History events
-2105 — (28 Kislev 1656 BCE) — Methuselah died. He was the great-great-great-great-grandson of Adam and lived on earth longer than any other person — 969 years.
1621 — (16 Kislev 5382) Isaiah ben Abraham Ha-Levi Horowitz, an outstanding rabbi, arrived in Jerusalem.
1808 — (29 Heshvan 5569) A decree was issued in Prussia freeing Jews from the humiliating title of «protected ones,» allowing them to hold elective positions in municipal bodies and merchant guilds.
1849 — (4st of Kislev, 5610)As of today, in Amsterdam out of a total population of 224,949, 25,173 were Jews who divided into 22,426 Ashkenazim and 2,747 Portuguese (Sephardim)
1863 — (8 Kislev 5624) The newspaper «Ha-Levanon» published a report on the plans of French archaeologist Felicien de Saucy to «conduct excavations at his discretion anywhere and freely export ancient finds, should they be discovered.» De Saucy first traveled to Transjordan, hoping to find fragments of the Tablets of the Covenant. He then began excavations in Jerusalem at a site known as «the royal tombs» (north of the Old City’s Shechem Gate), known to the Jews of Jerusalem as «the cave of Kalba Savua.» The start of excavations in this area caused confusion in Jerusalem, especially among the Jewish community. Archaeology was just taking its first steps, and archaeologists showed little interest in what they extracted from the ground. It was reported that bones from the discovered sarcophagi were thrown into the open fields. The newspaper «Ha-Levanon» reported that Jews appealed to the Turkish authorities for permission to bury the extracted bones «in the courtyard in front of the cave.»
1896 — (14st of Kislev, 5657) The first national convention of the National Council of Jewish Women which was held at Tuxedo Hall in New York City between came to an end. Founded at the conclusion of the Jewish Women’s Congress held at Chicago’s World Columbian Exposition in November 1893, the National Council of Jewish Women was the first national open-membership organization for American Jewish women.
1917 — (4 Kislev 5678) The newspaper «Jewish Weekly,» published in Petrograd, reported in an article about the October battles in Moscow that during the siege by Bolshevik troops on October 29 at the Vladimir Officer School and the telephone station, 35 Jewish cadets were among the casualties. Almost all the deceased cadets were former students of the Psychoneurological Institute and Petrograd University. The synagogue at the cemetery could barely accommodate the relatives of the fallen youths. Some bodies were so disfigured that the ritual washing was difficult to perform. The cadets were buried at the Preobrazhenskoe Cemetery near the synagogue.
1920 — (8 Kislev 5681) The newspaper «Haaretz» reported that large deposits of phosphate were discovered in Palestine. «…Not all of the extracted material needs to be exported to Europe now — it will also be useful for producing fertilizers in Palestine.»
1928 — (6st of Kislev, 5689) A concert featuring Alexander Baerwald and Thelma Yellin was held in Jerusalem as the European born Jews of Jerusalem celebrated the centenary of the death of Schubert
1937 — (15st of Kislev, 5698) The Palestine Post reported that ….. the country was generally quiet, but the Jerusalem curfew continued for the eighth day in succession. Telephone lines were cut between Hebron and Beersheba and Beersheba and Gaza; In an article critical of the Jewish development of Galilee The Post pointed out that the Jewish settlement of Mahanayim had been completely deserted since the riots of 1929. Mishmar Hayarden, «The Watch Over the Jordan,» was almost a dead village with many of the farmyards burned to the ground. The Post demanded rapid development of this area, with particular attention given to the settlement of those Jewish lands which belonged to persons who did not live in Palestine
1941 — (29 Heshvan 5702) The newspaper «Ha-Boker» published an article titled «Kashrut Raises the Cost of an Ounce of Meat in Tel Aviv by One Mile.» It discussed the meat shortage in the city and the rapid rise in prices. The chief veterinarian of Tel Aviv, Dr. Levit, explained the situation: «Most of the population of Tel Aviv consists of immigrants from Poland and Russia. In these countries, meat is cheap and of high quality. Therefore, the diet of Tel Aviv residents is (or was) based on meat dishes; but there are other factors affecting the price: in pre-war years, meat in Eretz-Israel arrived from the Balkan Peninsula. With the start of the war, these supplies were cut off. Therefore, now the country mainly sells locally produced meat. It is more expensive than Balkan meat and, moreover, is not produced in sufficient quantities. In rural areas and small towns, the meat shortage is not felt as acutely as in Tel Aviv; kashrut adds one mile to every ounce of meat, which is a significant addition.»
