Just in time for Jerusalem Day, archival photographs from the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) Photo Archive - capturing powerful and historic moments in the life of Israel’s capital - have been meticulously colorized, offering a vivid, contemporary window into the past.
The photographs were taken between 1924 and 1951, each carefully restored and colorized based on in-depth historical research. These images highlight defining chapters in the city’s history and reveal the hues and textures of Jerusalem as it once was. By adding color, the project revives details that often fade into the background in black-and-white images, creating a more immediate and emotional connection to the spirit of the era.
The work was led by Tamar Hayardeni, a prominent Jerusalem researcher and tour guide, who in recent years has specialized in bringing archival photographs to life. Each image underwent a meticulous process of visual analysis and historical investigation to ensure the most authentic and lifelike result possible.
Patrol in the Divided City (1950): IDF soldiers march along the snow-covered municipal border, with the Old City walls looming in the background. (Photograph: Werner Braun, KKL-JNF Photo Archive. Colorization: Tamar Hayardeni)
Building "Kiryat HaYovel" Neighborhood (1951). A glimpse into the early construction of "Kiryat HaYovel" neighborhood, named in honor of KKL’s 50th anniversary. (Photograph: David Rubinger, KKL-JNF Photo Archive. Colorization: Tamar Hayardeni)
Israel's Third Independence Day Parade (1951): Female soldiers march down King George Street during a military parade marking Israel's third Independence Day. (Photographer: Fritz Schlesinger, KKL-JNF Photo Archive. Colorization: Tamar Hayardeni)
The National Library on Mount Scopus (1945): The Hebrew University building on Mount Scopus, then home to Israel’s National Library, before access was cut off after 1948 and the library was relocated to western Jerusalem. (Photograph: Yaakov Rosner, KKL-JNF Photo Archive. Colorization: Tamar Hayardeni)
First Fruits (Bikkurim) Ceremony at KKL-JNF (1946): A touching scene of preschool children dressed in white, bringing bikkurim to KKL-JNF’s offices at the National Institutions Building in celebration of Shavuot. (Photograph: Avraham Melavsky, KKL-JNF Photo Archive. Colorization: Tamar Hayardeni)