Khan El-Hilu

The structure you see before you is an impressive 19th century Khan. ‘Khan’ is Arabic for inn or caravansary. ‘Hilu', or ‘Khilu’, is Arabic for sweet and is named after the sweet turmus (Lupinus) seeds. This name was given during the British Mandate period when the seeds were stored in the building. The turmus seed is toxic but can be used as a medical treatment. During ancient times, the seeds were boiled by farmers and prepared as snacks.

No structure on this tour better represents Lod’s significant location on the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem than the Khan. This structure dates back to the Ottoman period, built in the early 19th century to serve as a resting station along the road. It was also a bustling commercial center to buy and sell goods. The Khan and much of the old city surrounding it were mostly destroyed in the 1950s to pave the way for the process of modernization and new housing structures in Lod.

More recently, the site has been excavated and conserved as part of an archeological community project. This project was started in 2007. This community initiative involved students from local schools who were encouraged to participate in the excavation process and immerse themselves in their city’s history, learning about Lod from the ‘ground-up’. The site was previously a dump yard filled with debris before this community project worked to conserve the structure.

The future of the Khan has been an ongoing discussion among local leaders and activists in Lod since this conservation effort took off. There have been discussions regarding repaving the courtyard, restoring the structural walls, and eventually bringing the Khan back to its original state. Until then, this site has seen gatherings, cross-community night markets, and shared society collaborations. The Khan is also part of a larger urban revitalization plan overseen by the local organization Jindas. The idea is to envision this space as a tourist attraction, one that highlights Lod’s history in a way that benefits the strong and special communities here. If this site — which will become an anchor, linking to the rest of Lod’s ancient sites — does indeed flourish as projected, it will play a vital role in changing the narrative of Lod to one that is positive and reflects the parts of Lod that serve as a model for shared society.

Mosaic and the Chicago Community Center are excited to be making progress on plans for a multicultural learning center, which will be a part of the Khan’s renovations, to provide a home for our community programs and educational tours. This project is a manifestation of our goal to build infrastructure for community relationship building and celebration of the various communities living in Lod. It will serve as the center for hospitality and tourism in Lod, with plans to build an authentic Ethiopian mud house with coffee ceremonies and a cafe with local Arab food. We are excited to share the narratives of Ethiopian Jewish immigrants alongside the story of their Arab neighbors. We hope that the Khan will serve as a home for the various communities living in the city, as well as for visiting groups who are interested in learning about Lod as a mixed city.