"They used to come from Amman, from Iraq, from Beirut..." says Abu Khaldoun Khawaja, the oldest barber in Jerusalem, reminiscing about a time when the city was full of life and served as a meeting point for people from everywhere.
Abu Khaldoun began learning the trade of barbering at the age of 17, while still in school, to help support himself and his large family, and to stand by his father. "I decided to learn so I could help my father," he says, pointing to the shop that was more than just a workplace — it was a second home for the family. "I lived off this shop, and we were raised by this shop."
He inherited the profession from his father and has made it a point to preserve it as it was, out of loyalty to him. "The shop is 110 years old. I’ve only made small changes because it’s a memory of my father, and I consider it part of Jerusalem’s heritage."
He holds the shop’s location — near Al-Aqsa Mosque and Bab al-Silsila (Chain Gate) — close to his heart and is always happy when visitors come by. He speaks nostalgically of those earlier days: "During Jordanian rule, people used to come from Iraq, the Levant, and Beirut."
But today, the reality is much harder. "The political situation is difficult and unstable, and everyone is affected. The war has deeply impacted the city." The decline in foot traffic in the Old City has affected his business. "People don’t come down like they used to, and work has suffered."
Despite that, Abu Khaldoun still welcomes his regular customers, especially the elderly who have known him for years and trust his skill. "They’re used to me — they don’t even need to explain what they want... there’s trust in my work."
For Abu Khaldoun, the shop is more than just a livelihood. It is a memory, a heritage, and a lifelong story — one he has lived from childhood until today.
