A surprising chronicle of 20 Israeli election firsts
From the first elections 72 years ago to the first snap election 70 years ago, Israel’s vibrant democracy is a work in progress.
If it’s wintertime, Israelis will be in slippers
For Israelis, plaid ankle-high na’alei bayit bedroom slippers are associated with the kibbutz, Rehov Sumsum and, strangely enough, onstage rock stars.
Pandemics and plagues in the Holy Land
Coronavirus isn’t the first pandemic to hit our region. Ironically, disease has always helped in creating modern health systems, including Israel’s.
From slavery to Eurovision… African Hebrew Israelites mark 50 years in Israel
50 years on, newly released images from the National Library archive document the group’s first days in the Israeli village of Dimona.
Third time in a year, and Israeli voters are still boxed in
The Israeli voting method hasn’t changed much over seven decades but modern materials have radically transformed the make and model of our ballot boxes.
How Tel Aviv became party central, thanks to Purim
In 1912, a band of merrymaking young people, workers and artists started a tradition of taking Purim to the streets with the Adloyada carnival, turning Tel Aviv into the party city.
How Israel became B-movie central
Israel didn’t set out to become a location for cheesy action films but that’s what happened. Some of these movies are so bad, they’re good.
Israel under water
10 amazing photos plus rare videos of wet weather from decades gone by prove this is not the first time that Israelis have been deluged by rain.
Celebrating Silvester, AKA the secular New Year, in Israel
You can’t keep a good excuse for a party down. From the time the British introduced the Gregorian calendar, Israelis have celebrated New Year’s Eve.
11 nostalgic Israeli Hanukkah celebrations
Celebrating the winter holiday of lights, ISRAEL21c brings you photos of Israeli Hanukkah parties throughout the decades, from 1941 to today.
The power station that electrified Jerusalem
Like all things Jerusalem-related, bringing electrical power to the Holy City was no easy feat.
Israeli project seeks clues to old school photo mysteries
Facebook and the National Library of Israel posts photos of schoolchildren taken between the 1950s and 1990s, inviting the public to identify them.
How parents went from being responsible adults to figures of fun
A new exhibition examines the changing role of grownups in Israeli children’s books through the lens of their classic illustrations.
Rare images reveal life in Beersheva in its first decades
Exhibition at Negev Museum of Art offers rare images of life in the modern desert city in its first years. The location is as fascinating as the images.
When Haifa was party central at Shavuot
For a few glorious years, the city of Haifa gave Tel Aviv’s Adloyada Purim parade stiff competition with its Shavuot street celebration, Bikurim.