Mr. Hamdan Youssef Rashwan

This image is not merely an old newspaper clipping from the archives dated May 16, 1969; it is a living witness to the stories of perseverance and struggle of our fathers and grandfathers in Jisr az-Zarqa.

At a time when the roads were unpaved dirt tracks, long before the streets were overwhelmed by modern traffic, this was the daily reality of our village. Men and women would leave with the first light of dawn, walking long distances through dust and difficult conditions—not out of choice or comfort, but because the “bus” that connected them to the outside world and took them to their livelihoods was prohibited from entering the village!

The narrow tunnel and underpass beneath “Road 2” created an early barrier, preventing buses and trucks from reaching us. The only solution was to walk, making their way through the bridge tunnel on foot to reach the outer station at “Beit Hanania,” where they would wait for transportation to take them to their workplaces in Haifa or Hadera.

Our ancestors, whose lives were deeply rooted in this land and who worked in fishing, agriculture, and livestock farming, paved a path through their hard work and sweat for us to learn, grow, and reach where we are today. A tribute of respect to every step they took along that difficult road, so that the dignity of this village may remain upheld.