“Field of pebbles” is perhaps what the Arabic name of Musrara means. Today we are standing in front of Matnas Musrara a hub of art and community. It stands as a testament to the area’s diverse history.
Musrara was established in 1875. It was one of the first neighborhoods to develop outside the Old City walls. Wealthy Arab Christians built large mansions here. They sought to escape the overcrowding in the Old City. These homes featured grand entrances beautiful masonry and shingled roofs.
During the 1947-1949 Palestine war the Arab residents fled. They were expelled and not allowed to return. Musrara then found itself on the Israeli side of the border with Jordan. Thousands of Jewish immigrants flooded Jerusalem. A housing shortage was extreme. The Ministry of Housing populated the Palestinian houses with new immigrants from North African countries.
In 1971 young second-generation Mizrahi Jews founded the Israeli Black Panthers here. It was a protest movement. They spoke out against perceived injustice and discrimination by the government. The movement quickly spread from Musrara. It reached all areas inhabited by poor Mizrahi Jews. It eventually evolved into a political movement.
The location of Musrara is strategic. It lies between the Haredi and religious neighborhoods to the north and the secular neighborhoods to the west. This has contributed to its diverse population. Some have tried to prevent the neighborhood from becoming more Hareidi. This process has slowed considerably.
The built environment of Musrara reflects its diversity. It shows that of Jerusalem in general over the past 130 years. You can find examples of various architectural styles popular during this period here.
The neighborhood saw neglect during the early days of Israeli statehood. Unemployment and poverty were common. These conditions contributed to the rise of the Israeli Black Panther movement among new Jewish immigrants from North Africa.
A Jerusalem Municipality program began in the 1980s. It aimed to improve the neighborhood’s appearance. Development regulations were adopted. They were intended to restore the neighborhood’s former glory. Renovations were completed in the style of the historic Arab structures. A clear line can be seen on many buildings. The lower floors are built in the historic Arab style. The upper stories are built in the unadorned functional style of modern multistorey buildings.
Today Matnas Musrara stands as a center of the arts. The Naggar Multidisciplinary School of Art and Society is located here. It is also home to the Eastern Music Center and the Jerusalem Municipality’s art center.
Since 2009 the Muslala group has been developing art routes. Artists are invited to create site-specific interventions in the neighborhood public space. The public is invited to follow in their steps using free maps. The group also started the Musrara community garden.
Matnas Musrara embodies the spirit of change and creativity. It shows the ongoing evolution of this unique Jerusalem neighborhood. Here at Matnas Musrara the past and the present meet. It is a place where art culture and community thrive.