The front of Bet Yaakov, by photographer Yitzhak Saad (RIP) 1960s.

1950s in Musrara. Photograph: G. Schwartz

Origin: Central Zionist Archive

Bet Yaakov, a view from Nathan Ha-navi st, late 1950s Photograph by Franz Schlezinger Origin: The Central Zionist Archive

Photograph: Fritz Schlezinger

Origin: Central Zionist Archive

Snow in Musrara

Photograph: Charlie Liani

View from the balcony on Hachoma Hashlishit st. Musrara 1974 Photograph: Charlie Liani

Year photo - David Remez school

Photograph: Fritz Schlezinger

Origin: Central Zionist Archive

Photograph: Yitzhak Saad

Photograph: Fritz Schlezinger

Origin: Central Zionist Archive

Photograph: Yitzhak Saad

Photograph: Yitzhak Saad

Photograph: Fritz Schlezinger

Origin: Central Zionist Archive

Photograph: G. Schwartz

Origin: Central Zionist Archive

A letter from the Mayor of Jerusalem, June 1961, about the poor state of the outskirts of Jerusalem. Origin: Jerusalem municipality archive

A letter by a police officer to the ministry of education, regarding a complaint filed by a student in the “Torah elementary” school in Musrara. The student complained that the teachers beat him with a board on the back.

Origin: Archive of the state.

A parliamentary question of MP Moshe Nissim, about neglection of the outskirts of Jerusalem: "Every visitor to the outskirts of Jerusalem faces the poor state they are in: Many piles of garbage with a horrible stench, smell of sewage in the air, open gutters full of filth, children scavenging through the trash...."

Origin: Jerusalem municipality archive

A parliamentary question of MP Moshe Nissim, about neglection of the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Origin: Jerusalem municipality archive

A page from a report about the state of the youth in Musrara, by a public committee led by professor Haim Adler, set up in 1963.

Origin: Archive of the state.

A letter from the principal of the “Torah elementary” school in Musrara (Bet Yaakov) to the minister of education Aba Even, asking him to introduce a long school day to help the children of the neighborhood.

".  From Tora elementary school

16.2.62

To: Mr Aba Even

Minister of education and culture

Dear Minister,

Re: Long school day at the Tora elementary school - Morasha Mamila

I would like to draw your attention to my request:

Our school is almost completely attended by students who are immigrants or children of immigrants from Islamic countries.

Since the school was founded and till now, the teachers have invested a tremendous amount of effort to promote the children so they can assimilate in the advanced cultural and economic life of our country. Many obstacles stand in our way to perform this task.

The biggest and most difficult obstacle: The harsh conditions of the child in their home, with their family. The atmosphere that surrounds the child after school hours is completely different from what the school requires.

The child is affected by two influential worlds: The world of the school with the spirit of education and culture and studies, and the world of the street and family atmosphere which is extremely different from that of the school."

Origin: Archive of the state.

The rest of the letter from the principal of the “Torah elementary” school to the minister of education Aba Even, regarding a long school day:

"We, the teachers and educators are certain that in order to spare the student from harmful influences of various factors from the streets, and to enable the child to obtain cultural and educational values without the minimal support of the parents, who are unable to assist - It is vital to introduce a long school day, so that the child will spend most of the day under the influence of the teacher. This way the teacher will surely succeed in his mission, despite the obstacles laid out by different factors and also by the students themselves, who are sometimes unwilling to put an effort to study."

Origin: Archive of the state.

From an inspector’s report about the state of the cafeteria in Bet Yaakov school.

Origin: Archive of the state.

The request of the educational institution planning department manager to replace the cafeteria room in Bet Yaakov with an appropriate substitute.

Origin: Archive of the state. 

Request from the ministry of culture and education to replace the cafetria room urgently. Origin: Archive of the state.

A Letter from Rabbi A. Miller, secretary-general in the Bet yaakov school to the Ministry of education, requesting to reconsider replacing the cafeteria and claims that the state is unsatisfactory.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Evaluation sheet from the ministry of culture and education - department of nutrition. Report about the teacher and the cooking lesson. Enclosed a handwritten note to Mr. Rotem.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Evaluation sheet from the ministry of culture and education. Report about the teacher and the cooking lesson.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Evaluation sheet from the ministry of culture and education. A report about the teacher and the lesson. The report instructs to move the kitchen to a new and appropriate place.

From a letter by the deputy manager of the ministry of education, about the serious faults found in the Bet Yaakov school. Highlighted: according to the harsh state of things, the deputy manager requests to appoint a person in charge in each branch to fix the faults.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Letter from the Police: Beating of the students by teachers.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Request from the general secretary to appoint a coordinator to the Bet Yaakov branch

Origin: Archive of the state.

Demand from the ministry of education to fix faults Origin: Archive of the state.

Correspondence about a long school day.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Correspondence about a long school day in the Torah elementary school.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Jerusalem municipality. Correspondence about a long school day in the Torah elementary school.

Origin: Archive of the state.

A letter from the ministry of welfare, The youth rehabilitation center, summarizing the discussions of the inter-professional staff next to the Torah elementary school.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school staff meeting, 7.1.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school staff meeting, 12.1.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school staff meeting, 12.1.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary Morasha school staff meeting, 25.1.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary Morasha school staff meeting, 1.2.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary Morasha school staff meeting, 1.2.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Protocol of the professional staff meeting in the independent movement school, Musrara 8.2.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Protocol of the professional staff meeting in the independent movement school, Musrara 15.2.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Protocol of the professional staff meeting in the independent movement school, Musrara 22.2.65

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school staff meeting

Origin: Archive of the state.

Meeting on 8.3.65 - house call

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school inter-professional staff meeting 22.3.65 - diagnoses

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school inter-professional staff meeting 15.3.65 - diagnoses

Origin: Archive of the state.

Torah elementary school inter-professional staff meeting - diagnoses, recommendations and conclusions.

Origin: Archive of the state.

Public committee for the evaluation of the youth state in Musrara

Origin: Archive of the state.

Public committee for the evaluation of the youth state in Musrara

Origin: Archive of the state.