Our Jerusalem

the long version

This book describes the history of the American Colony, a presence in Jerusalem from its founding in 1881 until its decline in the mid-20th century (two active outgrowths are Jerusalem's American Colony Hotel and Spafford Children's Center). The story begins with the founders, Horatio and Anna Spafford, the author's parents: their previous life in Chicago, their personal tragedies, and their establishing of a unique religious-charitable community in Jerusalem. In later years, the author and her immediate family were the leaders of this group, whose nature slowly shifted from that of a closed religious sect to more strictly charitable and entrepreneurial concerns, and ultimately a fixture of Jerusalem society. As an introduction to the American Colony phenomenon the book is highly engaging, conveying the flavor of Jerusalem in those times (spanning Turkish, British and Jordanian control) and the sweep of historical events in which the Colony was repeatedly caught up. The reader should remember that this work, engaging as it is, is a highly subjective personal memoir and family history, and that more complete, well-researched and critical treatments of the American Colony are to be found elsewhere.