On This Day in Jewish History: July 31st, 1492 https://www.instagram.com/p/CDUNQI9Fmr_/ . . Jews had to leave Spain before facing forced…
Am Yisrael Chai
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#onthisday, 1847, Joseph Pulitzer was born in Mako, Hungary into a prosperous Jewish family. He would go on to be a titan of American publishing whose name would forever be associated with prizes awarded for outstanding achievements in journalism, poetry and literature.
He immigrated to the United States at the age of 17 in 1864, after the collapse of the family business, with little money in his pocket. He fought for the Union Army during the Civil War and afterward struggled through jobs as a whaler, waiter, stableman and railroad office worker.
In the tradition of many Jewish immigrants to the US, Pulitzer devoted his spare time to education and the gradual learning of English. And like other immigrants from the mid-century, he found a professional home beyond the Jewish-centered life of the East coast, settling in St. Louis and befriending many of its most esteemed citizens, men like Carl Schurz. Impressing this community with his intellect and writing, Pulitzer was drawn into St. Louis politics, where he began a career devoted to reformist government, first as a liberal Republican and then, after 1876, a Democrat. He served in the Missouri state legislature.
Ultimately, Pulitzer was drawn toward journalism, first as a reporter and then as a publisher after purchasing the St. Louis Dispatch and merging it with the St. Louis Post in 1878. In 1883, Pulitzer purchased the New York World and left the Midwest to live in New York. The World, like the Post-Dispatch, prospered from Pulitzer’s yellow-shaded approach to journalism with its focus on emotionalism, scandal and crime.
After being elected to the US House of Representatives in 1884, Pulitzer left Congress a year later to oversee his increasingly powerful newspaper world.
After his death in 1911, money bequeathed by Pulitzer to Columbia University and the University of Missouri helped establish what would become two of the nation’s most prestigious schools of journalism. His legacy has also been sustained by the awards named in his honor, first presented in 1917 under the auspices of Columbia University.
#jewish #jewishhistory #pulitzer #pulitzerprize
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The Hebron Massacre, 1834
On This Day in Jewish History: July 24, 1834 https://www.instagram.com/p/CDB03tQFUgf/ . . Ibrahim Pasha and his army marched into Hebron…
Roman Siege of Jerusalem, 70 CE (3830)
On This Day in Jewish History: Hebrew Calendar Alert – 17th of Tammuz, 3830 (July 14th, 70 CE) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCa83IRlqom/ ….
Seinfeld Airs its First Episode, 1989
On This Day in Jewish History: July 5th, 1989 https://www.instagram.com/p/CCROAXYl0-c/ . . NBC sitcom television series, Seinfeld, a show…
Theodor Herzl Passes Away, 1904
On This Day in Jewish History: July 3rd, 1904 https://www.instagram.com/p/CCMYuytFdAY/ . Theodor Herzl z”l, the father of Zionism and the…
#onthisday, 2018, Sara Ginaite Rubinson z”l passed away. She was a world renowned author and academic, a legendary resistance fighter in Lithuania against the Nazis during WWII. After the war she eventually joined her daughters in Canada and wrote several books in Lithuanian. Her most famous work translated into english was “Resistance and Survival: The Jewish Community in Kaunas 1941–1944.”
Sara was born to Yosef Ginas and Rebecca Virovitch, in Kaunas, Lithuania on March 17th, 1924. Raised in a successful Jewish family, Sara was on the verge of graduating from high school when, in 1941, her life was interrupted by the Nazi invasion of Lithuania. Three of her uncles were subsequently killed in the Kaunas Pogrom that year, and she, along with the rest of her family, were placed in the Kovno Ghetto. That was when she decided to fight back and join the Anti-Fascist Fighting Organization, a resistance of fighters against the Nazis.
After marrying Misha Rubinson, they escaped together in the winter of 1943-44, she created a Jewish Partisan unit called, “Death to the Occupiers.” She would often bravely venture back to the ghettos to rescue people, helping them escape to safety. Both she and her husband participated in the liberation of the Kaunas and the Vilnius ghettos, although the Nazis had already wiped out most of the region’s Jewish population. Only her own sister and brother-in-law survived of the rest of her family.
After the war she became a professor of political economics at Vilnius University. After her husband died in 1977, she emigrated to Canada where her two daughters Anya and Tanya were already living. Sara became an adjunct professor at York University and was frequently invited to lecture throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, and Israel. She gave an inspirational lecture in 2013 in Toronto, titled “History and Personal Memory: the Beginning of the Holocaust in Lithuania.”
On April 2nd, 2018, Sara died in her home at the age of 94, the 17th of the Jewish month of Nissan. May her light and legacy shine brightly for Jews and all oppressed people of the world for generations to come.
#jewish #jewishhistory #jewishresistance
Apr 2
#onthisday, 1918, Abba Kovner was born to a Jewish family in Sebastopol, Russia.
The most notable part of his childhood were his years at a Hebrew high school in Vilna, Lithuania and as a member of the Ha-Shomer Ha-Za’ir youth movement.
After the Nazi invasion of Lithuania in June 1940, all Vilna’s Jews were relocated to the Vilna Ghetto. Kovner and a few of his friends escaped the ghetto and lived in a Dominican convent. However, after Kovner became aware of the mass deportation and killing of Jews, Kovner returned to the ghetto to encourage Jews to rise up against the Nazis.
In 1941, the Nazis began to liquidate the Vilna ghetto. Kovner realized that time was limited. He gave a rousing speech to multiple Jewish youth organizations in the ghetto. This speech roused the different groups to action and they banded together to create the United Partisan Organization.
During the last days of the Vilna ghetto liquidation, Kovner led approximately 300 United Partisan Organization fighters into the woods. These 300 fighters began a series of attacks against the Nazis which left 180 miles of railroad, 5 bridges, and 40 train cars destroyed, killed 212 enemy soldiers and rescued at least 71 Jews.
After the end of World War II, Kovner emigrated to British-controlled Palestine (א״י) and helped other Jewish refugees in their travels home to the holy land.
In Jerusalem, Kovner had a key testimony at the trial of Adolf Eichmann, the SS official credited with constructing and carrying out the failed “Final Solution”. (1st picture above)
In Israel, Kovner joined the Haganah in 1947, prior to the foundation of Israel. He fought in the War of Independence as part of the Givati Brigade of the @idf. He was active in Israeli politics from the foundation of the state to his death in 1987; however, he never took on a formal political role or title.
🕯️May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration
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Mar 14
Neurotic. Unsure. Self-deprecating. Hypochondriacal. Anxious. Hilarious. Stand-up comic and actor Richard Lewis was all of these. Born in Brooklyn in 1947 and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, during a career that spanned five decades, he took his place in the great tradition of American-Jewish comedians. He died this past Wednesday, February 28, at the age of 76. 🕯️May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration.
