As Israel readies for Passover, a newly released collection of rare archival images is bringing decades of holiday tradition to light.
Spanning 1935 to 1971, the photographs, unveiled this week by Keren Kayemeth Lelsrael, Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), document how Passover was celebrated across the country in its formative years. The images, drawn from KKL-JNF’s extensive photo archive, reveal customs both enduring and forgotten.
Among the highlights are snapshots of kindergarten children baking matzah in 1925, a Passover meal in the Kibbutz Hafetz Haim dining hall during the 1940s, and a 1958 pilgrimage to Mount Zion, when Jews were unable to access the Western Wall.
Pilgrimage to Mount Zion, Jerusalem. Photo Credit: Martha Haloig, KKL-JNF photo archive
Also featured is the 1970 three-day Passover march, an early version of today’s Jerusalem March, and striking photos of Samaritan families preparing for the traditional Passover sacrifice on Mount Gerizim in 1971, a rare glimpse of an ancient practice still performed today.
“These rare photographs open a window into the past and allow us to reconnect with the traditions and moments that shaped Passover celebrations in the Land of Israel,” said Efrat Sinai, Director of Archives at KKL-JNF.
“The kindergarten matzah baking in 1925 reflects how these customs were integrated into Zionist education from the beginning, while the 1958 ascent to Mount Zion captures the yearning for a united Jerusalem before the city’s reunification,” she added. “Each image is a world unto itself, rich in memory and history, and KKL-JNF is proud to preserve and share this cultural heritage with the public.”
Matzah being baked my kindergarten children. Photo Credit: Joseph Schweigh, KKL-JNF photo archive
KKL-JNF’s photo archive holds tens of thousands of historical images documenting Israel’s development, from early Zionist institutions to modern statehood. The Passover collection, curated ahead of the festival, aims to deepen public appreciation for the country’s evolving cultural traditions.
