History events
-373 BCE — (1 Iyar, 3388) The construction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem begins (as recorded in the Book of Ezra 3:8)
1488 — (11th of Nisan, 5248) Almost a year after publishing Perush Rashi al ha-Torah (Rashi’s commentary on the Torah, Joshua Soncino finished printing “a complete Biblia Hebraica” (Hebrew Bible)
1515 — (7 Iyar, 5275) Zorzi Emo, a resident of Venice, proposes to the authorities that Jews be separated from the rest of the population by relocating them to the island of Giudecca (into a ghetto). Anselmo del Banco, one of the wealthiest Jewish merchants of the early 16th century, along with other bankers, immediately appeals to the Council of Ministers of the Venetian Republic, speaking against the proposal on behalf of their coreligionists. They argue that living on Giudecca, which houses barracks for mercenary troops, is too dangerous; and if relocation is inevitable, they would prefer to live on Murano. At that time, Murano was considered the garden of Venice, famed not only for glassmaking but also for the luxurious villas being built there in great numbers for the patricians. The proposal is temporarily shelved
1593 — (30th of Nisan, 5353) The first group of Marranos led by Jacob Tirado arrived in Amsterdam, Holland. This group was the first Jews to settle in Amsterdam after the Spanish Expulsion. Moses Uri Halevi soon joined them and helped arrange for prayer services
1783 — (20th of Nisan, 5543) The Jews sent a petition to Emperor Joseph II which “expressed their gratitude…for his favors and reminding him of his principle that religion should not be interfered with, asked permission to wear beards
1818 — (16 Nisan, 5578) By a decree of the Senate of Russia, it is forbidden to assign Christian debtors to Jews as laborers to work off their debts, as it is «contrary to the principles of the dominant church.»
1850 — (10 Iyar, 5610) Anti-Jewish riots erupt in Pressburg (Bratislava). The municipality and the populace demand that Jews close shops established outside the ghetto. The military temporarily restores order; however, the city council refuses to take responsibility for maintaining it unless the government orders all Jews to close their businesses, arguing that prior to 1840, Jews did not have the privilege of maintaining shops outside the ghetto. In 1851, Jews are ultimately granted permission to open shops outside the ghetto; in September of the same year, the separate administration of the ghetto is abolished and its territory is transferred to the municipality.
1871 — (1 Iyar, 5631) Jews in Bavaria are granted full legal equality.
1897 — (20 Nisan, 5657) The first issue of the Yiddish-language newspaper Forverts (The Forward) is published in New York. For a century, Forverts remains one of the most widely read Yiddish newspapers in America; its circulation reaches 80,000 copies in 1951, and 44,000 in 1970. Along with commentary, current news, and essays on Jewish life, the newspaper publishes stories and novels by Jewish writers.
1905 — (17 Nisan, 5665) A pogrom takes place in Simferopol. The pretext is a rumor about a Jewish boy defiling an icon. The pogrom is eventually stopped by Jewish self-defense units and troops
1915 — (8th of Iyar, 5675) “Seventy Jews” who are seeking to emigrate to America or Australia arrived in Alexandria today from Jerusalem and described the “terrible economic situation” with flour costing fifteen dollars a sack, potatoes being sold for “six times the ordinary cost” and the appearance of huge swarms of locusts
1933 — (26 Nisan, 5693) The Holocaust. A law is passed in Germany forbidding health insurance funds from employing Jewish doctor
1936 — (30 Nisan, 5696) Arabs set fire to fields in the Beit HaShita area. The settlers offer no resistance to the arson, which further emboldens the local fellahin, encouraged by the impunity. The Haganah is forced to confront the need for guards to operate outside the settlements.
1936 — (30 Nisan, 5696) The official start of the general Arab strike. The Arabs demand that the British abandon their plans for a Jewish national home in Palestine, as outlined in the Balfour Declaration (or April 25)
1936 — (30th of Nisan, 5696) “At Jenin, on the main highway to Jerusalem, a large crowd of Arab villagers help up and stone Jewish buses, wounding two passengers”; “At 5 o’clock this morning a Jewish-owned cardboard factory near Tel Aviv was burned by Arabs.”; “A Jewish merchant in the old city of Jerusalem who tried to open his shop was beaten by young Arab agitators and forced to close.”
1938 — (21 Nisan, 5698) The Holocaust. A decree is published in Germany establishing penalties for Germans who assist in the «concealment of Jewish property» through the fictitious management of Jewish businesses.