His early career followed the path taken by many, from clubs in Greenwich Village to clubs in LA to the big break that helped so many comics—an appearance on The Tonight Show.
Gesturing manically, he filled his routines with hilarious revelations about his mental health, his trips to the doctor, and the low moments of his love life. But perhaps his favorite subject was his family—crazed uncles and his exasperating mother. In conversation with Johnny Carson or David Letterman, his verbal delivery took much from the cadence of Woody Allen as he mixed confession and self-doubt into brilliant shtick. And yet, as he and his peers have stated, it wasn’t just shtick, it was his real life. Bobbing and weaving as he spoke, it was as if he were dodging life’s deadly arrows.
On love: “My last girlfriend—she would only make love if she had a raven on her shoulder. When I make love the best I can do is I love you, ladies and gentlemen. This woman was so demanding sexually, I said, can I satisfy you? And she said two wrongs don’t make a right.”
Lewis moved from the stand-up stage to a successful acting career in television and, at times, film. And since 1999, a new generation of fans got to know him playing himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm alongside long-time friend Larry David.
The humor of Richard Lewis did not rely on anger. It did not skewer the less fortunate. It did not blow with the topical wind. It reached for something better and maybe a little more challenging. It was observational without being mundane. Remarkably, it could be aimed at himself without being a display of ego. As with so many of the greats, he made life’s struggles into enduring humor.
✍🏽 Prof. Art Simon
#richardlewis #jewish #jewishhumor #bde
Mar 1
On February 23, 2000, iconic singer, Ofra Haza, passed away at the age of 42. May her memory forever be a blessing and an inspiration 🕯️
She passed away from an AIDS-related pneumonia, leaving behind a legacy that deeply impacted Israeli and Jewish culture. Her death came unexpectedly, as Haza was private about her personal life, maintaining a public image of positivity. Israeli radio honored her with music retrospectives, and then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak honored her, noting her journey to the pinnacle of Israeli culture.
Born in the working-class neighborhood of Hatikvah in Tel Aviv, Haza followed in her Yemeni singer mother’s footsteps, showcasing her musical talent early. She joined the Hatikvah Quarter Theatre Workshop at 12, standing out for her exceptional talent. After serving as a secretary in the Israel Defense Force at 18, Haza pursued a solo music career, quickly gaining recognition with local awards in 1973 and 1974. She achieved the title “Singer of the Year” four times from 1980 to 1983 in Israel and represented the country in Eurovision in 1983 with the song “Chai,” winning second place.
Haza’s career flourished in the 1980s and 1990s, gaining international fame. Her song ‘Im Nin’alu’ was sampled by hip hop artists Erik B & Rakim in 1987, and her album ‘Shaday’ sold over a million copies in Europe. She won the Golden Lion television competition in Germany and the International Song Festival in Tokyo. Her album ‘Kirya’ received a Grammy nomination in 1992, and she collaborated with Iggy Pop in 1997 for a Grammy-nominated song. In 1998, she contributed to the animated film, “The Prince of Egypt”.
Haza’s impact extends beyond her music; she broke cultural barriers in Israel as a Mizrahi woman, achieving international success against considerable odds. By bringing Yemenite music to the mainstream, she paved the way for Mizrahi / Sephardi artists, leaving a lasting imprint on Israeli culture and elevating the status of Mizrahi Jews in the Israeli artistic world.
Her legacy continues to influence and inspire to this day.
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Feb 25
גולני שלי 🌳🔰
#onthisday, 1948, the @golani_1 Brigade, a key unit in the @idf, was established, tracing its origins to the founding of the Jewish State. Operating under the Northern Command, the brigade consists of four battalions tasked with protecting Judea, Samaria, and Israel’s borders. In this current war, the unit has faced some of the harshest battles with many brave men falling in defense of Israel and the Jewish people.
Golani has been pivotal in significant conflicts including the battles in the Sinai, the capture of the Golan Heights, the recapture of Mount Hermon, the rescue in Entebbe, and modern conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza. Its formation in 1948 involved restructuring the Jewish armed resistance, the Haganah, under Plan Dalet into six regional brigades. Golani bears a yellow and green flag, featuring an olive tree, while their brown berets represent their connection to the land.
During the 1947-1948 War of Independence, Golani played a crucial role in capturing strategic cities like Tiberias and Tzfat while defending kibbutzim against invading Arab armies. They participated in Operation Horev to secure the border with Egypt. In the Six Day War of 1967, Golani captured Nablus and the Golan Heights, braving minefields and intense fighting, with significant casualties.
Following the war, they conducted counter-terrorism operations in Lebanon, Jordan, and the Judea-Samaria region, notably participating in raids following the Munich Massacre of 1972 and the famous Entebbe hostage rescue in 1976, led by Yonatan Netanyahu HYD.
The Yom Kippur War of 1973 saw Golani’s 13th Battalion initially overwhelmed on Mount Hermon, but they eventually regained control, with substantial losses. Subsequent years involved Golani in major operations like Peace Over Galilee (1982), Defensive Shield during the Second Intifada, and the Second Lebanon War in 2006. They also played significant roles in Operations Cast Lead in 2009 and Protective Edge in 2014.
Continuously active, Golani Brigade remains a crucial defender of Israel’s freedom, leading the charge in safeguarding the nation.
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Feb 22
February 10th, 1949: the menorah is chosen as the symbol of the State of Israel.
Contrary to popular belief, the Star of David has not always been the first symbol associated with Jews. For most of history, Jews were associated with the menorah.
The menorah had been a central part of Jewish belief finding its roots in the book of Exodus where Moses was instructed on how to build a golden oil lamp. The menorah would be a centrepiece of Temple worship, most famously being involved in the miracle of Hannukah.
The menorah infamously makes an appearance on the Arch of Titus. The Romans would build archways to commemorate their conquests. Titus was the Roman emperor at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, and the Arch depicts Roman soldiers parading through Rome with their plundered treasures from the temple – including the menorah. Leading many to speculate that the whereabouts of this original menorah is in Rome, particularly in the basement of the Vatican alongside other Temple era items.
By 1949, a new symbol was needed for the nascent state. The symbol used today was designed by Latvian-born brothers Gabriel and Maxim Shamir. The use of the same menorah depicted on the Arch of Titus was controversial. Many leading Rabbis claimed the hexagonal base was incongruent with the three-legged menorah described in the Talmud. While the opposition was loud it largely fell on deaf ears.
The menorah remains an eternal symbol of Judaism. Depicted for centuries on the Arch of Titus as a symbol of the Jewish exile and subjugation, now would represent the nation’s newfound sovereignty in our homeland with hope for the future.
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Feb 11
Did you know @netanya.official’s namesake is Nathan Straus?
#onthisday, 1848, Nathan Straus was born into a Jewish family in Bavaria. He would go on to be a giant of American retail and philanthropy as co-owner of the New York department stores @macys and Abraham and Straus, known to shoppers as A&S.
