wˈɑːdi ˈældʒˈɑːz dɪvˈɛləpt ˌɪntʊ ɪts kˈɜːɹənt ʃˈeɪp bᵻtwˌiːn ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən ˈæɹəbɪzɹˈeɪli wˈɔːɹz dˈʊɹɹɪŋ wˌɪtʃ ðə nˈeɪbɚhˌʊd bɪkˌeɪm hˈoʊm tə ɹˈɛfjuːdʒˌiːz fɹʌmðə wˈɛstɚn nˈeɪbɚhˌʊdz ʌv dʒɚɹˈuːsələm kˈæptʃɚd baɪ ˈɪzɹiːəl ænd mˈaɪɡɹənts fɹʌm wˈɛst bˈæŋk vˈɪlɪdʒᵻz ˈoʊɪŋ tʊ ɪts pɹɑːksˈɪmᵻɾi tə ðɪ ˈoʊld sˈɪɾi ænd ɪts spˈɑːɹs pˌɑːpjʊlˈeɪʃən.
Wadi al-Joz developed into its current shape between the 1948 and 1967 Arab-Israeli wars during which the neighborhood became home to refugees from the western neighborhoods of Jerusalem captured by Israel and migrants from West Bank villages owing to its proximity to the Old City and its sparse population.