Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) unveiled a selection of rare archival photographs that offer a glimpse into Shavuot celebrations before the establishment of the State of Israel, just ahead of the holiday.
The photos were taken from the 1930s and 1940s during festivities in Jerusalem, Haifa, Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan, Kibbutz Ramat David, and other communities.
Children and young adults are captured in the photos enjoying Shavuot in festive outfits while dancing and carrying bikkurim (traditional fruit baskets).
Over time, it had become common for schools and communities to sell bikkurim and donate the proceeds to KKL-JNF.
'Powerful moments of pride and joy'
Ifat Ovadia-Luski, Chairwoman of KKL-JNF: "These moving photographs from the KKL-JNF Archive are far more than historical documentation—they tell the story of the renewal of the Jewish people in their land. The Bikkurim celebrations captured here, from Haifa in the 1930s to the historic first fruits of the Negev in the 1950s, reflect the founding generation’s deep connection to the land and to tradition.
“These are powerful moments of pride and joy that illustrate how an ancient custom was revived and brought to life in the homeland. This continuity of the Zionist enterprise, from the early days of Zionism to the present, lies at the heart of our identity as a people," Ovadia-Luski stated.