Shavuot is the second of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals, marking the pilgrimage of the Israelites to Jerusalem and the beginning of the harvest season. With special clothing, parades and dance circles, the holiday was celebrated in all major cities – Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa – during the British Mandate period. Starting at the 1920s, KKL-JNF provided new context for the holiday, expressing the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the strong connection of the Jewish people to their soil.
Efrat Sini, Manager of the KKL-JNF Archive Division: "the Shavuot holiday ceremonies were renewed in Israeli cities and villages – in Jerusalem, the harvest was brought to the KKL-JNF building, in Tel Aviv the ceremonies were held on large stages and in Haifa colorful parades took place all over the city. The KKL-JNF Photo Archive holds a fascinating documentation of the Jewish population in Israel from the beginning of the 20th century. For Shavuot, we are happy to reveal nostalgic photographs of the holiday celebrations in the large cities during the British Mandate.