Jerusalem in black and white

In honor of Jerusalem Day, we present selection of pictures from photographer Eddie Hirshbein's collection documenting Israel's capital, its leading figures in 1950s

Nadav Man פורסם: 01.06.11, 13:38

In honor of Jerusalem Day, I chose to bring you a selection of pictures from the collection of Eddie Hirshbein, a Jerusalem photographer who documented the Israeli capital before its unification.

So here's a reminder of the sights and figures of the city in the 1950s.

1. Eddie Hirshbein in action

2. Train to Jerusalem, 1950s

3. Train involved in an accident

4. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, Israel's second president, studied Jewish communities and written and archeological findings all his life. He is pictured here with Kabbalah and Sabbateans researcher Meir Benayahu

5-6. Next to an Israel Menorah mosaic

7. President's wife Rachel Yanait Ben-Zvi, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and his adjutant, Colonel Yossi Carmel

8. Representing the State of Israel in a meeting with Mrs. Danberg

9. January 5, 1959. Bank of Israel Governor David Horowitz with a delegation of economists from Cambodia

10. Foreign Minister Golda Meir

11. Menorah Garden near Israel's first Knesset, on the corner of King George and Ben Yehuda Streets

12. July 1957, Knesset Speaker Yosef Sprinzak launches a discussion on the construction of a new building for the Israeli parliament

13. Knesset discussion: Agriculture Minister Kadish Luz at the bottom of the picture, at the government table; on the first row, from right to left – Herut Knesset Members Esther Raziel-Naor, Menachem Begin and Yohanan Bader; on the second row, on the left, David Hacohen (Mapai); on the third row, on the left, Shlomo Hillel (Mapai), who later served as Knesset speaker

14. Teddy Kollek as director-general of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's Office. Kollek was elected mayor of Jerusalem in 1965, headed the city for 28 years and is considered its greatest developer. During his tenure he did all in his power to bring Jerusalem's residents, of all factions and religions, closer

15. David Ben-Gurion with Bolivia's ambassador to Israel

16. Former President Yitzhak Navon with the Bolivian ambassador. Navon also served as director-general of the offices of Prime Ministers Moshe Sharet and David Ben-Gurion. In 1949-51 he served as a diplomat in Uruguay and Argentina