History events
-1313 BCE (11 Tishrei 2449). Moses conveyed to the people God’s command to build the Tabernacle (the Tent of Meeting) so that the Shekhinah could dwell in it permanently.
-1313 BCE (11 Tishrei 2449). In the morning, Jews began coming to Moses with their grievances and disputes. As he was dealing with them, a huge crowd gathered around him, seeking his judgment. Moses then appointed worthy judges to handle the cases, referring only the most difficult matters to him for consideration.
-586 BCE (3 Tishrei 3176). Gedaliah ben Ahikam, the governor of Judah, was assassinated. He had been appointed by the Babylonians after Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judah in 586 BCE. He was killed by Ishmael ben Nethaniah, who had conspired with Baalis, the king of the Ammonites; with his help, Ishmael apparently hoped to overthrow Babylonian rule. Along with Gedaliah ben Ahikam, a group of Judean residents who had joined him and some soldiers who had escaped captivity and exile were killed. The Babylonian garrison was also wiped out. The book of Jeremiah (40:7–43:7) provides a detailed account of Gedaliah ben Ahikam’s conciliatory policy, the conspiracy against him, and the events that followed his murder. The day of Gedaliah ben Ahikam’s death became a day of fasting in biblical times, known as the “fast of the seventh month”; later, it came to be called the Fast of Gedaliah.
-423 BCE (3 Tishrei 3339). Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, was murdered as a result of a conspiracy. The Babylonians had appointed him to oversee the small number of farmers they left in Yehud (Judah). Gedaliah was the last ruler of Judah. He was killed by Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, at the instigation of the king of Ammon. With Gedaliah’s death, the last spark of Jewish statehood in Eretz Israel, which had barely been smoldering since the destruction of the First Temple, was extinguished. Many Jews were killed, and the rest were either expelled from the Land by the Babylonians or fled on their own.
70 CE (8 Elul 3830). The Jewish War. Jerusalem was captured
1504 — (23nd of Elul, 5264) In Pilsen, “the councilors and aldermen” decreed “that all Jews both local and visiting must wear Jewish coats so they can be distinguished from other people, and that Jewish women must wear a veil with a broad yellow and white ribbon. If Jews were found without such clothing, the penalty would be five coppers for each offence. It was emphasized that Jews must not manufacture veils or undertake any other gentile business.”
1689 (27 Elul 5449). Austrian troops, which had invaded eastern Hungary, captured the city of Buda. Along with the rest of the population, the entire Jewish community — some 1 000 people — perished; even the walls of the synagogue, where people had tried to take refuge, failed to save them.
1708 — While staying in Mstislavl, Peter the Great visited the town’s synagogue, took an interest in matters of faith, and spent a long time questioning the local Jews about their way of life. When he learned from them that his Russian soldiers were looting and committing acts of violence, he ordered 13 culprits to be hanged
1796 — (29nd of Аv, 5556) Jews of Holland declared by the National Assembly citizens of the Batavian republic
1869 (26 Elul 5629). Emperor Alexander II of Russia signed a permit for the construction of the Great Choral Synagogue in St. Petersburg. The approval from the Committee of Ministers was received on 19 September 1869
1905 — (2nd of Elul, 5665) A disastrous fire in Adrianople, Turkey destroyed 1500 Jewish homes and 13 synagogues which that 10,000 Jews were rendered homeless along with the 40,000 who already were
1913 (30 Av 5673). The 11th Zionist Congress opened in Vienna.
1924 (3 Elul 5684). Three thousand activists of the Zionist movement were arrested at 150 locations across Russia
1938 — (6nd of Elul, 5698) On the border of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, an Arab threw a bomb…into a vegetable market wounding nine Jews, including one woman; A synagogue in the Givat Moshe quarter, on the border of Jaffa and Tel Aviv was destroyed by fire early this morning after heavy Arab sniping” kept the fire brigade from approaching this building
1939 (18 Elul 5699). The ship Tiger Hill, carrying 1 400 illegal immigrants, arrived off the coast of the Land of Israel from Constanța
1940 — (29nd of Av, 5700) Нolocaust. German occupation authorities in Luxembourg introduced the Nuremberg Laws. All Jewish businesses were seized and handed to «Aryans.»
