Talbiya, or Komemiyut in its official Hebrew name, is located in the heart of Jerusalem, on the outskirts of the city center. It borders Rehavia to the north, Katamon to the south, the Givat Ram neighborhood to the east with the Liberty Bell Park, and to the west, the President’s Residence and surrounding cultural institutions. The neighborhood was established in the 1920s and is considered prestigious and stable.
The neighborhood was primarily established on lands belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. Entrepreneurs like Elias Jelat and George Sheiber bought large plots of land from the church, divided them into smaller lots, and sold them to those wishing to build homes in the neighborhood. These areas extended between Pinsker Street and today’s Dubnov Street. Over time, private villas were built in the area, the first and most magnificent being the Sherover Villa of Gita and Miles Sherover, built in the 1950s. The neighborhood plan, designed by architect Clifford Holliday and approved in 1930, includes main streets such as Balfour, Marcus, and Jabotinsky and secondary streets that divided the area into small, similar plots.
Over the years, the neighborhood has developed and expanded, with apartments renovated according to modern building styles and the population returning to its bourgeois character. In the 1960s and 1970s, more private villas were built in the neighborhood.
In Talbiya, one can find majestic buildings and surviving apartments, including the official residence of the President of Israel (Beit HaNassi), the official residence of the Prime Minister, and cultural institutions such as the National Academy of Sciences, Van Leer Institute, and Jerusalem Theater.
A public campaign in the 1970s preserved the olive grove in the neighborhood and established the Ram Hotel (now the Inbal Hotel) and Liberty Bell Park. In the 1980s, a preservation plan for the Talbiya neighborhood was implemented, which helped raise awareness of the need to preserve its original buildings.
The neighborhood has become a central hub for Anglo-Saxons, diplomats, academics, and people seeking a high quality of life in the heart of Jerusalem. It combines authenticity, luxury, and pastoral charm. Property prices in Talbiya are among the highest in Israel, and the neighborhood offers its residents a unique living experience that combines urban surroundings, classical architecture, and a sense of peace and tranquility.