Educational Bookshop: Celebrating Jerusalem’s Forty-Year Literary Landmark

Photo 1 - Educational Bookshop‘s current storefront. Photo 2 - Customers browse inside the Educational Bookshop. Photo 3 - The Bookshop’s reading events routinely draw packed audiences. Photo 4 - A large crowd attending a reading. Photo 5 - A legendary Palestinian hakawati. Photo 1 by Mahmoud Muna. Photos 2-5 by Yousef Khanfar.

I judge a city not by its skyscrapers, highways, or monuments but by the quiet hum of its people, the soul of its art, and the sweet scent of its bookstores. It is in the whispered words of a poet on a cobblestone pathway, the brushstrokes of the artist, and the pages that hold the weight of untold stories where a city’s true heartbeat lies.

Nestled in the heart of Jerusalem, the Educational Bookshop stands as a testament to the enduring power of literature and culture in the Palestinian community. Owned by the Muna family, the original shop opened in 1984 and still welcomes visitors today. Just across the street, a newer branch sits prominently on Salah al-Din Street, while a third location resides within the iconic American Colony Hotel. Each space carries the spirit of beautiful minds and storytelling.

For forty years, this iconic bookstore has been a sanctuary for book lovers, intellectuals, and curious minds alike. Offering books in multiple languages, from different countries and covering an array of subjects and genres, the Educational Bookshop has not only enriched the lives of Palestinians but also visitors from around the world. It has served as a bridge of understanding between cultures, fostering a spirit of exchange in a city often torn by political and social divides.

Throughout history, Palestine has stood at the crossroads of countless civilizations, a place where cultures, ideas, and histories converge. Every time I visit the Educational Bookshop, I discover voices of new writers, poets, and thinkers whose words have woven themselves into the fabric of time. I always discover new titles and new publishers that I don’t find in US. With each visit, I leave with a box of books; treasures that transport me to other worlds, offering a refuge in their pages.

The Educational Bookshop stands as a vibrant palace of culture in Jerusalem, where book launches, readings, signings, film screenings, and literary events weave a tapestry of minds from across the globe. These gatherings ignite the power of language, as writers and poets recite passages and verses that echo with love, loss, resistance, and hope, captivating audiences with the magic of the spoken word. The bookshop fosters a unique space where authors and readers meet, exchanging ideas and dreams, creating a dialogue that transcends boundaries. Through these events, the bookshop has become a beacon of intellectual and cultural energy, nurturing a deep sense of connection and understanding within the city and the world.

One of my favorite pastimes involves listening to interviews with award-winning authors—local or global—whose words open doors to forgotten worlds and fresh perspectives. Sometimes there are panel discussions and informative debates on some of the most pressing issues, when panelists share their thoughts and souls. But what I love most is when the Hakawati, the Palestinian storyteller, takes a seat outside the bookshop where children and adults gather to listen. As the timeless voice of the Hakawati narrates the ancient tales, I sit with my hot tea in hand, letting the warmth of the drink mingle with the stories that float through the evening air.

In the heart of Jerusalem, where stories rise from the ancient stones, the Educational Bookshop stands not merely as a store but as a lantern. I hope to visit soon, to lose myself in one of its cozy corners, to listen, to learn, and to feel the pulse of the world on its shelves.