History events
1420 (or 29 January 1421) (17 Shevat 5180) — The Jews of Zaragoza were accused of disrespecting the king: instead of greeting him with Torah scrolls as required, they allegedly carried empty cases. However, an inspection conducted in the monarch’s presence confirmed that the scrolls were indeed inside the cases. In memory of this event—regarded as a miracle—an annual «Purim of Zaragoza» was established, celebrated on 17–18 Shevat
1484 — (6th Adar 5244) The first printed edition of tractate Bezah of the Babylonian Talmud was published in Soncino Italy
1492 (4 Adar -1 5252) — The grammar Petah Debarai was published in Naples
1499 — (22th Shevat 5259) The Jews were scheduled to be expelled from Nuremberg but the expulsion was delayed until “Laetare Sunday, 1499.”
1524 (28 Shevat 5284) — David Reuveni began his career as a false prophet
1697 — (21th Shevat 5457) In Great Britain, a site is acquired for the first Ashkenazi cemetery. “Moses Levy bought a plot of garden land from an English army officer” which ‘was next to the Sephardi Cemetery
1840 — (28th Shevat 5600) “A report was spread” in Damascus that Father Thomas and his servant “were last seen in the Jewish quarter of the city” which “was sufficient to excite the wrath of” those “who had long nourished a bitter animosity against the Jews” and resulted in the arrest of Jewish barber. After having received “500 blows” and the promise of a pardon “if he would disclose the names of his co-religionists who had” murdered the pair, the barber “denounced seven persons who had required human blood for the Passover festival.” (Modern versions date these events as having begun on February 5. This is based on an account published in 1883)
1852 (12 Shevat 5612) — A Jewish school opened at the B’nai Jeshurun synagogue in Upper West Side, Manhattan (New York)
1918 — (20th Shevat 5678) As it prepares to embark for the Front, The British Legion, a Jewish military unit serving in His Majesty’s forces, was ordered to London to march through the East End before proceeding to Southampton
1931 — (15th Shevat 5691) An announcement was made today at a meeting of “Jewish athletic clubs and youth organizations” held at the 92nd Street Y.M.H.A., that the “first world-wide Jewish Olympic games will be held in Tel Aviv next summer and that these groups had come together to “organize the first American chapter of the World Maccabee Union.”
1938 — (1th Adar 5698) The Palestine Post reported that British troops, assisted by aircraft and police, started a major anti-terrorist campaign in the hills around Jenin. Two British soldiers and some 45 Arab brigands were killed. There were also various shooting incidents in Jerusalem; the Revisionist Conference, held in Prague, Vladimir Jabotinsky opposed partition and urged Britain to recognize the whole of Palestine as a Jewish country. «There is plenty of room,» he argued, «for both Jews and Arabs to live together.»; тhe Association of Romanian Architects and Engineers expelled all Jewish members
1939 — (13th Shevat 5699) In Prague, “two far reaching decrees – one aimed at depriving most Jews of their Czecho-Slovak citizenship and the other at forcing all immigrants to leave the country within six months – are scheduled to be proclaimed today by the government” which will have a devastating effect on the 10,000 Jews who have become naturalized citizens since 1918
1942 (15 Shevat 5702) — The Shoah. In Zlatopol (Kirovohrad Oblast), 202 Jews were murdered with gas. On the same day, 880 Jews from Odessa were forcibly brought to the village of Bernadovka (Berezovsky District, Odessa Oblast).
1943 (27 Shevat 5703) — The Shoah. The first armed resistance by Jews in the Białystok Ghetto against the Nazis (alternatively dated 5 February, 30 Shevat)
1948 (22 Shevat 5708) — War of Independence. Arabs detonated a car bomb outside the Palestine Post newspaper building in Jerusalem, destroying it. Nevertheless, the paper published the next day: surviving staff rescued some manuscripts and printing plates and retyped the content. Though reduced to a small leaflet, its headline—set in the usual typeface—still read «Palestine Post».
1949 — (3th Shevat 5709) The Israeli Government in Tel Aviv announced that West Jerusalem was no longer ‘occupied territory’ but an integral part of Israel under civil administration
1949 — (3th Shevat 5709) «The British military administration in Libya allowed Libyan Jews to travel to Israel. This brought an end to travel restrictions that had been in force since the start of the Israel War of Independence. According to Haim Abravanel «on the first day of legal emigration: ‘It was snowing for the first time in Tripoli and under the white flakes blown by the wind thousands of poor Jewish wretches ran towards the street where the polices were…to get their passports at last» and sold all of their possessions including «furniture, businesses assets and work tools.» In the next few days, 8,000 passports were issued to Jews who had no idea how they would reach Israel
1953 (17 Shevat 5713) — A letter from representatives of the Soviet Jewish community was scheduled to appear in Pravda. It (1) condemned the «doctors‑plot» as murderous slander, and (2) expressed full support for the state’s policies toward Jews, whatever those policies might be. The letter was never published, though draft versions survive.
