History events
1380 — (18th of Kislev, 5141) Jews were killed in riots in Paris
1491 — (14 Kislev 5252). This date marks the Inquisition’s sentence condemning seven “Judaizing heretics” to be burned at the stake for the murder of a Christian boy (the Blood Libel). An eighth person was convicted of this crime later. Under torture, two Jews and six “conversos” (Jewish converts to Christianity) confessed that they had abducted the boy in Toledo and brought him to La Guardia to crucify him. According to the legend, they flogged the boy, forced him to carry a cross, and subjected him to the same sufferings described in the New Testament in relation to Jesus. In La Guardia, the condemned allegedly ripped the child’s heart out and, using a consecrated host stolen from a church, performed a ritual intended to poison the water supplies of the Christian population
1497 — (21th of Kislev, 5258) Gershon Soncino published a copy of “Talmud Babli Sanhedrin” at Barco
1798 — (8 Kislev 5559). By decree of Emperor Paul I, Rabbi Shneur Zalman Borukhovich was released from the Peter and Paul Fortress. He had been imprisoned on a denunciation by the Vilna rabbis, who were envious of the influence and authority the Hasidim enjoyed among the masses. The investigation by the Secret Chancellery proceeded quickly — the Hasidim raised 60,000 rubles to secure their “teacher’s” release and bribed the necessary officials — and ended with an acquittal after two months. The rabbi regained his freedom, and since then the 19th day of the month of Kislev has been celebrated as a Chabad holiday.
1917 — (1 Kislev 5678). British troops under General Allenby liberated Tel Aviv from Turkish control.
1925 — (29 Heshvan 5686). The OZET resolution “On Palestinian Colonization” was adopted. It stated, among other things, that the Society for the Land Settlement of Jewish Toilers “…did not and does not seek to place any obstacles to resettlement in Palestine,” although in reality, from the very beginning, the Society not only opposed Zionism in its activities but also fought against it, as noted by the delegates of the second congress of the illegal HeHalutz, held at the Mishmar commune in February 1926.
1938 — (22 Heshvan 5699). The moshav of Sharon was founded using the “Tower and Stockade” method. It is located in the Lower Galilee
1940 — (15th of Cheshvan, 5701) The Warsaw ghetto was permanently closed
1941 — (26 Heshvan 5702). Shoah. The mass shootings of Jews in Minsk began. 20,000 people perished.
1941 — (26 Heshvan 5702). Shoah. 66 Jews were shot in Sosnitsa (Chernihiv Oblast).
1942 — (7 Kislev 5703). Shoah. Women and children were shot in Pytyhory (Kyiv Oblast); there were 133 victims
1943 — (18th of Cheshvan, 5704) British forces carried out a search at for arms at Ramat Hakovesh. When members of the kibbutz resisted, the situation erupted in violence. The British killed one kibbutznik wounded 35 others and arrested an additional 35 Jews
1945 — (11 Kislev 5706). The oldest and largest Jewish higher education institution and the main academic center of Orthodox Judaism in the USA (New York), Yeshiva College, became Yeshiva University. In addition to the Orthodox seminary division, which grants its graduates the title of rabbi, the university includes departments that train specialists in exact, natural, and human sciences: mathematics, physics, law, pedagogy, psychology, social work, Semitic studies, and medicine.
1947 — (18 Heshvan 5704) A search for weapons was carried out in the kibbutz Ramat HaKovesh. At dawn, 40 military vehicles arrived at the kibbutz gates; 80 soldiers surrounded the kibbutz along its perimeter. The kibbutz had 140 residents. After a thorough search, a sack containing training grenades was found. The interrogation of the residents yielded nothing. When an order was issued to arrest some of the settlers, a bloody clash broke out. One settler died from his wounds, and 35 were arrested
1948 — (14 Heshvan 5709). The UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling on the parties fighting in the Middle East to conclude a long‑term truce, while demanding that Israel withdraw from the Negev.
