From Desert Sands to Golden Oranges

This book is an important episode in the history of the development and modernisation of Palestine in the latter 19th and the first half of the 20th Centuries. It portrays the significant contribution made by a small group of German settlers from Wuerttemberg in southern Germany during their 80 years in Palestine. These settlers from the Temple Society first started settlements in the Holy Land in 1868. This book focuses on the settlement of Sarona which was established as an agricultural settlement on the outskirts of Jaffa in 1871. Today the former Sarona village is an inner suburb of the bustling city of Tel Aviv, Israel and the area is now known as Hakirya. From Desert Sands to Golden Oranges is an authentic historical acount of the Sarona settlement. The achievements of the German settlers, before the first significant Jewish immigration in the 1880s, demonstrated that European settlement was possible in the Holy Land. The achievements of the Sarona settlers were regarded by some Jewish pioneers as a ''model'' similar to what the Jewish immigrants should aspire to. The settlers of Sarona left a proud heritage in the Holy Land, Palestine and Israel. Their buildings, their enterprises and their agricultural ventures will forever be remembered as having contributed significantly to the modernisation of Palestine and ultimately to the benefit of Israel. Testimonials In 1868, a handful of Pietsic believers, leaders of the Temple Society, arrived in the Holy Land in order to live according to their unique faith. Their original expectation was to become the nucleus of God's People in Palestine failed. Yet a small number of courageous Christians established seven flourishing settlements and made an impressive pioneer contribution to the modernisation of the Land of Israel. 135 years later, three descendents of the German settlers gathered together to bring before us the captivating story of Sarona ? then a flourishing agricultural settlement in the midst of theisolated plains north of Jaffa, and today a beautiful site in the heart of the Jewish metropolis of Tel Aviv. Sarona is about to be renovated and its devoted sons are offering this impressive book to commemorate the restoration of their home town to the glory of its former days. This fascinating account is a significant addition to the understanding of the Templer phenomenon that has left a noteworthy mark on the landscape of Israel until today, and it serves as an additional milestone in the process of the on-going conciliation between the ancestor descendents of the Templers and the Israeli public. Dr. Yaron Perry, Head of the Schumacher institute, University of Haifa, Israel ...an outstanding literary achievement... Peter Lange, President, Temple Society, Stuttgart, Germany This well-researched book documents the history of the German Temple Society settlement at Sarona in Palestine. It draws on documentary sources as well as recollections of surviving members of the settlement and their descendants. It is a fascinating and moving story of a settlement twice disturbed by war, the last time terminally. The narrative is most readable and well-documented, and brings to life the settlement and its people. The book stands as a memorial to the faith and achievements of the settlers. Michael Ramsden, former Dean and Professor at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia ...a live picture of the colony, its cultural faces, the material culture, and the historical context... Dr. Danny Goldman, Architect and University Lecturer, Tel Aviv, Israel ...A privilege to read this fine book... Dr. Charlotte Laemmle, Melbourne, Australia This book is an especially important contribution towards the history of Palestine. The swabian Templer settlement of Sarona was the first modern agricultural settlement in Palestine and was reputed to be a model settlement by the Jewish immigrants. The book portrays the settlement from its foundation in 1871 to the end of World War II. It is hoped that the present city fathers of Tel Aviv will recognise the historical significance of this settlement and take into account the need for its preservation during their present redevelopment discussions. Dr. Jakob Eisler, Historian, Haifa, Israel Reviews