With his parents and three siblings, Straus emigrated to the United States in 1854. After the Civil War, the family moved from Georgia to New York where, in the last decade of the 19th Century, Nathan and his brother Isidor built their powerhouse stores, one in Manhattan, the other in Brooklyn, accruing tremendous wealth in the process.
Seven years after acquiring R.H. Macy & Co., Straus and his brother moved the store from its location on 6th Avenue between 13th and 14th streets to what would become its signature, flagship building in Herald Square on 34th Street. Over time, the store would expand to take up an entire city block. Isidor Straus died on the Titanic in 1912.
Nathan Straus used his fortune to become one of the nation’s great philanthropists, devoting much of his generosity to the cause of children’s health. In particular, his energies contributed to the success of the pasteurization movement and efforts to fight childhood diseases caused by contaminated milk. He was also devoted to feeding poor and orphaned children, efforts recognized by President William Howard Taft in 1911 and 1912 with appointments to international conferences on children’s health.
After a trip with his wife Lina to Ottoman-occupied Palestine (א״י) in 1904, Straus fell in love with the Land of Israel - leading him to give significant amount of Tzedakah for Jews living in the Holy Land. This included founding the Jerusalem Health Center. In recognition of his Zionism and love of the Jewish people, the town of Netanya, founded in 1927, was named in his honor.
Straus died in New York City in 1931. May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration 🕯️
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Jan 31
“Gisi Fleischmann’s name deserves to be immortalized in the annals of our people, and her memory should be bequeathed to further generations as a radiant example of heroism and of boundless devotion”
- Gideon Hausner, lead prosecutor at the Eichmann trial (1961)
Gisi Fleischmann, born #onthisday 1892, was a Jewish activist, proud Zionist, and leader of the Bratislava Working Group. They were a Jewish rescue organization during the Holocaust that attempted to save Jews by gathering and disseminating information on the ongoing Shoa, bribing Nazi, Slovak, Hungarian officials, and smuggling valuables to Jews deported to the camps.
Born Gisela Fischer in Pozsony, Kingdom of Hungary (Bratislava, Slovakia), she was deeply involved in Jewish community work. Fleischmann founded the Slovak chapter of the Women’s International Zionist Organization and was a member of the executive committee of Histadrut in Slovakia.
Her work only increased during the Holocaust. The Bratislava Working Group, under Rabbi Weissmandl, was involved in the Europa Plan - an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate with the Nazis for the halting of the ‘final solution’ in exchange for large funds. It failed when the Nazis were evidently dealing in bad faith.
The group also played a key role in distributing the Auschwitz Report in 1944, which detailed the atrocities at Auschwitz. This report, reaching Switzerland, led to a worldwide press campaign condemning Nazi atrocities.
In 1944, the Germans invaded Slovakia and began mass deportations of Jews. Despite not being initially arrested, Fleischmann continued her efforts to help Jews until she was caught and deported to Auschwitz on the last transport. She was murdered 3 days after arriving on October 15, 1944.
Gisi Fleischmann’s legacy is honored by figures like Gideon Hausner, the prosecutor at the Eichmann trial, who emphasized her heroism and devotion. Her efforts are a testament to the extraordinary courage and resilience shown by individuals in the face of unimaginable atrocities.
ה׳ יקום דמה 🕯️
May her memory be a blessing and an inspiration.
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#jewish #jewishhistory #gisifleischmann #hero
Jan 22
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January 17-18, 1945: the death marches from the Auschwitz concentration camp system begin. The death marches began to occur towards the end of the war as Germany’s army began to collapse at the same time as the Allies closed in. The Germans, not wanting the true nature of the camps to be revealed, began to move the prisoners out of camps close to the front and towards camps in Germany.
The first prisoners were taken by train, and then by foot. They were made to march in unbearable conditions; outside in the bitter cold, with hardly any food, water or rest. The prisoners were often abused by the accompanying guards. The largest death marches occurred in 1944-45. Just 9 days before the Soviet army arrived at Auschwitz, the Germans began to evacuate the camp.
The SS quickly evacuated Auschwitz and its satellite camps, forcing around 60,000 prisoners, mainly Jews, to march to the city of Wodzisław. Anyone who was unable to keep up or who fell ill was shot dead. Over 15,000 died from the death marches alone. Once in Wodzisław, the prisoners were put on freight trains and sent to different concentration camps further west in Germany, such as Flossenbürg, Buchenwald, Dachau, Mauthausen and Gross-Rosen.
Following the marches from Auschwitz, other concentration camps in Poland also began to be evacuated. On January 21, the Blechhammer camp was evacuated, sending 4,000 prisoners off. This pattern of evacuating the camps continued into March and April of 1945 as the war ended.
At least 250,000 prisoners were sent on death marches as camp after camp was evacuated. Thousands of deaths occurred along the highways of Austria and central Germany. An estimated 200,000-150,000 prisoners were murdered or died on the marches. Nearly one-third of them were Jews.
The term “death march” began to be used widely amongst prisoners and continues by anyone studying what occurred. In 1988, a yearly Shoa Memory trip for students to Poland with survivors took on the name, @motlorg (March of the Living) to emphasize the ultimate Jewish triumph post-Shoa.
May the memory of those who perished always be a blessing.
✍🏽 @taylorlevy1
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January 17-18, 1945: the death marches from the Auschwitz concentration camp system begin. The death marches began to occur towards the end of the war as Germany’s army began to collapse at the same time as the Allies closed in. The Germans, not wanting the true nature of the camps to be revealed, began to move the prisoners out of camps close to the front and towards camps in Germany.
The first prisoners were taken by train, and then by foot. They were made to march in unbearable conditions; outside in the bitter cold, with hardly any food, water or rest. The prisoners were often abused by the accompanying guards. The largest death marches occurred in 1944-45. Just 9 days before the Soviet army arrived at Auschwitz, the Germans began to evacuate the camp.
The SS quickly evacuated Auschwitz and its satellite camps, forcing around 60,000 prisoners, mainly Jews, to march to the city of Wodzisław. Anyone who was unable to keep up or who fell ill was shot dead. Over 15,000 died from the death marches alone. Once in Wodzisław, the prisoners were put on freight trains and sent to different concentration camps further west in Germany, such as Flossenbürg, Buchenwald, Dachau, Mauthausen and Gross-Rosen.
Following the marches from Auschwitz, other concentration camps in Poland also began to be evacuated. On January 21, the Blechhammer camp was evacuated, sending 4,000 prisoners off. This pattern of evacuating the camps continued into March and April of 1945 as the war ended.
At least 250,000 prisoners were sent on death marches as camp after camp was evacuated. Thousands of deaths occurred along the highways of Austria and central Germany. An estimated 200,000-150,000 prisoners were murdered or died on the marches. Nearly one-third of them were Jews.