1941 — (29 Heshvan 5702) Shoah. In Olefsk (Zhytomyr region), 535 Jews were shot; members of the UPA «Polissya Sich» participated in the execution.
1942 — (10th of Kislev, 5703) Нolocaust. The Germans shot 100 Jews from Potrkow outside of the town; In the Drohobycz Ghetto, the Nazis gunned down, at random, 250 Jews on what was known as “Black Thursday.”
1943 — (21th of Cheshvan, 5704) Нolocaust. Jewish prisoners at Janowska, a labor and extermination camp, revolted against their captors. The revolt failed and the camp was liquidated. One thousand of the survivors were taken to the town of Sandomierz, One thousand Jews are shot at the Jewish cemetery outside Sandomierz
1945 — (14th of Kislev, 5706) Five months after World War II ended in Europe, Anti-Jewish riots erupt in Lublin, Poland.
1947 — (6th of Kislev, 5708) Two new colonies were established today within twenty-five miles of the Egyptian border, bring the total number of Jewish settlements in the Negev to 19 and the number of settlers to 1,900
1947 — (6 Kislev 5708) War of Independence. The Command Center of the People’s Militia was established. Periodically, the Center published announcements for certain professions or age groups to report to recruitment points. In the early weeks of the war, mobilization was voluntary, but from February, groups were organized to identify those avoiding service
1948 — (17th of Cheshvan, 5709) In an unprecedented move that would have serious consequences for the region th UN General Assembly approves $30 million fund for relief of Palestinian refugees forming the UNRPR. Assembly asks UN member countries for contributions
1952 — (1st of Kislev, 5713) The Jerusalem Post reported that Albert Einstein had declined to accept the offer of the Israeli Presidency. Einstein said that while he was deeply touched by the offer, he felt unsuited for such an office; that the minister of social affairs, Mrs. Golda Myerson, promised that the new immigrants’ tent cities would completely disappear within the next half year.
1974 — (5 Kislev 5735) The Israeli government informed the Knesset about a terrorist attack in Beit She’an. Arabs infiltrated the city and seized a building, killing four of its residents. IDF forces eliminated the terrorists
1977 — (9st of Kislev, 5738) Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel, when he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and speaks before the Knesset in Jerusalem, seeking a permanent peace settlement
1978 — (19 Heshvan 5739) Terrorist attack. A bomb exploded on a bus near Mitzle-Eriho. Three killed, 42 injured
2003 — (24th of Cheshvan, 5764): Patricia Ter´n Navarrete, 33, of Ecuador was killed and four other tourists, pilgrims from Ecuador, were wounded when a terrorist entered the Israel-Jordan border crossing terminal north of Eilat from the Jordanian side and opened fire..
2006 — (28 Heshvan 5767) During the night and morning, Arabs fired six Qassam rockets at Israeli territory. One rocket hit a residential building in a community located in the Western Negev. Panic ensued among the residents, but no one was injured. In the morning, a Qassam exploded near a gas station close to Sderot. Two more rockets exploded in open areas. Two Qassams exploded in Sderot, one resident sustained serious injuries, and two were lightly wounded
2012 — (5st of Kislev, 5773) Israel’s operation to stem Palestinian rocket fire on southern Israel continued in its sixth day today. The Israel Air Force struck over 80 terrorist targets in Gaza, while Hamas and Islamic Jihad fired 130 rockets into Israel
2014 — (26 Heshvan 5775) The Jordanian Parliament opened its session with a moment of silence in memory of the Arabs who carried out the terrorist attack in the Jerusalem synagogue on November 18. The Speaker of Parliament recited the first surah of the Quran, called «the mother of prayers.»
