Even today, carob juice vendors are a familiar site in Arab cities, albeit more during festive occasions. Jerusalem is no exception. Historically, these vendors were mobile street sellers who carried their drinks through the city rather than operating from fixed shops. They typically used metal or clay containers slung over their shoulders and often wore belts or straps holding small glass cups to serve customers. This portability allowed them to work busy streets, marketplaces, and areas near major gates such as Jaffa Gate, where foot traffic was constant. They were part of a wider tradition of street vending that shaped daily urban life in the city, serving locals, pilgrims, and travelers moving through Jerusalem’s gates, markets, and public spaces.
This particular vendor, photographed in 1914, was standing outside Jaffa Gate. He was wearing a fez, a long-sleeved shirt worn under a waistcoat, and loose Turkish-style trousers, with a striped apron tied securely around his waist—a uniform still in use in today’s carob enterprise. Belts or straps held metal cup holders with small glass cups, making it easy to serve customers quickly. The apron also helped visually identify them as vendors.
Carob juice, known in Arabic as asir kharrub, is made from the pods of the carob (kharrub) tree, which grows widely across the Mediterranean region. The pods are soaked in water and pressed to produce a naturally sweet, dark-colored drink. Since it was a nonalcoholic drink, carob juice became widely popular among Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities alike. It is still valued as a refreshing and invigorating beverage, especially during hot weather, and remains both affordable and nourishing.