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Photo Album: Urban Jaffa
By the Bronze Age Jaffa was a bustling port town. In the 1930s and more so in the 1940s, Jaffa was a full-blown diverse and cosmopolitan city and the export center and the entrance to Palestine. Jaffa had cabarets, ba...
By the Bronze Age Jaffa was a bustling port town. In the 1930s and more so in the 1940s, Jaffa was a full-blown diverse and cosmopolitan city and the export center and the entrance to Palestine. Jaffa had cabarets, bars, 18 cinemas, theatres, and the cultural and entertainment area was known as The Cafe Area. Jaffa had more public bathhouses than mosques and churches. It had 27 schools, banks, tile and textile factories, high-end shopping, markets, a railway station. Jaffa had the majority of Palestine's publishing and printing houses and was the intellectual center of Palestine. Jaffa was the urban capital of Palestine. With a new masterplan, Jaffa was planning an expansion of its urbanism.
King George Street, note the Jaffa water tower in the top right corner, Matson Collection / Palestine Remembered
Jaffa’s Masterplan was published in 1946. It is the work of Egyptian engineer Ali Mas’oud and city planner Osman Rostum. The ambitious plan included schemes for new housing projects, transportation infrastructures, public parks, and the development of the city's waterfront. The proposal positioned Jaffa at the forefront of urban development in Palestine and envisioned its future within a broader regional landscape.
مشروع تخطيط مدينة يافا, علي المليجي مسعود. الناشر: القاهرة : مطبعة مصر تاريخ الإصدار: ١٩٤٦
Aerial photo of Jaffa, 1937, Palestine Remembered
The Ottoman Governor's house in Jaffa in 1889, and the same house after the occupation in 2015, Jaffa, Palestine Remembered
The Government House of Jaffa, September 1929, Ottoman Imperial Archives
The same building, "The Municipal Building of Jaffa" 1 January 1917, photograph appeared in the January 1918 journal "The War"
Jaffa 1940s Bassa Stadium, (today Bloomfield Stadium, Jaffa). From looted material from the office of Rashid Haj Ibrahim, Head of the National Committee, Haifa. / via Rona Sela
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
In 1932, Dr. Mustafa Fakhri was the first to establish a medical clinic for Ophthalmology in Jaffa. This advertisement, published in Falastin Newspaper in 1932, may be the last witness to his project. The photographs show before and after operations.
In July 1843, a French consulate in Jerusalem established a consular courier service. Six years later in 1852, it created a shipping agency and a French post in Jaffa.
The Jaffa Post Office was built on 23 Jerusalem Street between 1934-38 and is still functioning as a Post Office today.
Post Office on Jaffa’s Jerusalem Boulevard, photo taken between 1939-45, by Miko Schwartz, Haifa University Database
The construction of Jaffa’s Central Post Office on Jerusalem Street, 1936, from the National Library of Israel.
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
“Between Egypt and Palestine daily. Our luxurious and comfortable vehicles. Leaving Cairo at 6 in the morning, arriving in Jaffa the same day at 5.30 (pm). Leaving Jaffa at 6 in the morning, arriving in Cairo at 5:30 the same day,” Palestinian Remembered
Jaffa Municipal Slaughterhouse, 1930, Palestine Remembered
A market in the winter near a church, the sea on the right, Jaffa,
Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
“This wonderful monologue arrives soon, composed by Sir Mohamed El Qasabji and sung by Um Kulthum’s on Odeon records.” Source: “A People by the Sea: Narratives from the Palestinian Coast.” The Palestinian Museum N.G. المتحف الفلسطيني - جمعية غير حكومية
Al Ajami Neighborhood, 1933, Image Source
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Ibrahim Hassan Sarhan, founder of ‘Falastin’ film studio
"Falastin Studio: The filming starts 4 February 1945 at 1pm. All members of the administration have to attend on the mentioned date at 9am in the office of the studio near the French Hospital in Jaffa." Advertisement in Jaffan Falastin newspaper.
"Coming soon: Falastin Studio introduces its first film of Palestinian production “A Storm at Home”. With two main actors Ahmad Simhan and Hayat Fawzi. With the beloved comedian Salah Sirhan. In addition to five actors, three actresses, and child actor Mahmoud Simhan. PO BOX 410 Jaffa, director Ibrahim Sirhan" Difa' newspaper 19 October 1944
Two cafes near a mosque and church, Jaffa,
Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa Train Station, 1903, Ottoman Archives
Shoemaking in Jaffa, 1938, Source
Train platform connecting all the way to Kantara, north of the country. 1934 Palestine Remebered
The Hijaz route aimed to connect Damascus all the way to Medina, passing through Palestine and connecting it to the whole region. The first railway route was inaugurated in 1892 and connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. This was followed by train services to the north of and south of Palestine.
