History events
-1314 BCE — (15 Nisan 2447) One year before the Exodus, when Moses was tending flocks at the foot of Mount Sinai, God appeared to him and commanded him to return to Egypt, to stand before Pharaoh and demand: «Let My people go, that they may serve Me.» For seven days and seven nights, Moses argued with God, claiming he was unfit for the task before finally accepting the mission
1615 — (4th of Iyar, 5375) Louis XIII. of France issues edict forbidding Christians under penalty of death, to shelter Jews or converse with them
1803 — (1th of Iyar, 5563) Poll-tax in territories of Brunswick-Lüneburg abolished
1848 — (20 Nisan 5608) Pogrom in Pressburg (modern Bratislava). It began during a discussion in the municipality about granting equality to local Jews. One Jew was killed, several were injured; much of the community’s property, including the building of the Jewish school, was destroyed. The riots lasted for two days. The municipality also ordered Jews renting homes outside the ghetto to return.
1898 — (1 Iyar 5658) In Basel, the conference preceding the Second Zionist Congress began. It was decided to grant voting rights to female participants of the congress. In other words, the Zionists were 20 years ahead of the U.S. in the issue of women’s equality.
1905 — (18 Nisan 5665) Pogrom in Zhytomyr, with 20 killed and hundreds injured, including 15 who died in self-defense. The Rabbi of Zhytomyr issued an appeal for help. Fifteen young men from the town of Chudnov responded, but they did not reach the city; on the way, they were attacked by peasants from the village of Tatarinovka, and ten were killed. One of the peasants shouted at the time, «…cut the Jews, I just came from Zhytomyr, where they cut Jews like dogs.» The pogrom in Zhytomyr lasted for three days.
1920 — (5 Iyar 5680) In Moscow, delegates of the illegal All-Russian Zionist conference were arrested. Fifty delegates and 25 honorary guests and observers had arrived from all over the country disguised as civil servants. They were held in custody for several months, with 19 of the most active sentenced to forced labor for terms ranging from 6 months to 5 years. The elderly and sick (Rabbi Y.I. Maze, chairman of the Moscow Zionist organization E. Cherikover) were released immediately.
1921 — (15 Nisan 5681) The Russian government adopted a resolution to close traditional religious Jewish educational institutions, including cheders and yeshivas.
1936 — (1 Iyar 5696) The Mandate authorities evacuated the Jews of Hebron, fearing for their lives due to the onset of Arab riots.
1940 — (15th of Nisan, 5700) The Nazis ordered the Jews to jump in cesspool at the Stutthof Labor Camp. The short ones drowned
1946 — (22th of Nisan, 5706) Forces of the Irgun including Dov Bel Gruner attacked the police station in Ramat Gan. Two policemen were killed and Gruner, who was wounded in the attack, was taken prisoner
1948 — (14 Nisan 5708) Passover Seder in Jerusalem. 2 pounds of potatoes, 0.5 pounds of fish, 4 pounds of matzah, 1.5 ounces of dried fruits, 0.5 pounds of meat, and 0.5 pounds of flour. An eyewitness recalled, «For the citizens of Jerusalem, accustomed to deprivation, this Passover food set seemed royal. However, there was no particular joy. On the brink of their national freedom, the people of Jerusalem sat around festive tables in the breaks between nighttime shelling of the city… But still, today was different. They opened the door, as had been done for generations, to welcome Elijah, and there was no fear. ‘Once we were slaves, but today we are free people,’ they said.»
1948 — (14 Nisan 5708) Representatives of the Haganah and the Czechoslovak government signed an agreement for arms supplies, including ten fighter jets with ammunition and bombs. The cost for the ten fighter jets was $1,800,000.
1953 — (8 Iyar 5713) In Ramat Gan, a ceremony was held to name one of the streets and a park in honor of the Righteous Among the Nations Giovanni Palatucci, who, while serving as an inspector in the Foreigners Department of the police station in Fiume during the war, saved 5,000 Jews from death. Arrested by the Gestapo in 1944, he died in Dachau at the age of 36. The ceremony concluded with the planting of 36 trees along the street. The first two trees were planted by Giovanni’s uncles, who also participated in saving Jews.
1953 — (8 Iyar 5713) The «Jerusalem Post» reported that: the last seven days on the Israeli border had been the bloodiest for a long time; for example, in Jerusalem, Tzvi Gennauer and his niece were killed right in their yard; a three-year survey of the land of Israel conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture was nearly completed.
1957 — (22 Nisan 5717) Construction was completed on the oil pipeline from Eilat to Beer Sheva. In Beer Sheva, the oil was transferred into vehicles and delivered to the oil refineries in Haifa. Oil began arriving in Israel following the reopening of the Port of Eilat, which had been closed during the Sinai Campaign. This, in turn, allowed for the easing of the electricity rationing that had been in place at the time.
2001 — (30 Nisan 5761) Terrorist attack. Car explosion in Or Yehuda. That same year, cars planted with explosives by Arabs exploded in Jerusalem on May 8, May 27, August 22, September 3, in Yehud on July 2, and in Ma’ale Adumim on June 1.
2025 — (25 Nisan 5785) Due to dry and hot weather in Israel, a series of powerful fires broke out: in the Shfela Valley north of Tel Aviv, in the surroundings of Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem; traffic was restricted on highways 1, 38, and 44. Train service between Lod and Beer Sheva was halted; the Einot Givaton nature reserve was completely destroyed, and it was restored and reopened in 2023 after ten years of work, renowned for its rare wet habitat and biological richness
People
1571 — (28th of Nisan, 5331) In Venice Diana Rachel and Isaac of Modena gave birth to Leon (Judah Areyh) of Modena, famed Italian scholar, rabbi and Poet
1620 — (20th of Nisan, 5380) Hayyim ben Joseph Vital passed away at Damascus. Born at Calabria in 1543, he was a foremost exponent of Lurianic Kabbalah, recording much of his master’s teachings
1661 — (4th of Iyra, 5421) Birthdate of Issachar Berend Lehmann, the native of Essen, Westphalia whose many accomplishments led him to become “the Court Jews for Elector Augustus II, the Strong of Saxony
1720 — (26th of Nisan, 5480) Birthdate of Elijah (Eliyahu) ben Shlomo Zalman «Kremer» better known as the Vilna Gaon
1821 — (21 Nisan 5581) Louis Lewandowski was born in Poland — a composer of liturgical music. He died on February 4, 1894.
1856 — M. Margules was born — an Austrian meteorologist who made significant contributions to the study of the nature of cyclones. He died on October 4, 1920.
1891 — (15 Nisan 5651) Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook was born — one of the spiritual leaders of religious Zionism. Son and student of Rabbi Abraham Kook. He died on March 9, 1982.
1896 — Mate Zalka was born — a Hungarian revolutionary. He died in Spain on June 11, 1937.
1904 — Ivor Goldsmid was born — a British film director, writer, and one of the strongest table tennis players of his time. In 1926, he became one of the initiators of the creation of the International Table Tennis Federation, was elected its first president, and held this position for over 40 years. He died on November 5, 1984.
1918 — Maurice Kessel was born in Paris — the future writer Maurice Druon. He died on April 14, 2009.
2024 — (15 Nisan 5784) War with Gaza. Day two hundred. In a battle in the northern sector, reserve sergeant Salem Alkrishat, 42, from Abu Rubai, a scout of the Northern Brigade in the Gaza division, was killed