1954 (29 Shevat 5714) — Amendments to the Law of Return made it harder for individuals with criminal records to enter the country
1955 — (10th Shevat 5715) Pinchas Lavon resigned as Israeli Minister of Defense after bitter disagreements with David Ben Gurion, chief of staff Moshe Dayan, and Director General of his office, Shimon Peres. What became known as the Lavon affair concerned a controversial Israeli operation within Egypt. The Lavon Affair and its investigation commission eventually led to the fall of the government and brought about Ben Gurion’s resignation in 1963
1957 — (1th Adar 5717) The UN adopted a resolution calling for Israeli troops to leave Egypt. This was the beginning of the end of the 1956 Sinai Campaign
2000 (26 Shevat 5760) — Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben‑Ami announced the recall of Israel’s ambassador from Austria in protest against the far‑right Freedom Party’s entry into parliament.
2004 (10 Shevat 5764) — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon invited Haaretz journalist Yoel Marcus and, for the first time publicly, discussed ending Israeli settlement presence in Gaza. He stated his intention to dismantle 17 settlements in the Gaza Strip and 3 in Samaria.
2006 (4 Shevat 5766) — Hezbollah militants shelled IDF positions near the border mountain of Mount Dov. An Israeli soldier was wounded; more than 30 shells were fired. IDF troops returned fire
2012 — (9th Shevat 5772) About 200,000 missiles are aimed at Israel at any given time, a top Israel Defense Forces officer said today, adding that Iran’s ability to obtain nuclear weapons was solely dependent on the will of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
2017 (6 Shevat 5777) — The container ship Maersk Elba, one of the world’s largest vessels, arrived at the Port of Haifa carrying 13,000 containers. It was the largest ship ever to dock at Haifa.
2024 (23 Shevat 5784) — Gaza War, Day 119. East of Khan Yunis, IDF strikes destroyed the Umm Al‑Qura factory and the Al‑Awda school. The Israeli Navy shelled targets in the western central Gaza Strip. Soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade eliminated over 20 fighters in close combat west of Khan Yunis; arms and ammunition depots were found. Troops of the Givati Brigade, supported by air power, destroyed a group of fighters who had earlier launched anti‑tank missiles west of Khan Yunis. In the Shati area of Gaza City, soldiers of the 401st Brigade eliminated about ten terrorists.
2025 (4 Shevat 5785) — After a long hiatus due to the risk of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, train service resumed from Sderot station in a northerly direction
People
1644 (5 Adar 1 5404) — Isaac Cantarini, physician, rabbi, writer, and historian, was born in Padua. He practiced medicine for 59 years, authored numerous short medical works, and wrote over 400 medical responses (in Latin). He composed nearly 8 volumes of sermons (mostly in Italian) and was frequently consulted on ritual matters. He published a Latin refutation of Jacques Geuze’s book, which accused Jews of ritual murder. He died on 8 June 1723
1740 — (15th Shevat 5500) Charles the Bourbon, King of Naples and of the two Sicilies, invites the Jews back for fifty years
1809 — (16th Shevat 5569) Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, composer, born
1835 — Julius Vogel, the first Jew to serve as Prime Minister of New Zealand, was born. He held office twice: 1873–1875 and for six months in 1876. He died in 1899.
1875 (27 Shevat 5635) — Fritz Kreisler, Austrian violinist and composer, was born. He died on 29 January 1962.
1883 — Mikhail Gnesin, composer and educator, was born. He died on 5 May 1957.
1901 (13 Shevat 5661) — Jascha Heifetz, violinist, was born. He died on 10 December 1987.
1905 — Alice Zinovyevna Rosenbaum (later known as Ayn Rand), American writer, was born in St. Petersburg. She died in 1982.
1906 (7 Shevat 5666) — Zerach Warhaftig, rabbi, lawyer, and Israeli statesman, was born in Volkovysk (Grodno region). He signed the Israeli Declaration of Independence, served as a Knesset member in many convocations, held ministerial posts, and was awarded the Israel Prize. He died on 26 September 2002.
1915 (18 Shevat 5675) — Abba Eban (Aubrey Solomon), prominent Israeli politician and public figure, was born. He served as Foreign Minister (1966–1974), Ambassador to the U.S. and to the UN (1950–1959). He died on 17 November 2002.
1972 — Dana International, Israeli pop singer, was born.
1980 (15 Shevat 5740) — Hannah Rovina, famed Israeli actress, died at age 90. She arrived in Eretz Israel in 1928 as part of the Habima Theatre troupe and received the Israel Prize in 1956.
1998 — N. Rappoport, a 23-year-old immigrant from Russia and an IDF soldier, was killed in southern Lebanon. He arrived in the country in 1996, secured service in combat units, and was assigned to the Golani Brigade