The term “death march” began to be used widely amongst prisoners and continues by anyone studying what occurred. In 1988, a yearly Shoa Memory trip for students to Poland with survivors took on the name, @motlorg (March of the Living) to emphasize the ultimate Jewish triumph post-Shoa.
May the memory of those who perished always be a blessing.
✍🏽 @taylorlevy1
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#onthisday, 5744 (1984), R’ Israel Abuhatzeria z”l also known as the Baba Sali (Praying Father) passes away at the age of 94 in Netivot, Israel. The Baba Sali is a revered figure in the world of Jewish thought, spirituality, & mysticism. He was leader of the Moroccan-Sephardi Jewish community who moved to Israel in 1964 and was known for his ability to work miracles through his prayers. May his memory be a blessing.
The Baba Sali was born on Rosh Hashana, 5650 (1889), in Rissani, Morocco. He was a descendant of a prominent line of tzadikim (righteous ones) of the Abuhatzeria family line, directly the grandson of Yaakov Abuhatzeria. His family is known to be “baalei mofet”, miracle workers, a practice that the Baba Sali continued.
While in Morocco, the family lived on a large estate that also served as a yeshiva for young students and the beit din led by his father. By the age of 12, the Baba Sali was already studying Torah day and night. Soon, he entered the yeshiva and began learning more in-depth.
One of the aspects that distinguished him and something that his father saw as his potential for greatness was his devotion to “Shmirat HaLashon” and “Shmirat HaEynayim” – (respectively) guarding one’s speech and guarding one’s eyes.
Following the establishment of Israel, life for Jews in Morocco drastically changed and many moved to Europe and the Americas while most made Aliyah to Israel. Amongst the first to move was the Baba Sali, who in 1951 (at 62), moved to Lod. While trying to keep a low profile, folks in Israel “discovered” he was there and after rejecting offers for the chief rabbinate, he returned to Morocco to inspire his community in need.
In 1964, he returned to Israel where he would stay for the remainder of his life. The Baba Sali moved to Netivot, a small town in the Negev that was initially a ma’abara (transit camp for Jewish refugees from Arab countries, North Africa & Iran). Here, visitors from all over the country and the world began to visit him to ask for blessings and advice.
His funeral received about 100,000 people and his gravesite has become a place of popular pilgrimage in Israel – particularly today on his yahrzeit.
🕯️✨
#onthisday, 5744 (1984), R’ Israel Abuhatzeria z”l also known as the Baba Sali (Praying Father) passes away at the age of 94 in Netivot, Israel. The Baba Sali is a revered figure in the world of Jewish thought, spirituality, & mysticism. He was leader of the Moroccan-Sephardi Jewish community who moved to Israel in 1964 and was known for his ability to work miracles through his prayers. May his memory be a blessing.
The Baba Sali was born on Rosh Hashana, 5650 (1889), in Rissani, Morocco. He was a descendant of a prominent line of tzadikim (righteous ones) of the Abuhatzeria family line, directly the grandson of Yaakov Abuhatzeria. His family is known to be “baalei mofet”, miracle workers, a practice that the Baba Sali continued.
While in Morocco, the family lived on a large estate that also served as a yeshiva for young students and the beit din led by his father. By the age of 12, the Baba Sali was already studying Torah day and night. Soon, he entered the yeshiva and began learning more in-depth.
One of the aspects that distinguished him and something that his father saw as his potential for greatness was his devotion to “Shmirat HaLashon” and “Shmirat HaEynayim” – (respectively) guarding one’s speech and guarding one’s eyes.
Following the establishment of Israel, life for Jews in Morocco drastically changed and many moved to Europe and the Americas while most made Aliyah to Israel. Amongst the first to move was the Baba Sali, who in 1951 (at 62), moved to Lod. While trying to keep a low profile, folks in Israel “discovered” he was there and after rejecting offers for the chief rabbinate, he returned to Morocco to inspire his community in need.
In 1964, he returned to Israel where he would stay for the remainder of his life. The Baba Sali moved to Netivot, a small town in the Negev that was initially a ma’abara (transit camp for Jewish refugees from Arab countries, North Africa & Iran). Here, visitors from all over the country and the world began to visit him to ask for blessings and advice.
His funeral received about 100,000 people and his gravesite has become a place of popular pilgrimage in Israel – particularly today on his yahrzeit.
🕯️✨
What’s your favorite Hebrew word❓
Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (born Eliezer Yitzhak Perelman) was born #onthisday in Luzhky, Lithuania (January 7, 1858). Ben-Yehuda grew up learning Hebrew through his religious upbringing, excelling in his studies. In the hopes of becoming a rabbi, Ben-Yehuda attended a yeshiva, however, he soon became more interested in the secular world and ended up attending a Russian gymnasium instead.
Ben-Yehuda left Russia in 1878 for Paris, where he studied medicine in order to help the Jewish community in Ottoman controlled Palestine (Land of Israel). He made sure to only speak Hebrew with every Jew he met, in order to prove that his dream could be possible. However, because of his tuberculosis, Ben-Yehuda was unable to finish his studies and continued on his way to the Land of Israel, where he arrived in 1881 with the hopes of reviving the language as a spoken one.
Moving to Jerusalem, Ben-Yehuda began immediately. While it was easy for him to speak in Hebrew, there was a shortage of words on certain topics. When his son, Ben-Zion, was born in 1882, Ben-Yehuda and his wife raised him as the first all-Hebrew speaking child in a long time.
The need for new Hebrew words to describe everyday objects like dolls, ice cream and towels were coined by Ben-Yehuda. He believed that rabbis and teachers in the Land of Israel should use Hebrew as the sole language of instruction in schools. In 1882, Ben-Yehuda began teaching Hebrew in Hebrew to school children. After a few months, the children were speaking Hebrew fluently, becoming yet another clear example that Hebrew could be the spoken tongue in Palestine (א״י).
In 1884, he began publishing his own newspaper, Hatzvi, to teach adults Hebrew. Alongside this, he also began to compile a dictionary, producing the 17-volume “A Complete Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Hebrew.” Six years later, in 1890, Ben-Yehuda founded the Hebrew Language Council, a forerunner to today’s Hebrew Language Academy.
Ben-Yehuda died on December 16, 1922 at 64 years old. He will forever be remembered for his work in reviving the Hebrew language as a spoken tongue.
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What’s your favorite Hebrew word❓
Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (born Eliezer Yitzhak Perelman) was born #onthisday in Luzhky, Lithuania (January 7, 1858). Ben-Yehuda grew up learning Hebrew through his religious upbringing, excelling in his studies. In the hopes of becoming a rabbi, Ben-Yehuda attended a yeshiva, however, he soon became more interested in the secular world and ended up attending a Russian gymnasium instead.