Jaffa Railway Station, 1920, Yaffa48
The director of Jaffa Port Customes, Hanna Tannous and his family. The Family also imported American cars and had a publishing business. Family portrait from 1944
A courtroom in Jaffa
Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
The Jaffa-Jerusalem railway track, the first railway in Palestine, built in 1838
Footage from the Lumeire brothers' short "Palestina en 1896"
Image Source – Advertisement for Palestine's boxing champion, Adib al-Dasouki’s Boxing Match against a German boxing champion at al-Hamra Cinema on 8 June 1945, at 8:30pm. "The proceeds will be donated to the afflicted Syrian and Lebanese people".
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Almahmoudiyya Mosque Courtyard, Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Water well in a Jaffan Home, Reem Ackall
Palm Sunday in Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Public fountain in Jaffa's City Center, Jihad Abu Rayya
The Dajani Private Hospital in Jaffa, 1933. Al-Dajani was a hospital with 50 beds that served 2,221 patients in 1944. It was built in 1933 by Palestinian doctor Fouad Ismail Bakr Dajani. After the fall of Jaffa, Jaffans worked hard to name a square in memory of Fouad Ismail Dajani.
“Bonaparte Visiting the Hospital in Jaffa,” Jean-Antoine Gros (painter) and Pigeot (engraver), c. 1800, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Bibliothèque Nationale de France
The English Hospital, El Hilwe Street opposite Tabeetha School, Jaffa, 1900s (Arts & Culture/Istanbul Research Unit). Nurse sister Marie who worked in the hospital wrote on 13 March 1909 about Jaffa “Picture to yourself an interminable garden of orange, pomegranate, and palm trees… and on the (other) side the sea, shining and sparkling as if the crest of each wave were studded with a thousand diamonds!"
The opening Ceremony of a new Hospital on 52 Hilwe St., Jaffa, 1878, Ottoman Imperial Archives
Dr. Hassan Khalidi at the Jaffa Government Hospital, early 1940's, source: British Mandate Jerusalemites
At the market, Jaffa, photographer and year unknown Palestine Remembered
Dr. Hasan Khalidi operating on a patient at the Jaffa Government Hospital, 1940's, source: British Mandate Jerusalemites
Jaffa 1936 Nqula El Jildeh’s Tarboosh or Fez hat-making atelier, opposite Jaffa’s Clock Tower on the Martyr Square.
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINOScholten
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Palestinian Buick, and other luxury car agencies and shop, was owned by the Hamo Jaffan family who fled as refugees in 1948 and their shop was taken. The first photograph is of today, the shop has a Hebrew sign stating a J Zadok and son sell Jewelry. Tarek Bakri
Abu Nabout Sabeel, a drinking and watering spot for travelers, before 1920, Matson Collection
The old part of Jaffa before being destroyed by the British after the 1936 revolt and later the neighborhood was destroyed by Israel. Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa, Al Mahmoudiyya mosque’s courtyard, built 1735. The mosque had multiple additions at different times. In 1948 after Jaffa fell, the mosque was confiscated by the State of Israel under the absentee law. It was reopened and renovated by Jaffans and other Palestinians in 1982.
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Falastin Newspaper's headquarters in Ajami neighborhood, Jaffa, 1938 (image from a film) Source: Wiki 2
Palestine Remembered
The Near East Arab Broadcasting Station, Jaffa Palestine. Palestine Remembered
Jaffa, Palestine Remebered
The first Palestinian stamp was printed in Jaffa, the city known for its best printing houses.
