Founded 1 January 1892

At the time of its foundation in 1891, the Carmel of Haifa was established in a solitary location on the shore of the Bay of Haifa. Two nuns from the Carmel of Avignon, France took this project to heart, and at the moment when their difficulties seemed insurmountable, they benefitted from the help of the Lehmann brothers. These two brothers were descendants of the Jewish community of Alsace, contemporaries and disciples of Father Libermann and the Ratisbonne brothers, all of who were Jews who became Christians. The Lehmann brothers had come to preach at Avignon and were quite taken by the idea that there should be Carmelite nuns living on Mount Carmel, and so they applied themselves to its cause with enthusiasm. In March, 1895, they obtained an autographed blessing from Pope Leo XIII which confided two specific prayer intentions to this new monastery: prayer for Israel and the reconciliation of hearts. It took eleven years to prepare for and establish the foundation. The foundresses from Avignon first established a temporary Carmel at Ecully, near Lyon, France; there the new sisters were formed who were destined for Haifa. Finally, on 1 January 1892, the new monastery was dedicated. During the First World War, the Carmelite nuns were expelled by the Turks; they sought refuge in France at Manissy (Gard). Then in May, 1919 they regained their Carmel, which was seriously damaged after having served as an army garrison and military hospital. In June, 1933, threatened by expropriation, the Sisters decided to transfer from the building on the bayshore. A newer, larger monastery was built on Mount Carmel, and the papal enclosure was established on 1 January 1937.