Ben-Yehuda left Russia in 1878 for Paris, where he studied medicine in order to help the Jewish community in Ottoman controlled Palestine (Land of Israel). He made sure to only speak Hebrew with every Jew he met, in order to prove that his dream could be possible. However, because of his tuberculosis, Ben-Yehuda was unable to finish his studies and continued on his way to the Land of Israel, where he arrived in 1881 with the hopes of reviving the language as a spoken one.
Moving to Jerusalem, Ben-Yehuda began immediately. While it was easy for him to speak in Hebrew, there was a shortage of words on certain topics. When his son, Ben-Zion, was born in 1882, Ben-Yehuda and his wife raised him as the first all-Hebrew speaking child in a long time.
The need for new Hebrew words to describe everyday objects like dolls, ice cream and towels were coined by Ben-Yehuda. He believed that rabbis and teachers in the Land of Israel should use Hebrew as the sole language of instruction in schools. In 1882, Ben-Yehuda began teaching Hebrew in Hebrew to school children. After a few months, the children were speaking Hebrew fluently, becoming yet another clear example that Hebrew could be the spoken tongue in Palestine (א״י).
In 1884, he began publishing his own newspaper, Hatzvi, to teach adults Hebrew. Alongside this, he also began to compile a dictionary, producing the 17-volume “A Complete Dictionary of Ancient and Modern Hebrew.” Six years later, in 1890, Ben-Yehuda founded the Hebrew Language Council, a forerunner to today’s Hebrew Language Academy.
Ben-Yehuda died on December 16, 1922 at 64 years old. He will forever be remembered for his work in reviving the Hebrew language as a spoken tongue.
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“You and I will change the world / You and I, then they’ll all follow / They’ve said it before, but that doesn’t matter / You and I will change the world.”
On this day, January 3, 1939, legendary Israeli singer, songwriter, actor, and comedian Arik Einstein was born in Tel Aviv. Widely recognized as the “Voice of Israel,” Einstein is revered as a pioneer of Israeli rock and remains the most influential and beloved Israeli artist of all time.
Visit our website archives (link in bio) to learn more about his life and legacy. Discover Arik Einstein’s music on Spotify and other streaming platforms. Take a moment today to honor his memory 🕯️
#arikeinstein #israel #voiceofisrael #music #musichistory
“You and I will change the world / You and I, then they’ll all follow / They’ve said it before, but that doesn’t matter / You and I will change the world.”
On this day, January 3, 1939, legendary Israeli singer, songwriter, actor, and comedian Arik Einstein was born in Tel Aviv. Widely recognized as the “Voice of Israel,” Einstein is revered as a pioneer of Israeli rock and remains the most influential and beloved Israeli artist of all time.
Visit our website archives (link in bio) to learn more about his life and legacy. Discover Arik Einstein’s music on Spotify and other streaming platforms. Take a moment today to honor his memory 🕯️
#arikeinstein #israel #voiceofisrael #music #musichistory
“The biggest resistance that we could have done to the Germans was to survive.”
#onthisday, 1918, Jewish partisan fighter Eta Wrobel was born in Lokov, Poland. Described as a rebel from the early days of her youth, Wrobel was the only child in her ten-person family to survive the Holocaust. Eta was the daughter of a resistance fighter, her father, a member of the Polish underground who instilled in her the values of providing help to those that needed it most.
In 1940, Eta began working as a clerk for a Polish employment agency. Following Germany’s invasion of Poland, Eta soon began falsifying the identity papers of Jews. She was enclosed in a Polish ghetto alongside her father until it was liquidated in October 1942 at which point they were able to separate themselves from the rest of the Jews sent to concentration camps and escape into the woods. It was in the woods that Eta took the lead in forming a Jewish partisan unit of around 80 people.
The unit was successful in stealing supplies where fighters practically slept on top one another with no available medicine to speak of. Life in the woods was dangerous, with everyone constantly on guard for both their fellow partisans and one another. This danger often led to violence. Eta suffered a bullet to the leg which she managed to excavate with a knife. The partisan unit was also responsible for the establishment of mines meant to subvert German transport, destroying supply routes in the process. Eta was 1 of 7 women in the unit and refused to have herself delegated to housekeeping chores such as cooking and cleaning. Her refusal was honored by the unit due to her tactical military skills and expansive personality. Eta worked best alongside her fellow male comrades, aiding in various military decisions and challenges that came their way.
It is unclear when her father died, how much of the unit survived or how long they lingered in the woods. At a certain point Eta entered hiding where she remained until 1944 following Germany’s exit from Lokov. She died on May 26, 2008, Z”L.
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“The biggest resistance that we could have done to the Germans was to survive.”
#onthisday, 1918, Jewish partisan fighter Eta Wrobel was born in Lokov, Poland. Described as a rebel from the early days of her youth, Wrobel was the only child in her ten-person family to survive the Holocaust. Eta was the daughter of a resistance fighter, her father, a member of the Polish underground who instilled in her the values of providing help to those that needed it most.
In 1940, Eta began working as a clerk for a Polish employment agency. Following Germany’s invasion of Poland, Eta soon began falsifying the identity papers of Jews. She was enclosed in a Polish ghetto alongside her father until it was liquidated in October 1942 at which point they were able to separate themselves from the rest of the Jews sent to concentration camps and escape into the woods. It was in the woods that Eta took the lead in forming a Jewish partisan unit of around 80 people.
The unit was successful in stealing supplies where fighters practically slept on top one another with no available medicine to speak of. Life in the woods was dangerous, with everyone constantly on guard for both their fellow partisans and one another. This danger often led to violence. Eta suffered a bullet to the leg which she managed to excavate with a knife. The partisan unit was also responsible for the establishment of mines meant to subvert German transport, destroying supply routes in the process. Eta was 1 of 7 women in the unit and refused to have herself delegated to housekeeping chores such as cooking and cleaning. Her refusal was honored by the unit due to her tactical military skills and expansive personality. Eta worked best alongside her fellow male comrades, aiding in various military decisions and challenges that came their way.
It is unclear when her father died, how much of the unit survived or how long they lingered in the woods. At a certain point Eta entered hiding where she remained until 1944 following Germany’s exit from Lokov. She died on May 26, 2008, Z”L.
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#jewishhistory #jewish #etawrobel #jewishfighter
#onthisday, we celebrate the birthday of the filmmaker Steven Spielberg. This year, was the 30th anniversary of Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”, a harrowing tale of the German businessman Oskar Schindler who risked his life to save 1,200 Jews from the horrors of the Holocaust.
Just this past month, @uscshoahfoundation announced that it will be making a documentary about the events of October 7th when over 1,400 Jews—a number uncannily close to the figure saved by Schindler— were murdered in the deadliest massacre of Jews for being Jewish since the Holocaust. Spielberg has provided his blessing, will be active as an advisor and has remained an outspoken advocate for the project.
Schindler’s List served as a personal reckoning for Spielberg. “I was hit in the face with my personal life,” he said. “My upbringing. My Jewishness. The stories my grandparents told me about the Shoah. And Jewish life came pouring back into my heart. I cried all the time.” After each day’s shoot, Spielberg spoke to Robin Williams with the same request: Make me laugh.