1941 — (10nd of Elul, 5701) Нolocaust. ….. The Germans open an exposition in Paris called The Jew and France. Visitors see sculptures and paintings of hideous mythical Jews, Jews allegedly cursed to wander the world forever because of their supposed attack on Jesus Christ, and Jews allegedly out to control the world. Other exhibits portray the Jew as a repulsive monster destroying France. In the first few days, more than 100,000 Parisians visit the exhibit
1941 — (10nd of Elul, 5701) Нolocaust. Jews in Slovakia, Bohemia, and Moravia are ordered to wear Yellow Stars, effective September 19, and to suspend all business activity
1941 (10 Elul 5701). The Shoah. An exhibition titled “Jews and France” opened in Nazi‑occupied Paris. It featured sculptures and paintings depicting Jews as repulsive figures — allegedly cursed to wander the world forever because of their attitude towards Christ, as people seeking to control the world, and as monstrous entities destroying France. Over 100 000 Parisians visited the exhibition in the first few days.
1941 (10 Elul 5701). The Shoah. Units of the Police Regiment “South” shot 4 144 Jews, including about 2 500 people in Ostrog (Rivne Oblast), about 800 in Volyn Oblast (Horokhiv, and likely Poritsk and Lyuboml), and approximately 1 000 in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. In Bolhrad (Odesa Oblast), Romanian gendarmes shot 126 Jews; in Stryi (Lviv Oblast), German Security Police shot 800 Jews. The 8th Infantry Regiment of the SS, part of the 1st Motorized Infantry Brigade of the SS, shot 26 Jews north of the Ovruch–Slovechno line (Zhytomyr Oblast)
1942 — (20nd of Elul, 5702) Нolocaust. The Nazis liquidated the Mir ghetto; Ten thousand Jews in Dzialoszyce, Poland were gathered. Two thousand were killed in a bloody purge during the day. Eight thousand were deported to Belzec
1942 — (20nd of Elul, 5702) Нolocaust. ….. At Lachva (aka Lachwa) in Belorussia, which at that time was part of the Soviet Union German troops, together with Belorussian police, surrounded the ghetto which still contained 2,000 people. Dov Lopatin head of the Judenrat refused the German request to line up for deportation. Although many of the town’s elders were against taking any initiative, Lopatin and the youth leaders decided to resist even without weapons. As the Germans entered, most of the town attacked them even though they were only “armed” with axes, sticks, and Molotov cocktails. Between 600 and 700 Jews were killed fighting, and a further 600 succeeded in reaching the forests after killing or wounding about 100 Nazis. The rest were shot by the Germans. Many of those who reached the forests were killed by local police units. Approximately 90 people survived. The resistance ended on the following day
1942 (20 Elul 5702). The Shoah. The murder of Jews in Vladimir‑Volynsky continued. On the same day, 200 Jews were shot in Povorsk (Manevychi District, Volyn Oblast). In Kremenets (Ternopil Oblast), 120 Jewish artisans held in prison were shot; all houses in the ghetto were blown up and burned, and about 1 000 more people were killed in the process
1943 — (2nd of Elul, 5703) Нolocaust. ….. One thousand Jews are deported from Paris to Auschwitz; Ten thousand Jews from Tarnów, Poland, are deported to Auschwitz and the Plaszów slave-labor camp; During the next 48 hours, 3,500 Jews are deported from Przemysl, Poland, to Auschwitz; At Treblinka the Jews who were left behind to clean out the recently closed camp revolted against their guards. Wearing a guard’s uniform, Seweryn Klajnman led his fellow 12 inmates out of the camp to their freedom. The remaining Jews would be sent to Sobribor after the final dismantling of Treblinka. Treblinka was plowed over and turned into a farm
1948 (28 Av 5708). Israel. The first paratrooper unit in the IDF was established in Haifa. By the end of 1948, the unit numbered 219 personnel, including 28 officers. It was disbanded on 24 May 1949 due to discipline issues and following two incidents in which soldiers died during jumps.
