History events
66 (16 Av 3826) — The Jewish War. “The next day (on the 15th day of Loos — 16 Av, 26 July), they attacked the Castle of Antonia, stormed it after a two‑day siege, killed the entire garrison, and set the citadel itself on fire. Then they surrounded the palace, where the royal troops had taken refuge, divided into four large groups, and tried to breach the wall. Those inside, faced with the large number of attackers, did not dare to make a sortie; instead, they posted guards on the parapets and towers, shot at the attackers, and killed a considerable number of the rebels beneath the wall. The fighting continued unabated both day and night…” (Josephus Flavius).
1264 (1 Av 5024) — Expulsion of Jews from the city of Greifswald in Pomerania. Duke Barnim I “heeded” the complaints of local residents about Jewish competition in trade
1305 — (4st of Av, 5065) Today, Rashba, ….. who was opposed to the philosophic-rationalistic approach to Judaism often associated with Rambam, and who was part of the beit din (rabbinical court) in Barcelona that forbade men younger than 25 from studying secular philosophy or the natural sciences (although an exception was made for those who studied medicine) wrote: ‘In that city [Barcelona] are those who write iniquity about the Torah and if there would be a heretic writing books, they should be burnt as if they were the book of sorcerers.’” Rashba is the Hebrew acronym for the title and name of Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet, a medieval rabbi, halakhist, and Talmudist. The Rashba was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1235. He became a successful banker and leader of Spanish Jewry of his time. He served as rabbi of the Main Synagogue of Barcelona for 50 years. His teachers were the Ramban and Rabbeinu Yona. Among his numerous students were the Ritva, Rabbeinu Behaye, and the Ra’ah. The Rashba was considered an outstanding rabbinic authority, and more than 3,000 of his responsa are known to be extant. Questions were addressed to him from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, and even from Asia Minor. His responsa, which cover the entire gamut of Jewish life, are concise and widely quoted by halakhic authorities. The Rashba’s responsa also illustrate his opposition to messianism and prophetic pretensions as a general phenomenon, with examples against Nissim ben Abraham and Abraham Abulafia. The Rashba defended Rambam (Maimonides) during contemporary debates over his works, and he authorized the translation of Rambam’s commentary on the Mishnah from Arabic to Hebrew.” He passed away in 1310
1555 — (8st of Av, 5315) The Jews of Rome were forced into a ghetto by order of Pope Paul IV
1806 — (11st of Av, 5566) First sitting of the Assembly of Notable
1807 (20 Tammuz 5567) — The first Jewish settlers from the western provinces of Russia — 108 men and 149 women — set out for Little Russia, to the Kherson region, where the government granted them the right to establish agricultural settlements
1918 — (17st of Av, 5678) It was reported today that “the Jewish colony of Merchavya in Northern Palestine had been attacked by a band of robbers, one of whom was captured and handed over to the Turkish district commandant who released him the next day
1935 (25 Tammuz 5695) — In London, the “Free Land League” was established, with the sole mission of creating, while there was still time, a refuge for European Jews in any available and suitable territory. In 1938, after considering many regions worldwide, it was decided that the most suitable location for this purpose was the Kimberley Plateau in the northern part of Western Australia. The project remained unimplemented.
1941 (2 Av 5701) — The Shoah. The evacuation of Jews from Vashkovtsi (Chernivtsi Oblast) to the east began.
1944 (6 Av 5704) — The Shoah. The Radom Ghetto (a city in central Poland) was liquidated. About 4 000 Jews who remained there were sent to Auschwitz
1946 — (27th of Tammuz, 5706) The Czech government, through the influence of its foreign Minister Jan Masaryk, opened its borders to Jews wishing to flee Poland. Within 3 months over 70,000 Jews using transportation paid by the Czechs would use this route on the way to Eretz-Israel.
1948 — (19th of Tammuz, 5708) The Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums (IDAM) of the Ministry of Education which “took over the functions of the Department of Antiquities of the British Mandate in Israel” was founded today with archaeologist Shmuel Yeivin serving as director
1948 — (19th of Tammuz, 5708) Operation Shoter came to a successful conclusion as the three villages south of Haifa in an area called the “Little Triangle” surrendered to Israeli forces
1951 (22 Tammuz 5711) — The kibbutz Nahal Oz was founded near Sderot.
1954 (25 Tammuz 5714) — An agreement was signed between the Government of Israel and the World Zionist Organization, defining the functions and role of this organization and the Jewish Agency in the State.
1959 (20 Tammuz 5719) — Nasser once again promised to destroy Israel and declared the establishment of the State of Israel a “terrible crime born of the betrayal of the world’s peoples by imperialism”.