1940 — (14th of Nisan, 5700) Ten members of the staff of Ben Shemen Youth village, including the director are sentenced to serve prison terms of up to seven years. The British had raided Ben Shemen in January and found weapons belonging to the Haganah. The prison sentences were for their role in hiding the weapons
1942 — (5 Iyar, 5702) The Holocaust. The Jewish quarter in Uman (Cherkasy region) is liquidated: over 1,500 Jews are executed. Approximately 700 Jews are forcibly relocated from Gvozdets (Ivano-Frankivsk region) to Kolomyia. Around the same time, about 1,500 Jews are likely relocated from Tysmenytsia to Ivano-Frankivsk
1946 — (21th of Nisan, 5706) Opening of Kibbutz Beitar in Bruna
1947 — (2th of Iyar, 5707) Another 769 illegal Jewish immigrants arriving on board the Galata in Eretz Israel were trans-shipped to Cyprus
1947 — (2 Iyar, 5707) In the Jerusalem central prison, Irgun fighter Meir Feinstein and Lehi fighter Moshe Barazani commit suicide, hours before their scheduled execution. Explosives were smuggled to them from outside for this purpose
1948 — (13 Nisan, 5708) War of Independence. Arab forces in Haifa surrender. The city is captured by the «Carmeli» Brigade. A commission from Tel Aviv, headed by Moshe Dayan, arrives with the task of stopping the looting of the abandoned Arab quarter—not to return property to its owners, but to organize it into official requisitions. Priority is given to seizing items needed by the army: vehicles, fuel, food, and blankets. The rest is distributed to kibbutzim that suffered from the invasion of Arab armies.
1948 — (13 Nisan, 5708) War of Independence. Operation «Yevusi» is launched by the «Harel» Brigade to capture several areas of Jerusalem and secure free passage in and out of the city. Several residential neighborhoods and the Saint Simon Monastery are taken. The operation concludes on May 1.
1949 — (23th of Nisan, 5709) Hebrew University reopened in temporary quarters in west Jerusalem
1950 — (5th of Iyar, 5710) Tonight, after the end of Shabbat, Israel began the celebration of her second year of independence. In his address to the nation, President Weizmann called upon Israelis “to celebrate in joy and happiness the great salvation wrought to our people after centuries of exile and affliction.” In Jerusalem, Joseph Sprinzak, Speaker of the Knesset, lit a torch on Mt. Herzl which lit from fire provided by veterans of the Masada Battalion which had defended Jerusalem from attacks by Egyptians and Arab Irregulars during the dark days of the siege of the City of David. Similar festivities took place throughout the country including open air performances, torch light parades and the sounding of sirens by ships of many nations docked in Israel’s major ports
1953 — (7th of Iyar, 5713) The Jerusalem Post reported that the «past seven days was the bloodiest week along Israeli borders for a long time.» Two Israelis were murdered at Mevuot Betar, the marauders were active in the South, in Galilee and Jerusalem; that Israel’s three-years-long land survey, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, had almost been completed.
1958 — (2 Iyar, 5718) Terrorist Attack. Jordanian soldiers kill two Israeli fishermen near Eilat (Aqaba).
1978 — (15 Nisan, 5738) Israeli singer Izhar Cohen wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Paris.
1985 — (1 Iyar, 5745) Israel and the United States sign a Free Trade Agreement.
1993 — (1 Iyar, 5753) The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is dedicated in Washington, D.C.
2002 — (10 Iyar, 5762) The end of Operation «Defensive Shield» is announced.
2002 — (10 Iyar, 5762) Chief Petty Officer Nir Krichman, of the 13th Naval Flotilla, is killed near the village of Atsira ash-Shamaliya.
2007 — (4 Iyar, 5767) As a siren sounds across Israel marking the start of Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, fireworks are set off in Haifa and Arab localities around Karmiel. As memorial ceremonies begin, firecrackers continue to fly into the sky.
2021 — (10 Iyar, 5781) Near the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem’s Old City, hundreds of Muslims attack police officers with stones, firecrackers, and Molotov cocktails after evening prayers. Clashes and attacks on police and border police near the Damascus Gate, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and on the Temple Mount continue until May 10. The immediate trigger for the conflict is the issue of disputed properties in the Sheikh Jarrah quarter of Jerusalem. This marks the beginning of the confrontation that leads to another conflict with Gaza and the anti-terrorist operation «Guardian of the Walls.»
2025 — (24 Nisan, 5785) The Gaza War. Day five hundred and sixty-six. Approximately 40 pieces of heavy engineering equipment (tractors and bulldozers) used by Hamas, including in the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, have been destroyed
People
1539 — (4 Iyar, 5299) Cristóbal García del Castillo, Marrano and conquistador, dies at the age of 69. He founded the city of Telde on the island of Gran Canaria
1585 — (23rd of Nisan or 3rd of Iyar 5345) Rabbi Moses (Trani) of Safed, author of “Kiryat Sefer” passed away today
1792 — (30th of Nisan, 5552) Uriah Phillips Levy, American commodore, born
1796 — (14th of Nisan, 5556) Isaac Adolphe Crémieux, French statesman, born
1904 — (7th of Iyar, 5664) Birthdate of Robert J. Oppenheimer — а renowned physicist. He passed in 1967 at the age of 62
1916 — (19 Nisan, 5676) Yehudi Menuhin is born—musician and violinist. He dies on March 12, 1999.
1948 — (13 Nisan, 5708) Captain David Kazischechter is killed in the battle for Haifa. The Neve David neighborhood in Haifa is named in his honor.
2002 — (10 Iyar, 5762) Chief Petty Officer Nir Krichman, of the 13th Naval Flotilla, is killed in Samaria