These are two pictures depicting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in 1939.
The upper picture shows the National Institutions Building: the joint site of the headquarters of the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod and the Jewish National Fund (Kerem Kayemet) in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighbourhood. The two- and three-floor buildings are built of Jerusalem stone and surround a main courtyard. Behind the building are smaller buildings, and the Jerusalem hills can be seen in the background.
The second photograph is a bird’s-eye view of Tel Aviv. The photograph shows buildings, streets, and trees. In the centre of the picture is the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv that is located in Allenby Street.
Both these photos were taken in 1939 by Walter Lowdermilk, an international expert in the area of land and water conservation. Lowdermilk travelled to many countries in order to carry out a comprehensive study on the quality of the soil. These images were found within his travel notes. Lowdermilk was very supportive of the Zionist enterprise and was full of praise for the advanced techniques used by the farmers to ensure the success of their efforts. He was also highly critical of the 1939 White Paper which sought to limit Jewish immigration to Palestine.
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The National Institutions Building - The National Institutions Building is located on King George Street in Jerusalem. The plans were drawn up by architect Richard Kaufman, who was responsible for much of Jerusalem’s city planning during the British Mandate period. The building acted as the hub for the Yishuv in pre-state Israel. National and religious ceremonies took place here, such as children’s Tu Bishvat celebrations. In March 1948, a car bomb blew up in the courtyard, killing and injuring many. Following the attack, a fence was erected around the building. After the establishment of the State of Israel and before the building of the permanent Knesset, the Israeli government convened in this building. Today the building houses the JNF, Keren Yesod, and the Jewish Agency as originally planned.
The Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv - The Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv is located on Allenby Street and was designed by the Israeli architect Yehuda Magidovitch in 1922. The synagogue was previously in the centre of Tel Aviv, but today the area has become predominately a business and finance area. Due to this demographic change, the number of congregants has reduced greatly.
