Jerusalem Identities

These mini-biographies were published by the Jeruslame Story website. I think they are written as if the were published in gossip columns of magazines of an earlier age. They certainlt give a completely different picture of Hajj Amin -al-Husayini that I've ever seen before. Most of these people (or at least the milieu in which they existed) are from the landowning-merchant-moneylending-religious semi-feudal class that were grinding the fellaheen into perpetual poverty but that was never mentioned.

Raghib al-Nashashibi was a trained civil engineer who embraced politics at a turbulent time in Palestine's history and served as mayor of Jerusalem for 14 years, overseeing many public works projects and earning him a reputation as the city's modernizer.

Khalil Sakakini is remembered for his political activism, his contribution to education in Jerusalem and Palestine, and his extensive writings during the first half of the 20th century.

Musa Alami was a lawyer and statesman who founded the Arab Development Society and published a critical assessment of the Nakba.

George Antonius was a renowned Lebanese writer and diplomat who moved to Jerusalem in 1921 and remained there until his death. He devoted his life to fighting for the unity of Greater Syria and to defending Palestine.

Katy Nimr Antonius was a prominent socialite, hostess, humanitarian, and cultural figure in Jerusalem. She was married to George Antonius, the foremost scholar of Arab nationalism. Her life reflects the vibrancy, contradictions, and complexities of Palestinian elite society in Jerusalem under colonial rule.

Mohammed Amin al-Husseini, known as Hajj Amin al-Husseini, was born in Jerusalem in 1895 into one of the city's most prominent Muslim families, whose members considered themselves to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (ashraf).

Amin al-Husseini's Dream Home, Karm al-Mufti: An Elegant Residence during the Mandate Bulldozed by Israel. Built in the early 1930s for one of Jerusalem's most prominent nationalist leaders, Hajj Amin al-Husseini, the grand villa that once sat on a green plot of land in Sheikh Jarrah known as Karm al-Mufti (the Mufti's vineyard) and that served as the site of countless luxurious parties hosted by the house's primary residents, George and Katy Antonius, was demolished by Israel in January 2011

Hassan Sidqi al-Dajani was a leading lawyer, journalist, political leader, and activist. His life was tragically cut short.

The YMCA: A Cherished Social Hub during the Mandate Years.