lavi, Arieh Aroch, Aviva Uri, Uri Lifsh*tz, Yekhzkel Streichman, Joseph Zaritky, Ovadia Alkara, Ofer Lellou
che, Jan Rauchwerger- all of them took their first steps in the Engel Gallery and their exhibitions there had started off their artistic careers. Some of the pillars of the Israeli art, such as Moshe Castel, Mordechai Ardon, and Anna Ticho were part of the gallery's permanent artists for many years, and now the Engel gallery holds one of their biggest and rare collections. In the 1970's the Engel Gallery opened international branches that were active for two decades in introducing Israeli art to American audience. In the early 1980's a second generation of the family joined the gallery management, and launched a gallery in Tel Aviv. Today, the gallery is managed by three generations of the family: the father, Shmuel Engel (Malachi), the son, Gavriel Engel, and the grandson, Ofir Hirshfeld. Nowadays, the gallery has three branches – the famous one in 13 Shlomzion Street, another one in Khuzot Hayozer area (both are in Jerusalem), that also serves as Malachi's studio, which is open for visitors, and the Tel Aviv gallery that is located in 26 Gordon Street, which holds temporary exhibitions of contemporary art by established artists. The exhibitions in the gallery seek to explore and generate a discourse upon the place of art in Israeli culture. The gallery’s collection includes artworks by three generation of Israeli artists as well as modern European art, such as: Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, Renoir, Gauguin. Kisling, Reuven Rubin, Marcel Janco, Yosl Bergner, Chana Orloff, Lea Nikel, Anna Ticho, Yakov Agam, Moshe Castel and Mordechai Ardon. It also features artworks by contemporary artists, such as Yoav Ben Dov, Ofer Lellouce, Oded Feingersh, Jack Jano, David Bruer Weil, Leonid Balklav, and others.
