History events
1047 — (4 Adar-2 4807) The Persian traveler N. Khosrow visited Jerusalem: «The city is great…20,000 men. The markets are beautiful, the buildings are tall, the ground is paved with stone slabs, rocks and irregularities are smoothed out, and when it rains, the pavement is washed clean.»
1179 — (25 Adar-1 4939) The Third Lateran Council of the Roman Catholic Church, convened by Pope Alexander III, prohibited Jews and Christians from living together. However, the church’s decree was observed very conditionally. In many places, Jews still settled throughout the city, and Christians lived among Jews without any qualms. Areas where there was an official Jewish quarter mandated by law and cut off from the rest of the city were in the minority. Church laws were least followed in Italy, right next to the popes, who turned a blind eye to such violations. In practice, the popes proved to be much more tolerant than in words. Venice stood out for its particular religious zeal. In a contract with the Jews from 1385, it was stated that a place should be found where Jews could live separately from the Christian population. This condition was reiterated in 1390. However, apparently, nothing was done to enforce this condition, and Jews continued to live throughout the city
1328 — (15th of Adar, 5088) After the death of Charles the Fair today, Pedro Olligoyen, a Franciscan friar, used the Jews as a scapegoat against French rule. Starting today, Shabbat, all the Jewish houses were pillaged and then destroyed. Approximately 6000 Jews were murdered with 20 survivors. Among the dead were parents and four younger brothers of Menachem ben Zerach, “then barely twenty years old who became a scholar of commanding influence.” He was saved by “a compassionate knight” who was a friend of the young Jew’s father
1460 — (12th of Adar-1, 5220) The states of Austria demand that no Jews be permitted to dwell there,
1563 — (10th of Adar-1, 5323) Havazzelet ha-Shaon, a commentary on the Book of Daniel by Rabbi Moses Alshekh was published for the first time today
1783 — (1th of Adar-1, 5543) King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski granted rights to Jews of Kovno
1822 — (12 Adar-1 5582) In Paris, in the presence of high-ranking officials of France, a synagogue was opened at Notre Dame de Nazareth (still exists today)
1863 — (14th of Adar, 5623) The Zion Musical Society which was formed by Rabbi and Cantor Gustave M. Cohen and which “may have been the first public Jewish singing organization established in 19th Century America” gave it first performance today at Cleveland, Ohio’s Melodeon Hall
1902 — (26th of Adar-1, 5662) Mizrachi (literally: «Eastern», but actually derived from the Hebrew acronym for «Spiritual Centre») was established by Rabbi Isaac Jacob Reines as a religious Zionist organization based on the Basel Program and commitment to the Torah. Their slogan is «Eretz Israel for the people of Israel according to the Torah of Israel.» Mizrachi is a worldwide religious Zionist movement
1928 — (13 Adar-1 5688) The sixth exhibition of the Association of Hebrew Artists «Tower of David» opened in Jerusalem. It lasted for a week
1936 — (11 Adar-1 5696) P. Rutenberg received permission to use the waters of the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers for electricity production, that is, to build a power station
1936 — (11th of Adar, 5696) “The largest single group of Jewish refugees to reach” the United States “from Germany, 200 men, women and children arrived” today “on the United States liner Washing as quota immigrants” which meant “they were admitted as permanent residents on the basis, in most case, of avowals given by relatives here that none would become public charges.”
1942 — (16 Adar-1 5702) During a raid in Feodosia (Crimea), 7 Jews were captured and executed. On the same day, in the villages of Lidiyevka and Dvoryanka (Mostovsky district of Odessa region), 270 and 98 Jews were executed, respectively.
1943 — (28 Adar-1 5703) Shoah. Thanks to the resistance of German women, all Jews and their husbands held in Berlin at Rosenstrasse No. 2-4, in the former Jewish community house, were released
1945 — (20th of Adar, 5705) While excavating the site near Crematorium II at Auschwitz, Soviet soldiers found a German canteen which contained the diaries of Salmen Gradowski. One of the entries read, “At almost each block, beside the men standing in line, bodies of three, four persons are lying. These are the victims of the night that have not lived to see the day. Even yesterday they were standing members of the roll-call and today they lie, lifeless, motionless. Life is not important at the roll-call. Numbers are important. Numbers tally…” Gradowski’s diary was published in a book entitled Amidst a Nightmare of Crime: Manuscripts of the Sonderkommando which describes life in the death camp through the eyewitness accounts of four Sonderommandos. For more about this work, Gardowski and the others who supplied the material see http://www.wce.wwu.edu/nwche/reviews/amidst.shtml
1949 — (4th of Adar, 5709) Operation Uvda, the final Israeli campaign of the War of Independence which is intended to secure portions of the Negev began oday
1951 — (27 Adar-1 5711) The first Knesset was dissolved. The reason for the crisis was the demand of representatives of religious parties to introduce Jewish education in the camps for Yemenite Jews. Ben-Gurion tried to find a compromise but was unsuccessful. The government also resigned
1953 — (18th of Adar, 5713) The Jerusalem Post reported that the Lower House of the Bonn Parliament passed the first reading of the West German agreement to pay reparations to Israel and World Jewry for the Nazi persecution
