Visit Jaffa and explore Raziel street
Raziel 15 streets, Jaffa. It’s just 5 minutes walk from the Jaffa North Sea beach and can be seen from Jaffa clock square, you can get there by local transportation or by a short walk south on the Tel-Aviv promenade. In the past, this area was part of the main road to Nablus and Damascus.
Area Map
Mr. Howard's old house in Jaffa.
Howard Iskander
Howard Iskandar was a Christian merchant from Lebanon who was living in Jaffa in the middle of the 19Th Century. His real name was Iskandar Awad but he had European clients so he decided to “western it”. Howard was a local businessman and a Travel Agent (yay!), Working for the famous Thomas Cook's travel firm. He arranged Pilgrimage tours organizing groups to visit the holy land, Lebanon, Egypt, and Italy. During the 19Th Century, the road between Jaffa and Jerusalem was not safe, with many robbers on the way. Therefore, he made sure his tourist will be fully guarded!
Let’s talk about style
This house established in 1892. And used both as a hotel and as an apartment house. Howard used masonic elements made of white marble (he was a masonic member): you can see a folded curtain, symbolizing the curtain that separated the devil from the holy of holies in the Jewish Temple. A small square hall with a triangular roof- symbolizing the masonic apron used by the order for its ceremonies. Inside the small hall is a Hebrew inscription “Peace on Israel” (which is a masonic way of saying hello). If looking carefully can also notice headstone with a phrase” Le Chevalier Howard, 1882”, mentioning he was a knight in the masonic order, to show the visitors of this order in Israel they have a shelter and a place to make ceremonies.
Neighborhood background
In the late 19 century, there has been an economic development that drives the city away from its historical city walls, they were dismantled and new streets were made upon them. The economical improvements have brought many new western entrepreneurs and new opportunities have arisen. It was once known as Bostros street and Howard street and today it's cold Razel street.
In the beginning, it was known as Shem road and then the name Howard has also appeared in the guides and maps between the clock circuit and the main street. The street continues to the east and from there it's cold Bostros street on the name of a real merchant from Beirut. In Raziel 11 on the building frot still lays the sign of Bostros house
Across from there here is the house of Howard This was his first hotel And it was one of the first to build outside from the walls. and lastly, In the north end of the street with the cemetery border, there were one-story warehouses.
Shem road how was a small deserted road has developed in the late 19 century to be the main road to the new city of Tel Aviv this attracted many merchants including the Bostros and Hawrd who built his first hotel at what is known today as Razieli street 17 the name Razielis on the name of David Raziel an ezel commander Bostros name is plated in the corner of street and Howard name is on the other side of the street as mentioned above. This was the main street of new Jaffa does with the connection to the railway to Jerusalem.
