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British Mandate Palestine, August 1939. "Jerusalem Y.M.C.A. activities. Gymnasium, boys' drill." American Colony/Matson photo. View full size.
Mr. Gymnast in the black shorts on the right looks like he could crack walnuts between those thighs!
At the time the Y served the entire population of Jerusalem -- Christians, Muslims, Jews, Armenians as well as the British administration.
"Here is a place whose atmosphere is peace, where political and religious jealousies can be forgotten, and international unity fostered and developed."
-- From the dedication address by Field Marshal Edmund Lord Allenby, April 18, 1933. Not bad for something built so close to old Jerusalem that it must have been on someone else's idea of hallowed ground.
Here's a picture of the Jerusalem YMCA that I shot this May during a trip to Israel. It was directly across the street from the King David Hotel, itself a major attraction with a ton of history.
is definitely on a gymnasium floor. It insures that even the most inept among us cannot drown.
It's still there, serving as a hotel although I gather it still functions in its original purpose. When you think about it isn't that incongruous; at the very least it would serve as a stopping place for Christian pilgrims visiting the city. A lot of visitors to the city are still pilgrims from the three Abrahamic faiths.
Wow, they're doing a great job considering how shallow that water is!
The pool was filled in over the summer, but nobody told the boys.
Now all we need is a pool!
Is there something incongruous about a YMCA in Palestine? Or are the kids British?
[At the time of this photo, the Christian population of Jerusalem was over 30,000. Below, the exterior. - Dave]
That can't be! Why, there's my old sadistic gym coach, who just retired last year.
Ok, boys! Let's do the "Airplane"!
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