Bios

Palestinian Jerusalemites have made myriad and diverse contributions to their city’s history and community fabric. Here we profile some of those people—past and present; famous and obscure—whose lives and work and stories have helped shape the larger Jerusalem Story over time.

Find alphabetically by first letter of last name

Serene Husseini Shahid

A Palestinian woman who preserved the living memory of the Jerusalem she grew up in through her embroidery and her acclaimed autobiography, Jerusalem Memories

Zulaykha al-Shihabi

A fierce feminist Jerusalemite who devoted her life to advocating for women and supporting the national cause

Mahmoud Shukair

A prolific novelist who was exiled from Jerusalem for almost two decades, yet says “Jerusalem is a part of me and I am part of Jerusalem.”

‘Abd al-Hamid Shuman

A committed Arab nationalist who founded the Arab Bank in Jerusalem in 1930 and led much of Palestine’s banking activity

Health and Health Care Katherine Hanania Siksek

An unconquerable spirit with an unwavering commitment to serve

Randa Siniora

A human rights and women’s rights activist whose organization has worked for decades to address gender-based violence in Jerusalem and beyond 

Ibrahim Tuqan

An eloquent poet and Arabist whose verses inspired millions across the Arab world