During the British Mandate in Jerusalem between 1917 and 1938, a series of construction projects transformed the city, not only bringing modernization but also shaping how different religious communities interacted. A recent study by Professor Inbal Ben-Asher Gitler from Sapir Academic College and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, published in the peer-reviewed journal Religions, examines how new secular buildings incorporated religious features, either to encourage peaceful coexistence or to reinforce national identity.
Professor Ben-Asher Gitler’s research focuses on four major buildings: the British-built Rockefeller Museum, the Palestinian-owned Palace Hotel, the American YMCA Building, and the Zionist Executive Building. While these structures were meant to serve practical purposes, their designs included religious symbols and styles that reflected the interests of their respective sponsors—British and American Christians, Zionist Jews, and Muslim Palestinians. The study highlights that while British and American projects aimed to showcase a message of religious harmony, Zionist Jewish and Muslim Palestinian buildings used religious symbols to express their national identities.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the study is how these structures combined modern design with religious elements, creating a blend of old and new. The Rockefeller Museum, for example, was built as a center for archaeology and culture, which is the study of human history through artifacts, yet its architecture drew heavily from Islamic and Middle Eastern styles. Similarly, the Jerusalem YMCA, a community and sports center, featured an interfaith chapel, a place designed for people of different religions to pray, and inscriptions from the Quran, Torah, and New Testament, reinforcing the idea of religious unity.
The Palace Hotel, developed by the Supreme Muslim Council, the highest governing body for Islamic affairs in the region at the time, was designed with Islamic architectural influences that reflected the revered landmarks of the Haram al-Sharif, a sacred site in Jerusalem that includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. On the other hand, the Zionist Executive Building subtly incorporated Jewish symbols, such as the menorah, the seven-branched lampstand that is an ancient symbol of Judaism, into its modern design, reflecting a balance between religious identity and urban progress.
Professor Ben-Asher Gitler points out that these buildings were not just architectural statements but also played a role in the political and social environment of the time. She explains, “Modern architecture in Jerusalem during the British Mandate was not purely secular; it blended religious symbols into its design, adding another layer to how we understand inter-religious interaction.” This blending of styles, according to the study, highlights the complex relationship between religion and national identity in a city undergoing rapid change.
The study provides a new perspective on how architecture influenced inter-religious relations in British-Mandate Jerusalem. The legacy of these buildings remains visible today, shaping the city’s cultural and religious landscape while offering insight into the ongoing connection between religion, politics, and urban development.
Journal Reference
Ben-Asher Gitler, Inbal. “Modern Typologies as Spaces of Inter-Religious Engagement in British-Mandate Jerusalem, 1917–1938.” Religions, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121490
About the Author
Inbal Ben-Asher Gitler (Ph.D. Tel-Aviv University, 2005) is associate professor at Sapir Academic College and head of the Visual Culture section in its Department of Communication. At Ben Gurion University of the Negev, she is a teaching fellow. Her main research areas are the modern architecture of Israel/Palestine and Israeli visual culture. Her latest book, Architectural Culture in British Mandate Jerusalem, 1917-1948 (Edinburgh University Press, 2020) is the recipient of the Concordia University Library – Azrieli Institute Award for Best Book in Israel Studies for 2021. Her edited volume, Between Conventional and Experimental: Mass Housing and Prefabrication in Modernist Architecture, was published in 2024 by Leuven University Press (co-edited with Regine Hess, Tzafrir Fainholtz, Yael Allweil). From 2014 she serves as co-chair of the DoCoMoMo Israel branch, and from 2020 she serves as the head of the ICOMOS-Israel Committee for Twentieth Century Heritage.
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