The Enigmatic Photograph from the Library of Congress:
Lag B’Omer & Jewish Children’s Parade exactly 100 years Ago

Jewish children’s procession — where, why, when?

All the original Library of Congress caption explained was that the picture was taken between 1910 and 1930 and that it is  a “Group of children and adults in procession in street, some holding a banner with a Star of David.” 

Title devised by Library staff. (Source: L. Ben-David, Israel’s History – A Picture a Day website, August 19, 2011)

Photo analysis and comparison to an aerial photograph from 1931 and contemporary pictures indicate that the children are walking south on the Nablus Road (Derech Shchem) in the direction of the Damascus Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. Behind them is the road that veers to the right toward Mt. Scopus.  The road leads to a neighborhood built around the grave of a High Priest named Shimon the Righteous  (Hatzadik) who lived in the days of the Second Temple.  

Enlargement of the army camp. Note the permanent  structure surrounded by tents.

The tents belong to a British army camp after they defeated the Turks in 1917 and were deployed along the northern ridges stretching from Nebi Samuel to the Mount of Olives. The compound appears similar to other British army compounds in Library of Congress photographs.   

The day started off cool, and the girls have shed their sweaters.  It’s a warm Spring day, and from the shadows it’s probably around 2 PM. 

Shimon Hatzadik’s tomb today (Israel

In fact, the day was Tuesday, April 30, 1918.  The procession is almost certainly an organized outing of several Jerusalem schools taking place on Lag Ba’Omer, four weeks after Passover.  Traditionally, on Lag Ba’Omer Jews flock to the Galilee mountaintop of Meiron to the grave of Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the most famous scholars in the Talmud.  But some 100 years ago, travel to Meiron would have taken days.  Instead, the children took a hike to Shimon Hatzadik’s grave, a known custom 100 years ago in Jerusalem.

The picture was taken just four months after the British forces captured the city of Jerusalem. The city’s Jewish residents received the soldiers as their saviors — saving them from severe hunger and deadly diseases. The children had much to celebrate.

The parade route today (picture taken from the 8th floor of the Olive Hotel) (IDP)

Comparison of buildings from 1918 and today. Second stories were added to the buildings over the years. (IDP)