My favorite picture from the Holy Land, & I& #39;ve collected 1000s. What stands out about the pic, today in the day of #Corona?
I found it in the Lib of Congress, captioned "Children& #39;s procession, 1898-1946."
The pic was taken at the same time as the 1918 flu pandemic. Where? Why?
2/ With research, field trips, & my wife& #39;s suggestion, I discovered picture taken on Lag B& #39;Omer, April 30, 1918. The kids were returning to the Old City after visiting the Tomb of Shimon the Righteous (Hatzadik), walking on Nablus Road.
Pic: Jewish women at the tomb, c. 1930.
4/ The flu doesn& #39;t even show on the records of the Jer& #39;m burial societies.
The site of happy kids& #39; procession was just a 100m from the American Colony.
Some buildings are the same. My big clue for 1918: British army camp on horizon on the left-4 months after capturing the city.
5/ I hope I made this photo come alive for you.
I colorized it today (HT My Heritage.) It was time.
Note the separation of boys/girls; the fashion of two diff girl schools.
There is life after plagues and tragedies.
And even time for song - see surprise in next Tweet.
6/ A new song was written in 1918, using an old Hasidic nigun (tune). HAVA NAGILA!
In recent yrs, the song is so cliched, it& #39;s even banned in some Jewish weddings.
(I still cringe over Bill Murray as the Lounge Singer.)
See the late Lucette L& #39;s article https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304388004577533092169060420">https://www.wsj.com/articles/...
7/END
For the Jewish survivors of wars, occupation, disease in 1918, "Hava Nagila - Let Us Rejoice" was probably as sacred as "Jerusalem of Gold" in 1967.
Here is the sound track for the 1st recording by composer Avraham Idelson. https://www.jewish-music.huji.ac.il/content/hava-nagila-0">https://www.jewish-music.huji.ac.il/content/h...
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