History events
-1313 BCE — (24 Nisan 2448) The Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. The people arrived at a place called Marah. There, the Almighty gave Moses several of the first commandments, including the law of the Sabbath
1144 — (16th of Nisan, 4904) This date marks the first ritual murder libel which took place in in Norwich, England. It set the pattern for subsequent accusations that would be made into the 20th century all across Europe. A 12-year-old boy, William, was found dead on Easter Eve, and the Jews were accused of killing him in a mock crucifixion. They were not, however, accused of using his blood for the making of matzos, although this would become a standard feature of later libels. It was later presumed by scholars that the boy died during a cataleptic fit or else he was killed by a sexual pervert. After Easter, a synod convened and summoned the Jews to the Church court. The Jews refused on the grounds that only the king had jurisdiction over them and they feared that they would be subjected to «trial by ordeal.» William was regarded as a martyred saint and a shrine was erected in his memory. In spite of this episode, there was no immediate violence against the Jews. Over the years, despite denunciations by various popes, ritual murder libels continued. Possession of a saint’s shrine bestowed great economic benefits on a town because sacred relics drew pilgrims who spent money on offerings, board, and lodging. For bones to be considered sacred relics they had to be killed by a heretic (i.e. a Jew). Such charges were used as an excuse to murder Jews as late as 1900
1349 — (2th of Nisan, 5109) The townspeople of Fulda Germany massacred the Jews because they blamed them for the Black Death
1369 — (13th of Nisan, 5129) In France, Charles V sought to force Jews to attend church services by issuing an order that included a penalty for defiance. Unless they complied «the Jews might suffer great bodily harm»
1503 — (24th of Adar-II, 5263) Jews permitted to return to Lithuania
1510 — (11th of Nisan, 5270) The Jews were expelled from Colmar Germany. Jews had been living in this town in Upper Alsac for at least three centuries prior to their expulsion for which no reason is given.
1564 — (9th of Nisan, 5324) In Mantua, Italy, David Provensalo and his son Abraham asked the Jewish notables to help him create a Jewish College. The idea was to allow Jews to learn languages and science while also receiving a “Jewish education.” Although they did establish a Talmudic academy they were opposed by the local Church and did not succeed in opening the College
1818 — (14 Adar II 5578) An imperial decree ordering the confiscation of estates leased by Jews in Belarus, without obliging the landowners to return the money paid for the leases
1864 — (14th of Adar-II, 5624) In Albany, NY, the Assembly passed a bill “authorizing the New-York City authorities to convey to the Hebrew Benevolent Society certain real estate.”
1874 — (4th of Nisan, 5634) The Young Men’s Hebrew Association was founded in New York City. It was the first of several such organizations found in cities across the United States intended to provide for the “mental, moral, social, and physical improvement of Jewish young men.”
1893 — (5th of Nisan, 5653) Arabs attack Jews at Rehovot. In March 1892, a dispute over pasture rights erupted between the residents of Rehovot and the neighboring village of Zarnuqa, which took two years to resolve. Another dispute broke out with the Suteriya Bedouin tribe, which had been cultivating some of the land as tenant farmers. According to Moshe Smilansky, one of the early settlers of Rehovot, the Bedouins had received compensation for the land, but refused to vacate it. In 1893, they attacked the moshava. Through the intervention of a respected Arab sheikh, a compromise was reached, with the Bedouins receiving an additional sum of money, which they used to dig a well
1899 — (11th of Nisan, 5659) The “liberal synagogue” was dedicated in Cologne
1935 — (17 Adar II 5695) The Tel Aviv municipality approved the plan for the construction of the Habima Theatre, designed by Oscar Kaufman
1937 — (10th of Nisan, 5697) The Palestine Post reported that Two cooperative groups settled on the Jewish National Fund land, allocated by the Arlosoroff Memorial Fund in the Jordan Valley. Important archaeological finds were discovered near Afula
1939 — (2 Nisan 5699) The Romanian ship «Sadu» carrying 269 illegal immigrants fell into the hands of the British coast guard and was sent into the open sea without food or sufficient fuel. After 8 days of drifting, it returned to Constanta.
1942 — (4 Nisan 5702) The Holocaust. In the village of Sofiyevka (Berezovsky district), over 300 Jews from Odessa were shot dead. The Jewish action in Lviv continued.
1943 — (15th of Adar-II, 5703) The first group of Macedonian Jews were shipped from Skopje to Treblinka
1943 — (15 Adar II 5703) The Holocaust. At Auschwitz II (Birkenau), Crematorium IV, with four gas chambers for three thousand people, was opened; March 31 — Crematorium II, with a gas chamber for two to three thousand people; April 4 — Crematorium V, identical to IV; June 26 — Crematorium III, identical to II. The capacity of these four crematoria allowed for the extermination of twelve thousand people simultaneously within five hours.
1945 — (8 Nisan 5705) The League of Arab States was founded in Cairo. The founding members of the League were Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen
1946 — (19th of Adar-II, 5706) Gotthil Wagner was killed by as yet unidentified gunmen today outside of Tel Aviv: “Gotthilf Wagner, former mayor of the German colony of Sarona, near Tel Aviv,” a pre-war S.S. Group Leader “and one of the leading Palestine Nazis, was today shot to death as he journeyed from Sarona to Wilhelma, another German community.”
