French Hill: Jerusalem's evolving neighborhood from battlefields to high-rise towers

New Orleans may be famed for its French Quarter, the oldest neighborhood in the city, with its vibrant culture and historic landmarks, but the city is missing what Jerusalem has – French Hill.

Officially known as Givat Shapira, French Hill is a neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem that was established only in 1971. Built on land captured from Jordan during the 1967 Six Day War, it was part of the “barrier neighborhoods” plan designed to ensure a continuous Jewish presence between western Jerusalem and Mount Scopus. 

Other neighborhoods developed under this plan include Givat Hamivtar, Ramat Eshkol, and Ma’alot Dafna, with Mount Scopus having been an Israeli enclave surrounded by Jordanian territory before the war.

What’s in a name?

Contrary to a popular but inaccurate story, the name French Hill was not derived from British soldier John French, 1st Earl of Ypres, who is said to have had his headquarters on this hill. The true origin lies in the ownership of the land by the French Church of Saint Anne. British officials referred to it as “French Hill” due to this French connection. Monks from the French White Fathers order operated an agricultural farm on the hill, and the local Arab population called the area Karm al-Wazz (“goose vineyard”).

A 1936 Palestine Post article discussing Jerusalem’s water supply mentions the “French Hill reservoir.”

In 1971, the neighborhood was officially named Givat Shapira in honor of Moshe Chaim Shapira, a prominent Mizrachi movement leader and former minister. However, the name has still yet to gain public acceptance, and “French Hill” remains the popular term.

The neighborhood

French Hill sits on an elevated hill at 838 m., making it one of the highest points in Jerusalem and the tallest in the city’s northern region. It borders Highway 1 and the Arab neighborhood of Shuafat to the north; Highway 60 to the west; the government complex of east Jerusalem, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus campus to the south; and Tzameret Habira to the east. Together with Tzameret Habira, which consists of modern-style terraced homes, the neighborhood spans 94 hectares. 

A plan, initiated by the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel, to develop the modern neighborhood of French Hill as a neighborhood intended primarily for American immigrants, was approved by the Jerusalem City Council in 1969. Its strategic location between western Jerusalem and Mount Scopus was part of the broader goal to solidify a Jewish presence in the area after the Six Day War.

During the Second Intifada (and even earlier), many terror attacks occurred around French Hill, leading to the deaths of at least 20 Israelis and wounding many more. Since then, the area has been relatively peaceful.

Unlike many Jerusalem neighborhoods, most buildings in French Hill are six or seven stories high.

The highest point in French Hill features an observation hill, with two high-rise towers called Brosh Hagivah (“cypress of the hill”), surrounded by remnants of a pine grove. In 2003, the project began on the last undeveloped plot, a 2.5-hectare site owned by the Christian Custody of the Holy Land, purchased in 1960 from the White Fathers order. The order made a deal with contractor Moshe Stoler to build five 20-story towers, despite the land’s designation as open public space. The project faced opposition due to concerns over the towers’ height and traffic congestion. 

In 1998, the Jerusalem Local Planning and Building Committee approved rezoning, requiring the developer to construct a new community center before starting the apartments. However, the center was smaller than agreed upon, and the developer paid a reduced improvement levy after the intervention of then-mayor Ehud Olmert. Legal disputes arose between the Custody of the Holy Land and its lawyer, resulting in a lawsuit worth approximately NIS 100 million.

In 2006, the Student Village project was completed by Africa Israel Investments, providing dormitories for Hebrew University students. This project includes 11 buildings, 18,000 sq.m. of commercial space, and parking for 450 vehicles, with around 1,000 students residing in the complex.

Prior to the village’s development, the southern slopes of French Hill already housed the Idelson-Bronfman student dormitories. In 2012, Hebrew University sought to reduce the number of dormitories in favor of residential projects, citing an oversupply of student housing on the Mount Scopus campus.

French Hill is a peaceful and quiet neighborhood with a medium-to-high socioeconomic status. Due to its proximity to the Hebrew University campus, a significant portion of the residents are students and university staff.

The neighborhood’s population is diverse, with a mix of secular, religious, and ultra-Orthodox residents. Over time, more young, religious families have moved in and established several religious communities. The latest municipal figures, released in September, show a population of 7,562, with 2,000 residents under age 18, and almost 1,500 over 65.

Beginning in the mid-2000s, the aging population of the original French Hill residents and the negative migration balance of Jerusalem’s secular population generated a dramatic demographic shift in the neighborhood. The secular (including traditional) population declined, while two new population groups began growing: haredim (ultra-Orthodox) and Arabs.

Haredi families moving to French Hill are part of a broad and expanding spread of ultra-Orthodox residential areas in northern Jerusalem. Many synagogues can be found in modern French Hill. Simultaneously, a substantial number of Arab families and students have relocated from central and northern Israel to French Hill for work or study. Estimates indicate that the Arab population of French Hill is around 20%. Its location along the seam, between Jewish and Arab Jerusalem, has made the neighborhood a convenient option.

Transportation 

Public transport in French Hill is well developed, with many bus routes passing through. The light rail also runs nearby, providing a key transit route for the neighborhood and access to the rest of the city. However, due to its proximity to Highway 1 and the route toward the Dead Sea, traffic congestion is common, especially during peak hours.

The Sha’ar Mizrach Interchange, or French Hill Junction, is located at the neighborhood’s northwestern edge. It connects Pisgat Ze’ev, northern settlements, the city center, and Highway 1. The junction serves as a hitchhiking spot for soldiers and residents from the Binyamin region. The Jerusalem light rail also runs past the neighborhood.

Archaeology

Excavations for the neighborhood’s construction revealed lithic artifacts linked to the Acheulo-Yabrudian culture, suggesting early human settlement dating back to the Stone Age. Additionally, remains of an Iron Age fortress (now called Metzad Givat Shapira) were uncovered near the water reservoir during its construction in 1969, under the direction of archaeologist Ora Negbi from Tel Aviv University.

The approximately 18.5x13 m. citadel features an open courtyard and rooms on both sides. Experts believe it might have been part of a series of citadels built to guard and protect Jerusalem during the First Temple period, as mentioned in several parts of the Bible.

A Second Temple period burial cave containing 13 ossuaries, one inscribed with the name Yehosef ben Haggai, was also discovered, along with Byzantine period remains.■