The Jerusalemite Petting Zoo

The current location of the Hadassah Academic College campus used to house Jerusalem’s first biblical zoo. Its founder, zoologist Prof. Aharon Shulov, went to great lengths to bring to the zoo animals mentioned in the bible, like bears and lions, alongside giraffes, kangaroos, and exotic birds that were never seen before in our region.

Articles from the early days of the zoo paint its management as an ongoing battle of Shulov and his team against impossible circumstances and their colorful and stubborn attempt to continue and maintain the first of its kind establishment in the young country. Most articles are not accompanied by photos, but written with a rich, descriptive language. Seven illustrators were invited to open the windows of Azrieli Gallery Lobby to their historical past and reflect memories of the views that were once there.