Regarding the attack on Israel, Spielberg said, “I never imagined I would see such unspeakable barbarity against Jews in my lifetime… But not since Germany in the 30’s have I witnessed antisemitism no longer lurking, but standing proud with hands on hips like H*tler and Mussolini.”
USC Shoah is collaborating with production outlets in Israel and has begun the process of collecting eye-witness accounts. These accounts will be made accessible to the public on a rolling basis through its Visual History Archive in the USC Shoah Foundation’s Countering Antisemitism Through Testimony Collection, dedicated to recording antisemitism after the Holocaust. While the overarching vision of the forthcoming project, a documentary and not a drama, remains foggy, one thing is painfully clear. There was no Schindler this time.
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🎥 @jewishistoryguy in Be’eri & Nova festival site
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#onthisday, we celebrate the birthday of the filmmaker Steven Spielberg. This year, was the 30th anniversary of Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”, a harrowing tale of the German businessman Oskar Schindler who risked his life to save 1,200 Jews from the horrors of the Holocaust.
Just this past month, @uscshoahfoundation announced that it will be making a documentary about the events of October 7th when over 1,400 Jews—a number uncannily close to the figure saved by Schindler— were murdered in the deadliest massacre of Jews for being Jewish since the Holocaust. Spielberg has provided his blessing, will be active as an advisor and has remained an outspoken advocate for the project.
Schindler’s List served as a personal reckoning for Spielberg. “I was hit in the face with my personal life,” he said. “My upbringing. My Jewishness. The stories my grandparents told me about the Shoah. And Jewish life came pouring back into my heart. I cried all the time.” After each day’s shoot, Spielberg spoke to Robin Williams with the same request: Make me laugh.
Regarding the attack on Israel, Spielberg said, “I never imagined I would see such unspeakable barbarity against Jews in my lifetime… But not since Germany in the 30’s have I witnessed antisemitism no longer lurking, but standing proud with hands on hips like H*tler and Mussolini.”
USC Shoah is collaborating with production outlets in Israel and has begun the process of collecting eye-witness accounts. These accounts will be made accessible to the public on a rolling basis through its Visual History Archive in the USC Shoah Foundation’s Countering Antisemitism Through Testimony Collection, dedicated to recording antisemitism after the Holocaust. While the overarching vision of the forthcoming project, a documentary and not a drama, remains foggy, one thing is painfully clear. There was no Schindler this time.
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🎥 @jewishistoryguy in Be’eri & Nova festival site
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#jewish #stevenspielberg #israel #jewishandproud
“Where there is no guidance, the nation falls. But in an abundance of counselors, there is victory”
#onthisday, 1949, the Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency, was founded. Along with Aman, Israel’s military intelligence service and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, it is one of the three branches of Israel’s Intelligence Community.
Following the establishment of Israel, its first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, deemed the creation of national intelligence agencies necessary to protect the newly developed country.
Since its founding over seventy years ago, the Mossad has been the bedrock of Israel’s intelligence community - becoming one of the top spy agencies in the world. They are generally responsible for gathering and synthesizing intelligence outside of Israel’s borders as well as establishing and furthering diplomatic relations with countries that avoid having a relationship with Israel on the world stage. This includes convert negotiations such as ones that preceded the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan.
In addition to keeping Israel safe, the Mossad has aided in prosecuting the criminals of history and those who threaten Jews around the world. They were instrumental in the capture of Adolf Eichmann as well as the targeted assassinations of members of Black September - the terrorist group that carried out the murder of the Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Other famous Mossad operations are: Operation Entebbe, Opera (destroying Iraqi nuclear reactor), Moses (rescue and evacuation of 8,000 Beta Israel), and dozens of alleged attacks on the Iranian nuclear developments.
Today, the Mossad continues to protect Jewish communities amidst the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists - most recently foiling an attempted attack in Brazil on the Jewish / Israeli locals (November, 2023). They have also notified Hamas leaders safely staying far from Gaza that nowhere they go, will they feel safe.
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“Where there is no guidance, the nation falls. But in an abundance of counselors, there is victory”
#onthisday, 1949, the Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency, was founded. Along with Aman, Israel’s military intelligence service and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, it is one of the three branches of Israel’s Intelligence Community.
Following the establishment of Israel, its first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, deemed the creation of national intelligence agencies necessary to protect the newly developed country.
Since its founding over seventy years ago, the Mossad has been the bedrock of Israel’s intelligence community - becoming one of the top spy agencies in the world. They are generally responsible for gathering and synthesizing intelligence outside of Israel’s borders as well as establishing and furthering diplomatic relations with countries that avoid having a relationship with Israel on the world stage. This includes convert negotiations such as ones that preceded the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan.
In addition to keeping Israel safe, the Mossad has aided in prosecuting the criminals of history and those who threaten Jews around the world. They were instrumental in the capture of Adolf Eichmann as well as the targeted assassinations of members of Black September - the terrorist group that carried out the murder of the Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Other famous Mossad operations are: Operation Entebbe, Opera (destroying Iraqi nuclear reactor), Moses (rescue and evacuation of 8,000 Beta Israel), and dozens of alleged attacks on the Iranian nuclear developments.
Today, the Mossad continues to protect Jewish communities amidst the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists - most recently foiling an attempted attack in Brazil on the Jewish / Israeli locals (November, 2023). They have also notified Hamas leaders safely staying far from Gaza that nowhere they go, will they feel safe.
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#jewishhistory #mossad #israel #jewish
“My work as a nurse, a photographer and most of all as a soldier was plentiful reason for me to stand tall, to be proud of myself and my (Jewish) heritage.”
#onthisday, 1919, Jewish Partisan and legendary battle photographer, Faye Schulman, is born.
Faye lived until the age of 101 and is known as one of the few to document with pictures, the WWII forest resistance fighters in Eastern Europe.
Born Faigel Lazebnik and at 10, Faye began apprenticing for her brother Moishe, a local photographer in what was then Sosnkowicze, Poland. She would take over her studio 6 years later, at 16 in 1935.
Chaos and murder met the Jews of Belarus when the Nazis invaded in June 1941, forcing Faye’s family and countless others into the Lenin Ghetto. Imprisonment in the ghetto brought greater danger with German forces murdering some 1,850 Jews on August 14th, 1942. Faye lost most of her family in this Aktion but along with 26 other Jews, managed to survive.
Afterwards, she was forced to work for the Nazis as a photographer until she found herself developing a photograph that included her dead family members in a mass grave. From then on, she was determined to fight the Nazis in all forms and joined the Resistance in the forests.
For almost 2 years, from September 1942 to July 1944 she served as a nurse, aiding Soviet POWs in the Molotov Brigade. Following a raid on the city of Lenin, Faye was able to retrieve her photography equipment and document the efforts of the Resistance.
