# The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute
**Wikidata**: [Q6613293](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6613293)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-ben-gurion-heritage-institute

## Summary
The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute is a research institute and publishing house located in Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel, that was founded in 1976 to preserve and research the legacy of Israel's founding father, David Ben-Gurion. The statutory corporation operates as both an academic institution and a publishing entity dedicated to documenting and disseminating knowledge about Ben-Gurion and Zionist history.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1976 by Gershon Rivlin
- Located in Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel (Coordinates: lat: 30.848611111111, lon: 34.781944444444)
- Named after David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister
- Operates as both a research institute and a statutory corporation
- Functions as a publishing house that produces books
- Native name is "המכון למורשת בן-גוריון" (Institute for Ben-Gurion Heritage)
- Designed by architect Yohanan Ratner
- Maintains a YouTube channel with ID: UCurhwiEcscM-j82l8vjhfOg

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute?
A: The institute is dedicated to preserving and researching the legacy of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister. It operates as both an academic research institution and a publishing house focused on documenting Zionist history and Ben-Gurion's contributions.

### Q: Where is The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute located?
A: It is situated in Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel, with coordinates at latitude 30.848611111111 and longitude 34.781944444444. The facility was designed by architect Yohanan Ratner.

### Q: How does The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute engage with the public?
A: The institute maintains active social media presence on Twitter (@BGHI_), Facebook (moreshet.ben.gurion), and Instagram (ben_gurion_heritage_institute). It also operates a YouTube channel that had accumulated 383,317 views as of December 2025.

### Q: What legal status does The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute hold?
A: It operates as a statutory corporation, which is a specific type of legal entity defined in Israeli law, allowing it to function with certain privileges and responsibilities not available to ordinary organizations.

## Why It Matters
The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute plays a crucial role in preserving the historical record of Israel's founding and the ideological contributions of its first prime minister. By conducting research, publishing materials, and maintaining an archive, the institution ensures that future generations have access to accurate information about Ben-Gurion's vision and Israel's early history. It serves as an important resource for scholars, students, and the general public interested in understanding the ideological foundations of the Israeli state. The institute's dual role as both a research center and publishing house makes it uniquely positioned to disseminate knowledge about Zionism, Israeli state-building, and the philosophical underpinnings of modern Israel.

## Notable For
- Being a statutory corporation with specific legal status regulated by Israeli law
- Operating both as a research institution and a publishing house
- Preserving the comprehensive legacy of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's founding father
- Maintaining a YouTube presence with significant viewership (383,317 views as of December 2025)
- Its inclusion in the Israeli Publishers Database maintained by the National Library of Israel

## Body
### History and Establishment
The Ben Gurion Heritage Institute was established in 1976 by Gershon Rivlin with the mission of preserving and researching the legacy of David Ben-Gurion. The institute operates under the legal framework of a statutory corporation, which grants it specific privileges and responsibilities in Israeli law. Its regulatory framework is documented under reference Q116857935 in the Israeli legal system.

### Location and Architecture
The institute is physically located in Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel, with the street address listed as "שדה בוקר 84990" or "שדה בוקר, 84990". The facility was designed by architect Yohanan Ratner and sits at geographical coordinates latitude 30.848611111111 and longitude 34.781944444444. This location places it near the sites associated with Ben-Gurion's life and work in the Negev desert.

### Organizational Structure
The institute functions as both a research institute and a publishing house, making it a hybrid organization dedicated to both scholarly inquiry and knowledge dissemination. It operates in Hebrew, the native language of Israel, and is formally registered in the Israeli Publishers Database with ID 987007257233205171. The institute's main regulatory text follows the guidelines for statutory corporations established in Israeli law.

### Operations and Output
As a research institute, the institute produces scholarly materials and books focused on Ben-Gurion's legacy, Zionist history, and Israeli state-building. It maintains contact with the public through phone number +972-8-659-6936 and has established social media presence on multiple platforms including Twitter (@BGHI_), Facebook (moreshet.ben.gurion), and Instagram (ben_gurion_heritage_institute).

### Digital Presence
The institute maintains a significant YouTube presence with channel ID UCurhwiEcscM-j82l8vjhfOg, which was created on November 16, 2011. As of December 2025, the channel had accumulated 383,317 viewers, demonstrating its reach and influence in the digital space. The channel name is "המכון למורשת בן-גוריון" (Institute for Ben-Gurion Heritage) in Hebrew.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.nli.org.il/media/4693/israeli-publishers.csv)
2. YouTube API