Photographer Aryeh Kersikov immigrated to the Land of Israel in the early 1920s. In 1922, he and his friends took a journey across the country, focusing on the northern region.





1. The Shmil-Sherman family: From the left, couple Zvi and Hannah, Hannah's brother, and Aryeh Kersikov on the right. Bella, Aryeh Kersikov's wife, was the daughter of Hannah and Zvi Shmil Sherman. The photo was taken in Israel in 1920 by photographer Avraham Soskin





2. The home of the Shmil Sherman family in Chita, Siberia, 1908. A large family





3. David and Ita Levinson came from a very wealthy family, which also immigrated to Israel from Chita for Zionist reasons. David was a great Jewish National Fund donor and engaged in purchasing lands in Israel. Ita was Hannah Shmil-Sherman's sister. The Levinsons were childless, and therefore adopted Avivi – Aryeh and Bella's eldest son. When they arrived in Israel, the Levinsons settled in Gedera (photo from 1972)

And now to photos from Aryeh and his friends' trip in 1922:





4. A stop next to the Yarmouk River





5. A convoy of camels crossing a bridge where the Jordan River descends from the Sea of Galilee





6. Next to the Jisr al-Majama Bridge above the Jordan River





7. The Tiberias wall





8. Tel Hai courtyard, near the stone placed where Trumpeldor died. Aryeh Kersikov standing second from the left





9. A view of Kvutzat Ein Harod near the stream. On the background, Kfar Yehezkel and Givat Hamoreh





10. The Sahne Spring





11. Moshav Balfouria at the foot of Givat Hamoreah





12. A farm in Tel Adashim (can anyone recognize the family?)





13. Kfar Tavor





14. The church at the top of Mount Tabor





15. Haifa railway station





16. A photo from 1924 in the Sherman farm in Gedera: Bella with her son Avivi





17. The summer of 1925, the Sherman and Kersikov families leave Gedera to bathe at the Isdud beach (today's Ashdod)





18. 1925, Bella Kersikov with friends on a Tel Aviv rooftop





19. Gedera 1932, Purim in Leah's kindergarten





20. Gedera 1926, Aryeh Sherman with Avivi on a water container cart

For all trips to the past – click here