She never let her guard down, fending off sexual advances and antisemitism from the Soviet partisans she worked alongside. Such distinctions held little weight to her when it came to defeating their common enemy.
Following the Red Army’s control of Belarus in July 1944, she discovered that 2 of her brothers had survived and left the Molotov Brigade upon meeting her eventual husband, Morris Schulman. After the war, the then newlyweds remained in Germany’s Landsberg displaced persons camp where both Morris and Faye facilitated the secret transport of weapons to support the effort for Israel’s independence.
She passed away on April 25, 2021 at 101 🕯️
May her memory forever be a blessing ✨
“My work as a nurse, a photographer and most of all as a soldier was plentiful reason for me to stand tall, to be proud of myself and my (Jewish) heritage.”
#onthisday, 1919, Jewish Partisan and legendary battle photographer, Faye Schulman, is born.
Faye lived until the age of 101 and is known as one of the few to document with pictures, the WWII forest resistance fighters in Eastern Europe.
Born Faigel Lazebnik and at 10, Faye began apprenticing for her brother Moishe, a local photographer in what was then Sosnkowicze, Poland. She would take over her studio 6 years later, at 16 in 1935.
Chaos and murder met the Jews of Belarus when the Nazis invaded in June 1941, forcing Faye’s family and countless others into the Lenin Ghetto. Imprisonment in the ghetto brought greater danger with German forces murdering some 1,850 Jews on August 14th, 1942. Faye lost most of her family in this Aktion but along with 26 other Jews, managed to survive.
Afterwards, she was forced to work for the Nazis as a photographer until she found herself developing a photograph that included her dead family members in a mass grave. From then on, she was determined to fight the Nazis in all forms and joined the Resistance in the forests.
For almost 2 years, from September 1942 to July 1944 she served as a nurse, aiding Soviet POWs in the Molotov Brigade. Following a raid on the city of Lenin, Faye was able to retrieve her photography equipment and document the efforts of the Resistance.
She never let her guard down, fending off sexual advances and antisemitism from the Soviet partisans she worked alongside. Such distinctions held little weight to her when it came to defeating their common enemy.
Following the Red Army’s control of Belarus in July 1944, she discovered that 2 of her brothers had survived and left the Molotov Brigade upon meeting her eventual husband, Morris Schulman. After the war, the then newlyweds remained in Germany’s Landsberg displaced persons camp where both Morris and Faye facilitated the secret transport of weapons to support the effort for Israel’s independence.
She passed away on April 25, 2021 at 101 🕯️
May her memory forever be a blessing ✨
Chaim Weizmann, Israel’s first President and a renowned chemist, was born #onthisday, 1874, near Pinsk in the Russian Empire (now Belarus). Raised in Motol with a Jewish education, Weizmann moved to Pinsk at 11 for secondary education. His father instilled strong Jewish nationalistic ideals in him.
Weizmann pursued science, but faced quotas restricting Jewish students in Russia. He studied Chemistry in Germany, earning a PhD magna cum laude from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He taught Russian and science to support himself and later lectured at Geneva University. In 1904, he joined the University of Manchester, becoming a British subject.
Weizmann identified as a Jew first, regardless of his ties to Russia, Germany, Switzerland, and Britain. A skilled chemist, he devised a method to produce acetone from maize during World War I, aiding the British munitions industry. He leveraged this achievement to gain political influence, advocating for a Jewish homeland. His efforts contributed to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, supporting a Jewish state in regional Palestine (א״י), though Britain’s intentions were questioned due to conflicting agreements like Sykes-Picot and side-promises to Arabs.
Active in Zionist circles since university, Weizmann opposed Theodor Herzl’s idea of a Jewish State in Uganda, insisting on the Land of Israel as the sole Jewish homeland. As a prominent figure in the @wzo.official, he negotiated with Arab leaders and observed treaties post-World War I.
Despite being seen as pro-British, Weizmann’s advocacy during World War II included developing synthetic rubber and encouraging Jewish participation in the British Army. His youngest son,
#RAF pilot, died in the war.
Weizmann lost th Congress leadership by 1948 but maintained influence, securing President Truman’s support for Israel. His efforts led to U.S. recognition of Israel and a significant loan. Elected Israel’s first ceremonial President, he served alongside PM David Ben-Gurion until his death in 1952.
Weizmann’s legacy endures in chemistry and as a Founding Father of Israel. The @weizmanninstitute in Rehovot continues his scientific legacy.
✍🏽 @matthewk1000
Chaim Weizmann, Israel’s first President and a renowned chemist, was born #onthisday, 1874, near Pinsk in the Russian Empire (now Belarus). Raised in Motol with a Jewish education, Weizmann moved to Pinsk at 11 for secondary education. His father instilled strong Jewish nationalistic ideals in him.
Weizmann pursued science, but faced quotas restricting Jewish students in Russia. He studied Chemistry in Germany, earning a PhD magna cum laude from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He taught Russian and science to support himself and later lectured at Geneva University. In 1904, he joined the University of Manchester, becoming a British subject.
Weizmann identified as a Jew first, regardless of his ties to Russia, Germany, Switzerland, and Britain. A skilled chemist, he devised a method to produce acetone from maize during World War I, aiding the British munitions industry. He leveraged this achievement to gain political influence, advocating for a Jewish homeland. His efforts contributed to the 1917 Balfour Declaration, supporting a Jewish state in regional Palestine (א״י), though Britain’s intentions were questioned due to conflicting agreements like Sykes-Picot and side-promises to Arabs.
Active in Zionist circles since university, Weizmann opposed Theodor Herzl’s idea of a Jewish State in Uganda, insisting on the Land of Israel as the sole Jewish homeland. As a prominent figure in the @wzo.official, he negotiated with Arab leaders and observed treaties post-World War I.
Despite being seen as pro-British, Weizmann’s advocacy during World War II included developing synthetic rubber and encouraging Jewish participation in the British Army. His youngest son,
#RAF pilot, died in the war.
Weizmann lost th Congress leadership by 1948 but maintained influence, securing President Truman’s support for Israel. His efforts led to U.S. recognition of Israel and a significant loan. Elected Israel’s first ceremonial President, he served alongside PM David Ben-Gurion until his death in 1952.
Weizmann’s legacy endures in chemistry and as a Founding Father of Israel. The @weizmanninstitute in Rehovot continues his scientific legacy.
✍🏽 @matthewk1000
#onthisday, 1887, Jewish author and activist Emma Lazarus passed away at 38. May her memory be a blessing and an inspiration.
Born into a sizable Jewish family of Sephardic descent Emma was the fourth of seven children. Lazarus’ ancestors arrived from Germany and Portugal. She descends from one of the twenty three Portugese Jews that came to New Amsterdam after escaping the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition.