1949 — (24 Heshvan 5710). The final performance before closure of GOSET (the State Jewish Theatre, Moscow) took place — “Gershele Ostropoler” by Gershenzon.
1965 — (21 Heshvan 5726). A one‑day strike was held by all newspapers protesting a bill proposed to the Knesset on defamation, out of fear that it would restrict press freedom.
1969 — (6 Kislev 5730). War of Attrition. Egyptian saboteurs damaged two passenger ships in the port of Eilat: “Dalia” and “A‑Daroma”.
2006 — (25 Heshvan 5767). A new attraction was opened in the Ashdod amusement park — a tower for snepling activities. Its main feature is its height — about 30 meters, making it the tallest play tower in Israel.
2023 — (3 Kislev 5784). A terrorist attack occurred at a checkpoint on Highway 60 south of Jerusalem. Three Arabs opened fire with pistols and automatic rifles. Private First Class Avraham Fetena, aged 20, was killed. Six people were injured.
2023 — (3 Kislev 5784). The war with Gaza. Day 41. In the southwestern part of Gaza City, in the Sheikh Ajlin district, Sergeant Yonatan Yitzhak Samo and two other servicemen were wounded in combat; Captain Shlomo Ben Nun, aged 22, was killed. Israeli special forces soldiers and troops of the 188th Brigade took control of Hamas’s main naval base. The body of 65‑year‑old Yehudit Weiss, who had been abducted by Hamas militants on 7 October, was found in one of the houses. Rockets struck the border kibbutz Kerem Shalom, adjacent to the Gaza Strip. Air‑raid sirens sounded in the kibbutzim Nirim and Ein HaShlosha. Jordan decided to withdraw from the agreement concluded with Israel in 2021 through the mediation of the United Arab Emirates, under which Amman was to supply Jerusalem with solar energy in exchange for Israel providing desalinated water. In northern Israel, there were обстрелы (shellings) from Lebanon.
2024 — (15 Heshvan 5785). The war with Gaza. Day 407. Operation “Northern Arrows”. Reserve Senior Sergeant Idan Keinan, aged 21, was killed in combat in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. An air‑raid alert sounded in Sderot and the settlements Mefalsim, Ibim, and Nir Am. As a result of a rocket attack on Haifa from Lebanon, there was a direct hit on the synagogue “Avot u‑Banim” on Keller Street. Residential areas of the city were also affected. Sergeant Ori Nisanovich, aged 21, was killed in southern Lebanon
People
1491 — (14th of Kislev, 5252) Converso Benito Garcia, was among the Jews and conversos who were publicly executed today during an auto-da-fé was held outside of Ávila which was part of yet another Blood Libel that produced yet another saint «the Holy child of La Guardia»
1694 — (8th of Kislev, 5455) ) Rabbi David Lida, author of Be’er Mayim Hayyim, passed away
1756 — (23rd of Cheshvan, 5517) Rabbi Isaac ben Samuel Lampronti, author of Pahad Yizhak, passed away
1881 — (24 Heshvan 5642). Hugo Meisl, an outstanding football coach, was born. He died on 17 February 1937.
1900 — (24 Heshvan 5661). O. Abdulov, actor, was born. He died on 14 June 1953.
1900 — (24 Heshvan 5661). Solomon Cohen, known as the “tobacco king” of Kyiv, died.
1901 — (5 Kislev 5662). Lev Sverdlin, actor, was born. He died on 29 August 1969.
1906 — Roman Lazarevich Karmen, journalist and documentary filmmaker, was born. He died in 1978.
1924 — (19 Heshvan 5685). Chaim Bar‑Lev, Lieutenant General of the Israel Defense Forces, was born. He died on 7 May 1994.
1929 — G. Borovik, publicist and writer, was born.
1936 — (2 Kislev 5697) Isaac Berger, Olympic champion in weightlifting, was born. He died on 4 June 2022.
1979 — Rachel Yanait Ben‑Zvi, wife of Israel’s second president, Yitzhak Ben‑Zvi, died at the age of 93. She founded “Kfar Yeladim” (Children’s Town), an educational institution for orphans