​This paper examines part of the social and intellectual history of cultural life in Palestine during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, focusing on the evolution of social roles and intellectual orientations of the elite Husseini and Khalidi families in Jerusalem. This development is manifested through the transition from traditional positions held by scholarly elites in Jerusalem society, such as Mufti, Shaykh al-Haram, Naqib al-Ashraf (Head of the Nobles), and Deputy Judge, to new positions and roles including Governor and Member of Parliament, among others. The paper highlights this unique path of Palestinian intellectual and social reform, noting that the emergence of new categories such as 'intellectuals' and 'politicians' came at the expense of traditional roles of judge and jurist.