1970 — (27 Adar-1 5730) (and March 8 (28 Adar-1)) War of Attrition. The first units of the USSR air defense arrived at the port of Alexandria on the passenger ships «Rosa Luxemburg» and «Georgy Chicherin.» The anti-aircraft missile units were commanded by Major General P. G. Smirnov, and the fighter aviation regiments were led by Major General of Aviation G. U. Dolnikov. A total of 1,500 Soviet servicemen with anti-aircraft missile systems and 150-200 fighter pilots arrived in Egypt. By the end of the year, the personnel increased to 15-20 thousand. In total, 21 Soviet anti-aircraft missile divisions were deployed in the areas of Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, in the canal zone, and other locations. Two regiments of Soviet MiG-21 interceptor aircraft were stationed at military airfields near Cairo, Alexandria, and Aswan
1979 — (6th of Adar, 5739) Twelve people were injured in Jerusalem when a terrorist bomb exploded on a bus at the Plaza Hotel; In Tel Aviv, a bomb exploded on a bus but nobody was injured
1975 — (22 Adar-1 5735) At 4:20 AM, an Israeli special forces unit stormed the «Savoy» hotel in Tel Aviv, where Arab terrorists and hostages they had taken the day before were barricaded. Seven of the eight terrorists were killed, while one, Musa Guma, was captured alive a few hours after the assault when he was found hiding among the ruins of the hotel. In total, eight civilians died (three during the hotel takeover and another five hostages who were blown up at the moment of the assault by one of the militants in a booby-trapped room), as well as two special forces soldiers, including the former commander of the General Staff’s special forces, Uzi Yairi, who also participated in the assault as a volunteer. Israel Defense Forces soldier Moshe Voichman, who had engaged in a shootout with militants the evening before, died from his wounds. Five hostages were freed. Most of the deceased civilians were foreigners, among them citizens of Germany, France, Switzerland, and Ethiopia
1979 — (6 Adar-1 5739) In Moscow, the week of Hebrew unofficially began, with reports read about Hebrew, ancient and modern Israeli literature. In the late 1970s to early 1980s, there were about 100 Hebrew teachers in Moscow teaching over a thousand people at the same time
1984 — (1 Adar-2 5744) Lebanon canceled the peace treaty with Israel from May 17, 1983
1987 — (4th of Adar, 5747) Today, in Tel Aviv, Defense Minister Yithak Rabin, read a statement in English apologizing to the American government and the American people for the Pollard sypinng operation, an operation that Foreign minister Shimon Peres had characterized as a mistake
2000 — (28th of Adar, 5760) Today, “The Israeli cabinet voted to withdraw from southern Lebanon by July” of 2000
2002 — (21st of Adar, 5762) Police officer FSM Salim Barakat (33), Yosef Habi (52), and Eli Dahan (53) were murdered today in Tel Aviv when a Fatah terrorist opened fire on diners at two restaurants
2003 — (1 Adar II, 5763) Seventeen people were killed and 53 wounded in a suicide bombing of an Egged bus No. 37 in the Carmel section of Haifa, en route to Haifa University
2009 — (9th of Adar, 5769) An Arab terrorist attacked police officers and civilians in Jerusalem with his bulldozer today
2010 — (19 Adar-1 5770) Eighteen police officers were injured in riots that broke out at the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. In the morning, Arabs from the Temple Mount began throwing stones at those praying at the Western Wall. Police arrived on the scene, and Arabs began throwing stones at the law enforcement officers
2013 — (23th of Adar, 5773) The first Hebrew language edition of Playboy magazine was launched in Tel Aviv
2013 — (23 Adar-1 5773) An invasion of locusts from Egypt. In the morning, they were discovered in Ashdod, Gedera, Modiin, and Tel Aviv, and after noon — in the Haifa and Nahariya areas
2014 — (3th of Adar, 5774) Today, IDF Special Forces intercepted a ship in the Red Sea carrying an Iranian arms shipment headed for the Gaza Strip in what was known as “Operation Full Disclosure.”
2015 — (14 Adar-1 5775) Gray cranes that wintered in Israel in the reeds around the artificial lake of Hula in the Hula Valley flew back to Europe. At the same time, about 20,000 birds took to the sky.
2024 — (25 Adar-1 5784) War with Gaza. Day one hundred fifty-one. One of the largest tunnels discovered in the northern part of the sector was destroyed. It was discovered on December 16, 2023. Over the past few weeks, the IDF had been engaged in researching and preparing for the destruction of the tunnel. The tunnel was then partially filled with liquid concrete and partially blown up
People
1291 — (3rd of Nisan) Sa’ad al-Da’ulah, Jewish grand vizier under the Mongol ruler of Persia Argun Kahn was assassinated today
1862 — (3 Adar-2 5622) Z. Tarash was born — one of the strongest chess players of the 19th and early 20th centuries. died on February 17, 1934
1871 — R. Luxemburg was born — a German revolutionary, died on January 15, 1919
1904 — In Tel Aviv, Daniel Kahneman was born — an Israeli economist. Nobel Prize laureate in Economics 2002.
1915 — (19 Adar-1 5665) Yosef Tamir was born in Berdichev — an Israeli political and social figure. One of the organizers of the Likud party. Died in 2009.
1918 — Shlomo Lorincz was born in Budapest — a political, religious, and social figure in Israel, a participant in the «Aliyah Bet» organization, a long-time Knesset member, died in 2009.
1919 — H. Novak was born — a weightlifter, honored master of sports, honored artist of the RSFSR. The first Soviet world champion (1946), European champion in 1947. Ten-time champion of the USSR. Died in 1980.
1925 — Menachem Stern was born in Bialystok — an Israeli historian, laureate of the Israel Prize. He was killed in a terrorist attack on June 22, 1989
1975 — (22nd of Adar, 5735) Thirty-eight year old Colonel Uzi Yairi who had become head of the Sayeret Matkal at the age of 31 was killed when rescuing hostages being held by Palestinian terrorists at the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv. After hearing gunfire from Tel Aviv’s Savoy Hotel, Private Moshe Deutschmann, a soldier from the Israeli army’s Golani Brigade who was on home leave, grabbed his weapon, ran to the hotel after hearing gunfire and was mortally wounded during a firefight with terrorists who were trying to escape from the Saoy. Deutschmann was posthumously awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service