Congratulating Shuki Schwartz and Noga Friedlander of Tollman’s for celebrating 30th anniversary of their magnificent design temple tonight. It all started in the early 60s when Jeff Tollman, an immigrant from South Africa began importing Danish modernist furniture to Israel, and found that like millions all over the world, Israelis too, were captivated by the fresh Scandinavian look. His showroom, called Danish Interiors, immediately became Israel’s center of upscale taste; in 1986, he called it Tollman’s. Schwartz, a former basketball star with a passion for design, acquired the company in 2005 and transformed it into Israel’s most ambitious design house, with representations of iconic Italian companies, and new Israeli design. His ambition has been carried to other areas, including patronage and education; and I want to take this opportunity and thank Tollman’s for the constant support and for making the education program of Modern Design, which I co-direct in Israel annually with Dafna Ish-Hurvitz, possible.