2015 — (7 Kislev 5776) Terrorist attacks in Tel Aviv and Gush Etzion. As a result of the attacks by Arabs using knives and firearms, 4 people died and 11 were injured.
2023 — (6 Kislev 5784) War with Gaza. Day forty-four. Reserve sergeant 34-year-old Yakir Biton, 40-year-old sergeant Rani Tahan, 35-year-old reserve major Hen Ayalom, 28-year-old reserve captain Roi Biber, and 21-year-old sergeant Binyamin Meir Erli were killed. Around 30 newborns were evacuated from Shifa Hospital and transferred to a field hospital of the UAE opened in Rafah. The U.S. National Security Council Deputy Chairman stated, «Israel should not initiate military actions in the southern part of the Gaza Strip without ensuring the safety of the residents of the sector who have lost their homes.» Air raid sirens sounded in Ashkelon and the surrounding communities adjacent to the sector. A Jewish vehicle was fired upon in Samaria near Ariel.
2024 — (18 Heshvan 5785) In Sderot and the regional councils of Hof Ashkelon, Sha’ar HaNegev, Eshkol, and Sdot Negev, which experienced the Hamas terrorist invasion on October 7, 2023, municipal elections were held. 117 polling places were opened, including 54 sites equipped for people with disabilities, and special polling places in various parts of the country for those who still had not returned from evacuation. 65,000 people had the right to vote, and the turnout was 65.7%.
2025 — (28 Heshvan 5786) A new community, Shadmot Beit Lehem, was established in Gush Etzion near Bethlehem, at a strategically important location connecting eastern Gush Etzion with Jerusalem: the first homes were set up
People
1621 — (16st of Kislev, 5382) Rabbi Isaiah ben Avraham Ha-Levi Horowitz, ….. known as the Shlah after the title of one of his major works Shnei Luchos Ha-Bris arrived in Jerusalem. The Shlah was a renowned Halachist, kabbalist and communal leader. He was born in Prague in 1656 and eventually became head of the Jewish community in Frankfort. He moved to Jerusalem after the death of his wife. The Shlah was a wealthy philanthropist who stressed man’s ability to overcome the evil inclination and turn it into the good inclination. He passed away in 1650 and was buried in Tiberias near the tomb of the Rambam
1881 — Ronald Storrs was born — the first military governor of Jerusalem. «In a short time, he was able to resolve the most pressing issues. He was primarily a politician, very interested in the city’s residents, their faith, and their customs. Curious and sociable, literally living city politics, managing it, he seemed to play a game of chess. He founded the first chess club in the country in 1918, hoping to use chess to unite Jews, Arabs, and Europeans. The club lasted a year and was closed due to the increasing hostility between Jews and Arabs. Storrs was witty (he called himself the first military governor of Jerusalem after Pontius Pilate), arrogant, cunning, a cynical snob, a master of intrigue and flattery, a lover of reading and classical music, a connoisseur of classical literature, and knowledgeable in many languages, including Arabic and a little Hebrew. He felt like the lord of a city that was the center of the world. He met with President Harding, the King of Italy, and twice with the Pope… When Storrs was appointed governor of Cyprus in 1926, he wrote in his diary: «After Jerusalem, no career advancement is possible.» Storrs died on November 1, 1955
1887 — (3st of Kislev, 5648) Emma Lazarus, American poetess, died
1900 — Anna Seghers was born — a German writer. Died on June 3, 1983.
1903 — A. Messerer was born — a ballet artist. Died on March 7, 1992.
1921 — Emil Braginsky was born — a writer and screenwriter. Died on May 26, 1998.
1942 — B. Schultz, an artist, writer, and graphic artist, perished in Drohobych.
1910 — (17 Heshvan 5671) David Raziel was born — commander of the Etzel organization. Died on May 17 (or 20), 1941.
1957 — (25 Heshvan 5718) Ofra Haza was born — a famous pop artist. Died on February 23, 2000.
2024 — (18 Heshvan 5785) Operation «Northern Arrows.» In a battle in southern Lebanon, reserve sergeant Omer Moshe Gaeldor, 30 years old, was killed. Three soldiers sustained serious injuries. soldiers sustained serious injuries