Givat Shaul - History

History

Givat Shaul was established in 1906 on land purchased from the Arab villages of Deir Yassin and Lifta by a society headed by Rabbi Nissim Elyashar, Arieh Leib and Moshe Kopel Kantrovitz. Difficulties in registering the land delayed construction until 1919. The first residents were needy families who were given small plots to grow fresh produce that was marketed in Jerusalem. These families, mainly Yemenite Jews, were joined by others from Meah Shearim and the Old City. The Ashkenazim built the first public building, Beit Knesset HaPerushim. In 1912, an embroidery and sewing workshop was opened with the help of a Jewish philanthropist, Rabbi Slutzkin. Other industries established in Givat Shaul were the Froumine biscuit factory, a factory for kerosene heaters that manufactured arms for the British army during the British Mandate of Palestine, and a matza factory.In 1927, the Diskin Orphanage moved to Givat Shaul from the Old City. This building, designed by a local architect named Tabachnik, was home to 500 orphan boys.

A long, dirt track separated Givat Shaul from a cluster of Arab villages, including Deir Yassin, with whom the Jews maintained good relations. After the war, this road became known as Kanfei Nesharim Street. In late 1946, the Haganah straightened and paved the dirt track in order to use it as a landing strip.

During the Battle for Jerusalem in 1948, the Haganah flew in supplies, armaments, food and troops on this runway. After the war, this road became known as Kanfei Nesharim Street. In January 1948, the leaders of Givat Shaul met with the mukhtar of Deir Yassin to work out a non-aggression pact: if armed militia entered Deir Yassin, the villagers would hang out laundry in a certain sequence or place lanterns in a particular location. In return, patrols from Givat Shaul guaranteed safe passage to Deir Yassin residents, in vehicles or on foot, passing through their neighborhood on the way to Jerusalem.Over time, Deir Yassin became a halfway site for Arab forces moving from Ein Karem and Malha to Al Qastel and Kolonia, which overlooked the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway.

On April 9, 1948, Deir Yassin was attacked by Irgun and Lehi forces and between 100 and 110 villagers were killed during the fights or massacred after this. The population that had not fled was expelled. The rumours about this massacre also contributed to the trigger of the 1948 Palestinian exodus

In 1951, the abandoned buildings were used to house a therapeutic community of 300 patients called the Kfar Shaul Government Work Village for Mental Patients. The majority of patients were Holocaust survivors.