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Milestones in the Postal History of the Holy LandJewish Settlements
The first Jewish agricultural colonies were established
in the 1880’s: Petach Tiqva (1878), followed by Rishon
LeZion, Rosh Pina and Zichron Yaacov (1882), Gedera (1884)
and Hadera (1890). Additional colonies were later settled
to accommodate the growing Zionist immigration.
The settlers in the colonies had a vital need for efficient
and reliable postal connections with the Diaspora. At
that time, postal services were almost non-existent in
rural Palestine. The Turkish Post had offices in a number
of towns, whilst the foreign posts had offices only in the
three major cities. As mail was not collected or delivered
in the colonies by the post office, other arrangements had
to be made. Mail had to be forwarded to the nearest town
in order to be sent, and incoming mail had to be collected
there. Settlers who happened to be passing through the
town carried out this task.
Austrian postal agencies were established in two of the
largest colonies — Rishon LeZion and Petach Tiqva. In some
of the colonies, charges were collected for the forwarding
service. Local stamps were issued for this purpose in
Petach Tiqva and Hadera. The German post office followed
in the footsteps of the Austrians and opened an agency in
Rishon LeZion. The Turkish post did not remain idle and
established post offices in five colonies: Rishon LeZion
(Aioun-Cara), Petach Tiqva, Rehovot, Zichron Yaacov and
Rosh Pina.
With the outbreak of World War 1, the foreign post offices
were closed, and settlers were obliged to use the services
of the Turkish post.
”פתח-תקוה, רחוב פינסקר ובית הדאר“, גלויה, ”תמונות
( המושבות“, הוצאת האחים אליהו - יפו - תל-אביב )א“י
“Petach Tiqva, Pinsker St. and the Post Office”
postcard, Views of the Colonies (Palestine),
Edit, Eliahu Bros. - Jaffa & Tel-Aviv