1953 (22 Elul 5713). A terrorist attack. Arabs from Jordan reached the Katamon district in Jerusalem. They began throwing grenades in all directions, but, fortunately, no one was injured
1969 — (19th of Elul, 5729) At Qiryat Shemona two people, one of whom was a child, were killed today and five more were injured by artillery shells fired from Lebanon
1973 (5 Elul 5733). A secret meeting took place in Cairo between the leaders of Syria, Egypt, and Jordan. For the first time, King Hussein learned about the existence of a plan предусматривающий a two‑front war against Israel. The king agreed to join the war if his allies provided air cover for his army. He was not given a precise date for the start of the offensive.
1977 (19 Elul 5737). Ariel Sharon, Minister of Agriculture in Begin’s government, presented a plan for the settlement of Judea and Samaria, hoping that 2 million Jews would live there by the year 2000.
1978 (30 Av 5738). Israel. A 40 000‑strong rally of the “Shalom Achshav” movement was held in central Tel Aviv, calling on Begin to show flexibility in peace negotiations with Egypt
1998 (11 Elul 5758). The only memorial synagogue in Russia, also serving as a museum of the history and culture of Eastern European Jewry, was consecrated on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow.
2007 (19 Elul 5767). Israel. Law enforcement agencies managed to prove the guilt of a former referee and coach accused of organizing fixed football matches. Both were sentenced to three years in prison.
2007 (19 Elul 5767). Rockets began falling on the outskirts of Sderot at the time when children were heading to schools and kindergartens.
2007 (19 Elul 5767). 135 soldiers and officers of the Israel Defense Forces received combat awards for their participation in the Second Lebanon War; 24 of them were awarded posthumously
2009 — (13nd of Elul, 5769) Archaeologists digging in Jerusalem have uncovered a 3,700-year-old wall that is the oldest example of massive fortifications ever found in the city
2010 (23 Elul 5770). Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the establishment of an Arab state in part of the Land of Israel began in the USA. They ended without any results.
2025 (9 Elul 5785). From the Palmachim Airbase, the Shavit launch vehicle deployed the Ofek‑19 reconnaissance satellite into space.
2025 (9 Elul 5785). The war with Gaza. Day 697. On the eve of expanding the operation to capture the city of Gaza, the IDF began sending urgent call‑up notices to 60 000 reservists to replace regular troops being redeployed to Gaza.
2025 (9 Elul 5785). 445 dunams of land in Samaria were declared state property, thereby granting official recognition to the Havat Gilad outpost in Northern Samaria after many years of struggle
People
1735 — (26nd of Elul, 5495) Lewis Gomez, a Jewish merchant in New York sold 25 loads of lime to the city for £6 pounds, 5 shillings. Gomez advertised his «lime» in the newspaper as «good stone-lime.»
1883 — Rudolf Stefan Jan Weigl was born — a Polish biologist and the creator of the first effective vaccine against epidemic typhus. He founded the Institute of Epidemiological Research in Lviv. During World War II, many Jews found refuge as employees (sometimes in purely nominal roles) at his institute, which saved them from death. He also secretly supplied the vaccine to the Lviv and Warsaw ghettos, helping to prevent large‑scale outbreaks of the deadly disease there. In 2003, the scientist was awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations in Israel. Weigl died on 11 August 1957.
1896 — Samuel Yeivin was born — an Israeli archaeologist and the first head of the Antiquities Authority. He died on 28 February 1982.
1909 — Frez was born — a film director. He died on 23 June 1994.
1913 — Gelfand was born — a mathematician. He died on 5 October 2009.
1927 — Zvi Avni was born — an Israeli composer
1942 — (20nd of Elul, 5702) In Oslo, Norway, Julius Samuel, the chief rabbi of Norway, refuses to go into hiding or to flee the country. He is arrested and interned in a camp at Berg, south of Oslo
1948 — Yaakov Litzman was born — an Israeli religious, public, and political figure, member of the Knesset.
1997 — (30th of Av, 5757) Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning passed away