Jerusalem's Annual School Trip: Uncovering Hidden Histories
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
A look at the hidden histories behind four Jerusalem sites often visited on school trips reveals surprising details about their past. The Siloam Inscription, discovered in 1880, was removed and is now in Istanbul, while a neighborhood demolished in 1967 is contrasted with the "Small Western Wall." The Jerusalem Windmill operated for years, and a 19th-century neighborhood sale succeeded only after offering installment plans.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The Siloam Inscription, discovered in 1880, is now in Istanbul's Archaeological Museum.
- A neighborhood was demolished overnight in 1967 to create a large plaza.
- The Jerusalem Windmill operated for 18 years, providing flour to the city.
- A 19th-century neighborhood sale succeeded with installment plans after free plots failed.
- The article explores the lesser-known histories of four Jerusalem sites.
Many Israelis recall childhood school trips to Jerusalem, often involving walks through Hezekiah's Tunnel with flashlights and visits to the Western Wall. As adults, the focus shifts to understanding how these sites came to be. The article delves into the documented histories of four such locations.
In 1880, a 16-year-old student named Yaakov Eliyahu, under the tutelage of researcher and architect Conrad Schick, discovered inscriptions near the southern exit of Hezekiah's Tunnel. Schick documented these markings, which detailed the tunnel's excavation and included the Siloam Inscription, dating to the 8th century BCE. However, in 1890, a local resident removed the inscription, causing it to break. Ottoman authorities intervened, and the pieces were eventually sent to Istanbul, where the inscription remains today despite Israeli requests for its return.
Another site discussed is the area where a neighborhood was evacuated and its homes demolished overnight on June 10, 1967, to create a large plaza. For a sense of the original scale, the article suggests visiting the "Small Western Wall" in the Old City's Muslim Quarter, where Jews prayed as early as the late 19th century.
The history of the Jerusalem Windmill is also examined. Contrary to the common narrative that it barely operated due to its delicate machinery and infrequent use, sources indicate it was functional from approximately 1858 to 1876, providing affordable flour for the city's Jewish residents. After decades of abandonment and subsequent restoration, it milled flour again after a 137-year hiatus.
Finally, the article touches on the sale of a neighborhood in 1882. An initial offer of free plots to the first fifty families who built homes within six months received no response. Five years later, a different approach involving a small down payment and 15-year payment installments proved successful, with 39 buyers signing up in September 1887 alone.