In advance of Tisha B’Av, the Jewish day of mourning, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) has released rare historical images documenting the observance of the holiday at the Western Wall and in synagogues throughout the Land of Israel.
The collection, discovered in the Central Zionist Archive in Jerusalem, captures the observance of Tisha B’Av, the day that commemorates the destruction of the Holy Temple, across different eras in the history of the Land of Israel. These powerful images reflect the enduring continuity of Jewish tradition and the deep connection of the Jewish people to sacred sites, while also revealing how Tisha B’Av came to embody a Zionist vision of national renewal.
The rare photographs show how the Zionist movement added a new dimension to Tisha B’Av, transforming it from a day of mourning into a symbol of revival. As early as 1927, KKL-JNF’s central office published a memorandum titled “Destruction and Renaissance,” stating: “The determination to rebuild Zion was born at the very moment of national destruction.” The central message was that the time had come to restore the Land of Israel and rebuild what was lost.
As part of its efforts to engage all streams of Judaism in the Zionist enterprise, KKL-JNF launched special Tisha B’Av fundraising campaigns targeting the ultra-Orthodox community. This unique outreach strategy featured Yiddish-language materials, quotes from traditional Jewish sources, and imagery reflecting religious Jewish life. Examples include the Yiddish leaflet, Fun Churban, Tzu Geulah, “From Destruction to Redemption,” which called on the Jewish community to participate in the redemption of the land, and a poster printed in London for the ultra-Orthodox community in England bearing the slogan “Torah and Avodah,” using the Hebrew word for “work.”
The published materials include a historic photo of worshippers sitting on the ground beside the Western Wall in Jerusalem, in accordance with the mourning customs of Tisha B’Av; pages from vintage KKL-JNF publications; and bilingual promotional posters documenting the organization’s activities and Jewish communal life. Among the materials is also a flyer from KKL-JNF’s London office, featuring an image of a synagogue committee meeting and a call to support the building of the Land of Israel under the “Torah and Avodah” slogan.
“These photos offer a rare glimpse into the life of the Jewish community in the Land of Israel,” says Ifat Ovadia-Luski, chairwoman of KKL-JNF. “They document not only the observance of Tisha B’Av, but also the deep-rooted connection of the Jewish people to their traditions and this land, and how the Zionist movement succeeded in linking the memory of destruction to the vision of national revival in the Land of Israel.”