1967 (18 Tammuz 5727) — The Knesset Statute was approved.
1972 (15 Tammuz 5732) — Reacting to the expulsion of Soviet military advisers from Egypt, Golda Meir addressed Anwar Sadat from the Knesset podium with a proposal to resolve the differences between the two countries.
1973 (26 Tammuz 5733) — Due to a severe khamsin (hot desert wind), water reservoirs in Jerusalem were completely emptied. The municipality introduced water rationing in some city districts and threatened to fine drivers washing their cars.
1983 (16 Av 5743) — Terrorist attack. A retaliatory action by settlers following the murder of yeshiva student Aaron Valovoy in Hebron. Students at the Islamic University in Hebron were fired upon. Three people were killed and 33 wounded.
1992 (25 Tammuz 5752) — The 32nd Zionist Congress opened in Jerusalem
2002 — (17 Av 5762) Rabbi Yosef Dikstein, along with his wife and six children, was on their way to visit friends in the settlement of Maon. Near the Zif intersection, their car was shot at by Arabs. Yosef’s wife and their 9-year-old son were killed, and Yosef later died from his injuries. Two other children were lightly injured. The community religious settlement of Maon was established in 1981 on the border of the Judean Desert and the Negev Desert, in the southern part of the Judean Mountains, 41 km from Jerusalem
2010 (15 Av 5770) — The World Sailing Championship in the 420 class opened in Haifa. It was attended by 340 sailors — 170 teams from 22 countries.
2017 (3 Av 5777) — The Knesset approved the Law on 9 May. Victory Day is officially celebrated in Israel at the state level and has been added to the register of national holidays.
2018 (14 Av 5778) — Terrorist attack in the Adam settlement, north of Jerusalem. An Arab armed with a knife killed one person and wounded another. The terrorist was shot dead by a resident of the settlement.
People
1719 — (21th of Av, 5479) Rabbi Samuel Filorintin, author of Olat Shemel passed away today
1858 (15 Av 5618) — Baron Lionel Nathan Rothschild became the first Jew in the British Parliament to take the oath on the “Jewish Bible”
1874 — Sergei Koussevitzky, conductor, was born. Died June 4, 1951.
1885 — André Maurois, writer, was born. Died October 9, 1967.
1895 — J. Adler, artist, was born. Died April 25, 1949.
1898 — A. Tyshler, avant-garde artist, was born. Died June 23, 1980.
1928 — Stanley Kubrick, American film director, was born. Died March 7, 1999.
1928 (9 Av 5688) — Netiva Ben Yehuda, an Israeli writer, was born in Tel Aviv. Died 2011
1929 — (18th of Tammuz, 5689) Birthdate of Netiva Ben Yehuda an Israeli author, editor, and former soldier of the Palmach” whose “writings, including a dictionary of Hebrew slang (written with Dan Ben Amotz) and several books on pre-state Israeli music, made her one of the aforementioned fighting force’s most famous members
2002 (17 Av 5762) — Rabbi Yosef Dickstein, his wife, and their six children were travelling to visit friends in the Maon settlement. Near the Zif crossroads, their car was fired upon by Arabs. Yosef’s wife, Hani, and their 9‑year‑old son Shuval‑Zion were killed; Yosef died later from his wounds. Two other children were lightly wounded. The religious community settlement of Maon was established in 1981 on the border of the Judean Desert and the Negev Desert, in the southern part of the Judean Hills at an elevation of about 780 m, 41 km from Jerusalem
2006 — (1st of Av, 5766) In an act of unbelievable self-less courage, Major Roi Klie threw himself on a live grenade, sacrificing his life so that his comrades would live. The action took place on the second day of the Battle of Bint Jbeil
2010 — (15th of Av, 5770) Six members of the IDF — Lt. Col (Res.) Avner Goldman, 48, from Modi’in; Lt. Col. Daniel Shipenbauer, 43, from Moshav Kidron; Maj. Yahel Keshet, 33, from Hatzerim; Maj. Lior Shai, 28, from Tel-Nof; Lt. Nir Lakrif, 25, from Tel- Nof; and Staff Sergeant Oren Cohen, 24, from Rehovot – were killed when their helicopter crashed in Roumania
2025 (1 Av 5785) — War in Gaza. Day 659. Soldiers of the Golani Brigade were killed: Captain Amir Saad, 22 years old, and Sergeant Inon Nuriel Vana, 20 years old. Another soldier was moderately wounded. On the same day, Reserve Sergeant Bezalel Yehoshua Mosbacher, 32 years old, who had been severely wounded on 19 July, died