1946 — (19 Adar II 5706) Under a new Anglo-Jordanian treaty, Great Britain relinquished its mandate over Transjordan and recognized it as an independent state. From May, the country would be called Jordan, and its Emir, Abdullah, would become its first king.
1947 — (1th of Nisan, 5707) “Hagannah posted pamphlets in Tel Avi” today “accusing the Irgun…of being deserters from the Zionist struggle and of wasting their efforts in murder while Haganah strove to rescue Jews from Europe. As the principal organizer of illegal immigration Haganah charged the Irgun with neglecting that primary function.”
1948 — (11th of Adar-II, 5708) “Twenty Jews…were reported killed today in two battles at Nitzanim, near the Mediterranian coast in the land of the ancient Philistines.”
1948 — (11 Adar II 5708) The War of Independence. Two convoys of vehicles were attacked by Arabs at Bab el-Wad. There were no Jewish casualties
1950 — (4th of Nisan, 5710) According to New York Times correspondent C.L. Sulzberger, the future of Israel depends on its ability to make peace with the surrounding Arab nations and developing normal commercial relations with them while receiving continued political support from the the United Kingdom and the United States and getting additional American aid so that it can meet is “grandiose economic development plans
1951 — (14th of Adar-II, 5711) “The Government of Israel asked the United States today for $150,000,000 in grant-in-aid for the period of July 1, 1951, to June 30, 1952, Abba S. Eban, Israel’s Ambassador to Washington announced
1952 — (25th of Adar, 5712) “Scores of limbless or blind persons took part in a demonstration” in Tel Aviv tonight where “survivors of the Nazi persecution” protested “against the reparations talks with West Germany” that started in the Hague yesterday
1957 — (19 Adar II 5717) Following the Sinai Campaign, the port of Eilat was opened.
1957 — (19 Adar II 5717) In Jordan, four young people attempting to sneak into Petra were shot dead. The ancient city of Petra (the «Red Rock») in Jordan attracted Israeli youth precisely because of its inaccessibility. It was a form of extreme tourism. A person who managed to reach Petra and return was hailed as a hero.
1959 — (12 Adar II 5719) In Tel Aviv, on Dizengoff Square, a new supermarket, «Mashbir Letzarchan,» opened, becoming a popular leisure destination for residents
1979 — (23th of Adar, 5739) The Israeli Parliament approved the peace treaty with Egypt
2004 — (29th of Adar, 5764) Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of Hamas, and his bodyguards are killed in the Gaza Strip when hit by Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache fired Hellfire missiles
2004 — (29 Adar I 5764) Hezbollah militants launched rocket attacks on Israeli army positions in the Mount Dov area (Shebaa Farms). The Israeli military responded with artillery fire
2011 — (16th of Adar-II, 5771) Moshe Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison and two years’ probation for rape, indecent acts, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice, becoming the first former President of Israel to be sentenced to prison. In addition, he was ordered to pay one of the women compensation totaling 100,000 NIS and another a sum of 25,000 NIS
2012 — (28 Adar I 5772) Israel and the European Union signed an «Open Skies» agreement, removing restrictions on the operation of Israeli airlines in Europe and European airlines in Israel
2017 — (24th of Adar, 5777) Today “Yahya Sinwar said Hamas would not allow the State of Israel to exist on even a “morsel” of land.”
2022 — (19 Adar I 5782) A terrorist attack in Beersheba. A Bedouin armed with a knife killed four people before being shot dead by a passerby
People
1798 — (5 Nisan 5558) Eduard Gans, a German jurist, was born. On November 27, 1819, together with Leopold Zunz, he organized the Scientific Society for the study of Judaism. It operated for 5 years. He later converted to Christianity. Died on March 5, 1839
1833 — (2th of Nisan, 5593) Michael Beer, German poet, died
1883 — (13 Adar II 5643) Jessie Sampter, a Zionist activist, associate of Henrietta Szold, educator, and writer, was born in New York. She organized the first scout camp in the Land of Israel. She was a member of the Hadassah movement. Died on November 11, 1938.
1905 — Grigory Kozintsev, film director, was born. Died on May 11, 1973
1909 — Nathan Rosen, an American and Israeli theoretical physicist, was born in Brooklyn. Died on December 18, 1995, in Haifa.
1911 — Sophie Maslow, a renowned American choreographer and ballet mistress, was born in New York. Died on June 25, 2006.
1923 — (5th of Nisan, 5683) Max Nordau, early Zionist leader, passed away at the age of 73
2010 — (7 Nisan 5770) Staff Sergeant Gabriel Chepich (21 years old) of the Israel Defense Forces was killed while pursuing Arab terrorists attempting to infiltrate Israel from Gaza.
2024 — (12 Adar II 5784) Chief Petty Officer Elai David Garfinkel, 21, was killed during the liquidation of a terrorist who had carried out armed attacks near the settlement of Dolev in Binyamin
2026 — (3 Nisan 5786) Terrorist attack. A Palestinian vehicle collided with the ATV on which 18-year-old Yehuda Sherman from the Elon Moreh settlement was riding with a friend. Yehuda was killed