A view of the Yad Kennedy

Completed in 1966, the Yad Kennedy (John F. Kennedy Memorial) is the work of Brazilian-Israeli architect, David Resnik and engineer, Oscar Sirkovich. The monument was dedicated as an eternal expression of American-Israel friendship and features 51 concrete columns that rise to the sky and mark each state of the United States of America and its capital, Washington, D.C. A protégé of the legendary Oscar Niemeyer, Resnik‘s monument infused 20th century modernist design into the local Israeli tradition of 1960s Brutalism. The Yad Kennedy shares similar traits with Niemeyer‘s Cathedral of Brasília (1970), one of the most iconic Brazilian buildings. Inside the monument, sculptor Dov Feigin’s intricate carved handrail and Kennedy portrait frame the central eternal flame, while the external columns connect internally to a ribbed dome ceiling. Designed to represent a tree trunk, the exterior symbolizes a life cut short in its prime and memorializes the tragically assassinated 35th President.

Text and photo Andrew Wasserstein

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