Lazarus is perhaps best known for her sonnet “The New Colossus” a poem she wrote in 1883 so as to help fund construction for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. She initially declined to donate an original work, a request from the Statue of Liberty Committee which was auctioning off works in order to pay for the pedestal. The work she was doing with refugees in Europe persuaded her to change her mind. The sonnets most famous line: “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” along with the rest of the poem is imprinted on a plaque in its museum.
Swipe to learn more about her via her poetry and writing.
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#jewish #jewishhistory #emmalazarus
#onthisday, 1887, Jewish author and activist Emma Lazarus passed away at 38. May her memory be a blessing and an inspiration.
Born into a sizable Jewish family of Sephardic descent Emma was the fourth of seven children. Lazarus’ ancestors arrived from Germany and Portugal. She descends from one of the twenty three Portugese Jews that came to New Amsterdam after escaping the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition.
Lazarus is perhaps best known for her sonnet “The New Colossus” a poem she wrote in 1883 so as to help fund construction for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. She initially declined to donate an original work, a request from the Statue of Liberty Committee which was auctioning off works in order to pay for the pedestal. The work she was doing with refugees in Europe persuaded her to change her mind. The sonnets most famous line: “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” along with the rest of the poem is imprinted on a plaque in its museum.
Swipe to learn more about her via her poetry and writing.
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#jewish #jewishhistory #emmalazarus
“There is nothing new under the sun”
November 10, 1975. The insidious term, “Zionism = Racism” was coined by the passage of the Arab and Soviet-sponsored United Nations resolution which declared Zionism a “form of racism and racial discrimination.”
Zionism is the Jewish national movement of rebirth and renewal in the Land of Israel – the historical birthplace of the Jewish people. It is an ancient Jewish idea rooted in the principles of freedom, return, righteousness, and social justice. Therefore, it is inaccurate to say that Zionism is a racist ideology.
The highly politicized resolution was aimed at denying Israel its political legitimacy by attacking its moral basis for existence. The resolution, which former-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan described as a “low point” in the history of the UN, was finally repealed on December 16, 1991.
The false and biased charge of racism is a deliberate effort to delegitimize the right of Jews to a national homeland and undermine the Jewish nationalist movement.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN at the time, Chaim Herzog, let the assembly know just that with this famous speech where he ended by ripping up the UN Resolution that was passed on this day on the Assembly stage in NY.
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“There is nothing new under the sun”
November 10, 1975. The insidious term, “Zionism = Racism” was coined by the passage of the Arab and Soviet-sponsored United Nations resolution which declared Zionism a “form of racism and racial discrimination.”
Zionism is the Jewish national movement of rebirth and renewal in the Land of Israel – the historical birthplace of the Jewish people. It is an ancient Jewish idea rooted in the principles of freedom, return, righteousness, and social justice. Therefore, it is inaccurate to say that Zionism is a racist ideology.
The highly politicized resolution was aimed at denying Israel its political legitimacy by attacking its moral basis for existence. The resolution, which former-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan described as a “low point” in the history of the UN, was finally repealed on December 16, 1991.
The false and biased charge of racism is a deliberate effort to delegitimize the right of Jews to a national homeland and undermine the Jewish nationalist movement.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN at the time, Chaim Herzog, let the assembly know just that with this famous speech where he ended by ripping up the UN Resolution that was passed on this day on the Assembly stage in NY.
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November 4, 1995. Following a peace rally, Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin is assassinated by Yigal Amir at the formerly named, Kings of Israel Square, now named Rabin Square.
Incited by the movement within Israel against the Oslo Accords, Amir remains in Israeli jail serving a life sentence to this day convinced that his acts were justified.
The late PM Yitzhak Rabin was the first Sabra (Native Israeli) to become Prime Minister of Israel. Born in Jerusalem in what was the British Mandate of Palestine in 1922, he was in the Palmach, IDF, Minister of Defense, PM in the 70’s,and Ambassador the US. He was re-elected as Prime Minister in 1992 and risked everything to shake hands with known terrorist, Yasser Arafat, in 1993 in the now infamous, Oslo Accords.
Rabin’s government moved quickly to establish secret, direct negotiations with members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), still considered a terrorist group at the time. By 1993, news broke that Israel and the PLO had been meeting directly in Oslo, Norway. On September 13, 1993, the first part of the agreements (Oslo I) was signed, prompting a handshake between PM Rabin and PLO Chairman and Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn.
Many issues were not finalized or fully discussed - issues such as Jerusalem’s final status, final borders, settlements, and refugees - according to Oslo I, a permanent agreement was to be set by 1996.
Soon enough, the plan became a key issue for the opposition in Israel, the Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu. A significant portion of the Orthodox community in Israel was also vehemently against the plan, some even denouncing Rabin as a traitor deserving of death.
Ultimately, following a peace rally in Tel Aviv, Yigal Amir approached Yitzchak Rabin and shot him three times as Rabin was leaving and entering his car.
The Oslo process was soon derailed by Rabin’s absence and remains to this day, an incomplete plan. At the same time, a lack of full support from both sides compounded by Arafat’s incitement that led to the 2nd Intifada, played a major role in derailing any success Oslo would have to this day.
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November 4, 1995. Following a peace rally, Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin is assassinated by Yigal Amir at the formerly named, Kings of Israel Square, now named Rabin Square.
Incited by the movement within Israel against the Oslo Accords, Amir remains in Israeli jail serving a life sentence to this day convinced that his acts were justified.
The late PM Yitzhak Rabin was the first Sabra (Native Israeli) to become Prime Minister of Israel. Born in Jerusalem in what was the British Mandate of Palestine in 1922, he was in the Palmach, IDF, Minister of Defense, PM in the 70’s,and Ambassador the US. He was re-elected as Prime Minister in 1992 and risked everything to shake hands with known terrorist, Yasser Arafat, in 1993 in the now infamous, Oslo Accords.
Rabin’s government moved quickly to establish secret, direct negotiations with members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), still considered a terrorist group at the time. By 1993, news broke that Israel and the PLO had been meeting directly in Oslo, Norway. On September 13, 1993, the first part of the agreements (Oslo I) was signed, prompting a handshake between PM Rabin and PLO Chairman and Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn.
Many issues were not finalized or fully discussed - issues such as Jerusalem’s final status, final borders, settlements, and refugees - according to Oslo I, a permanent agreement was to be set by 1996.
Soon enough, the plan became a key issue for the opposition in Israel, the Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu. A significant portion of the Orthodox community in Israel was also vehemently against the plan, some even denouncing Rabin as a traitor deserving of death.
Ultimately, following a peace rally in Tel Aviv, Yigal Amir approached Yitzchak Rabin and shot him three times as Rabin was leaving and entering his car.
The Oslo process was soon derailed by Rabin’s absence and remains to this day, an incomplete plan. At the same time, a lack of full support from both sides compounded by Arafat’s incitement that led to the 2nd Intifada, played a major role in derailing any success Oslo would have to this day.
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