Photo: Gitti Silver, KKL-JNF Photo Archive
To celebrate the 120 anniversary of the establishment of the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) and the 100 anniversary of the establishment of their photo archive, an exhibition, "Through the Looking Glass," has been set up in the center of Jerusalem.
The Exhibition features ten installments of large photographs originally photographed on glass plates by KKL-JNF photographers in Israel in the 1920's to the 1950's. The photos show those involved in fulfilling the Zionist dream, including those responsible for planting the infamous KKL-JNF forest located in Ben Shemen.
In addition to other photos showing frozen moments from the past, such as fisherman and shepherds at work, also shown is the establishment of the settlement Homa and Migdal otherwise known as 'Tower and Stockade.' The settlement was established during the incursions and incidents during the years 1936-1939, known as “The Arab Revolt”, according to KKL-JNF.
KKL-JNF invites the public to visit and enjoy the exhibition, and maybe even identify people in the photos in order to be photographed in the "Then and Now" picture and even receive the original picture that had been identified as a gift.
"We invite the public to enjoy an exciting exhibition in open air at no cost 24 hours a day," said head of KKL-JNF Photo Archive Efrat Sinai.
"The concept of the 'glass on glass' exhibition - photographs that were originally taken on glass are displayed inside glass light boxes. Every evening the light comes on in the boxes and gives the pictures a spectacular look."
Sinai said she recommends arriving in the evening when the lights are on turned on in the boxes, "highlighting the beauty of the photos."
The exhibition will be on display until December 12, 2020 in the "Davidka" plaza, 97 Yaffo st. in the center of Jerusalem.
Should someone be able to identify a person shown in one of the photos, they are invited to send an email to the following address: efrats@kkl.org.il