An exterior courtyard in a soap factory. The merchants of Jaffa relied on Nablus and Jerusalem to supply them with olive oil. The most important soap order Jaffa's merchants had to secure, was during the 1830s for the Egyptian army during the Egyptian attack and rule of Palestine (1831- 1840). Soap remained one of the most important products manufactured for Jaffa's markets until the beginning of the 20th century. Photograph Frank cholten, 1921-23 NINO
Horses and Carriage, Jaffa, 1885
Jaffa Tobacco Company, Maspero, 1921-23, Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
A range of Maspero Cigratte Boxes on display at the Palestinian Museum
Abo Al-Afye restaurant Jaffa 1910, Abu 'Afiya Bakery was established in 1879 and today has three branches. Yaffa48
"Economic Geography", a Book for the Seventh Grade of Primary School, 1942
Issued by The Jaffa Printing Company in 1942 and distributed through The Modern Library in the cities of Jaffa and Haifa, the third edition of the book “Economic Geography” approved by the Education Department in the Government of Palestine for the seventh grade of primary school, and was written by Wasfi Anabtawi and Saeed As-Sabbagh. Palestinian Museum Digital Archive
Jaffa, Al Mahmoudiyya mosque during prayer, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Jaffa’s Teacher Training Center, the young teachers in training here are from Jaffa, Kufur Yaseef and Rameh.
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
The road from Jaffa to its suburb Salameh, 1930, Palestine Remembered
Ottoman military band in Jaffa, Palestine, 1903 Ottoman Imperial Archive
Jaffa 1930, Palestine Remembered
Jaffa 1921-23, Frank Scholten, NINO
Al Afghani family villa in the North East of al Manshiyya in Jaffa, near the Jaffa railway track, 1935.
Jamal Basha Street, 1935, Palestine Our Homeland
Jaffa Street View, 1921-23, F. Scholten, NINO
Jaffa 1921-23, Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa, 1930 Yaffa48
Jaffa 1921-23, Frank Scholten, NINO
Tamarind juice seller in Jaffa, 1918 Yaffa48
Girls playing with a swing on a playground of an orphanage, Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten/ NINO
Jaffa 1932, a teller for foreign exchange was located in Balabsah Market in Jaffa, opposite Abu 'Afiya Bakery which was established in 1879 and today has three branches. Yaffa48
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa, 1936, Israel State Archive
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffan House, 1939-45, Miko Schwartz, Haifa University Database
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Soap factory Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
The Abu Nabbout Sabeel, drinking spot outside the Mahmoudiyya Mosque, 1939-45 Miko Schwartz, Haifa University Database
Al Hamra Cinema, Jaffa, 1946-47 (PIO) Palestine Information Office, The Jewish Agency's Press Relations, Israel State Archives
Jaffa 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa, 1939-45, Miko Shcwartz, Haifa University Database
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Victoria Houmsi owned The Arabic Hotel in Jaffa on Station Street, Al Mahatta, near the train station. Houmsi was also part of the Al Uqhuwan, an underground resistance group. Nothing is left of the hotel.
Image Source – Victoria Humsi’s business card, including the address of her hotel. Victoria with her child.
Jaffa, 1921-23 Frank Scholten, NINO
Jaffa, women Collecting Donations, 1930s Palestine Remembered
Street view of sesame bread salesboy in Jaffa on Hilwe Street, in the center you can see the Clock Tower, 1946, Yaffa48
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Altar of church in Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23 NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Salesboy with Falastin newspaper, 1921, Frank Scholten NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Volume III of the Book "The Fundamentals of Modern Accounts", 1947Issued by at-Taher Brothers Library in Jaffa in 1947, volume III of the book was taught to the fifth grade of primary school according to the decision issued by the Department of Education in the Mandate Government of Palestine. It was written by Zuhair Mustafa Shihabi, Ali Rashid Shaath and Ibrahim Mahmoud Snobar. The book contains topics related to multiplication and division, the definition of a prime number, divisibility of numbers from 1 to 11, regular fractions and decimals, power, square root, greatest common denominator and least common factor, measures, areas and volumes.
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Fishmarket in Jaffa, 1904, Palestine Remembered
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23, NINO
Galilee Street in Jaffa, 1935 Palestine Remembered
The Jamal Basha square 1935, Jaffa Palestine Remembered
The Jaffa Clocktower, also known as the Martyr Square after the British killed demonstrators on the square during the revolt 1936-39
Persian pilgrims in Jaffa on their way to Mecca, stopped in Jaffa. Photograph by Underwood & Underwood
A church in Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
Immanuel Protestant Church in the German Colony Jaffa, 1921-23, Scholten
Jaffa, Frank Scholten 1921-23/ NINO
The Maronite church on the left and a private garden on the right along the Tamari house
1917 Jaffa, Palestine Remembered
1918 Jaffa, Palestine Remembered
“Jaffa Municipality of Palestine” drain on the street in Jaffa today