Today in Jewish History

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25 Cheshvan

In 109 BCE, the Hasmoneans (led by John Hyrcanus, a nephew of Judah the Maccabee) conquered Samaria, the capital city of the Samarian sect. This conquest was significant because it ended some 800 years of Samarian influence in Israel. The Samarians were a schismatic movement, comprised largely of non-Jews who practiced some Jewish traditions. The conquest may have further polarized the Jews into two distinct parties: 1) the Pharisees ("separated ones") because they sought to retain the separation of Jewish culture from the Greek influences of Hellenization, and 2) the Sadducees, Jews who embraced Greek culture.

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26 Cheshvan

In 1938, Father Coughlin broadcast an anti-Semitic diatribe on American radio. Coughlin was a Roman Catholic priest from Michigan, and one of history's first evangelists to preach via the mass media. At its peak in the early 1930s, his radio show had a listening audience estimated at one-third of the nation. Yet Coughlin's broadcasts became increasingly anti-Semitic, expressing sympathy for Hitler and promoting The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It was only a few weeks after Kristallnacht, when synagogues across Germany were burned, that Coughlin caused a scandal by broadcasting a diatribe in which he blamed the Jewish victims.

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Cheshvan 27

In 2104 BCE (1657 from Creation), as the Flood waters finally subsided, Noah, his family and the animals left the Ark. On this day, God commanded them to repopulate and resettle the earth.

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28 Cheshvan

On this date in 1949, the Jewish population of Israel reached one million. Over the years, waves of aliyah from Arab countries, Russia and Ethiopia -- combined with higher-than-average birthrates -- has pushed the Jewish population of Israel to 5 million. It is estimated that an additional one million Israelis live outside the country.

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29 Cheshvan

Yahrtzeit of Israel Bak (1797-1874), a pioneer of book printing in modern Israel. In the 16th century, six books had been printed in the northern town of Tzfat. It would be 245 years until another Hebrew book was published in the Holy Land, when Bak moved from the Ukraine to Israel. He established a Hebrew press in Tzfat and published a Siddur and the Book of Leviticus with commentaries. An earthquake destroyed his print shop in 1837, and a Druze revolt the following year destroyed his press once again. Bak then moved to Jerusalem in 1841 where he established the first Hebrew press ever in the holy city.

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30 Cheshvan

In 1783, American forces recaptured New York City, clearing the way for the return of Jews who had been forced to flee when the British captured New York City in 1776. Jewish leaders were in danger due to their public support of the American Revolution. Perhaps the best-known was Haym Salomon, an immigrant from Poland, who worked as an undercover agent for George Washington. Salomon was arrested in 1778, accused of plotting to destroy British property in New York. Salomon was condemned to death for sabotage, but bribed his guard while awaiting execution, and escaped to Philadelphia. Salomon was an astute merchant and banker, and succeeded in accumulating a huge fortune which he used to finance the Revolution and later to save the new nation from financial collapse. When Salomon died at age 45 of tuberculosis, he was bankrupt and the U.S. government owed him $700,000 in unpaid loans. In 1975, the U.S. issued a postage stamp in his honor.

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1 Kislev

In 1757, volumes of the Talmud were burned in Kamenetz-Podolsk, Russia. The instigators were followers of Jacob Frank, a Jewish merchant who claimed to be the messiah and successor of the false messiah, Shabbatai Tzvi. Frank's followers broke away from Judaism and created a new religion known as the Frankists, a quasi-Jewish, quasi-Christian religion. The local bishop held a debate between the rabbis and the Frankists; when the bishop decided that the rabbis lost the debate, he ordered them to pay a fine and to burn all copies of the Talmud in the district.

In 2008, Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg were among 200 people killed when terrorists attacked Mumbai, India. The Holtzbergs selflessly ran the Chabad house, a beacon of hope and kindness in a city filled with poverty and despair.

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2 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Aharon Kotler (1892-1962), a prominent Torah sage in Lithuania, and later in America. Rabbi Kotler studied under the famed Alter of Slabodka, and was the son-in-law of Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer. Rabbi Kotler led various efforts to rescue Jews from the Holocaust; he was instrumental in persuading Henry Morgenthau, U.S. Treasury Secretary, to risk his political career in order to help save Jews. In 1943, Rabbi Kotler founded a yeshiva in Lakewood, New Jersey, which has since grown into the largest institution of its kind in America with over 5,000 advanced-level students.

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3 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of Emma Lazarus (1849-1887), the American poet whose words are engraved on the base of the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

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4 Kislev

In 346 BCE, a delegation of Babylonian Jews arrived in Jerusalem to ask the prophet Zechariah if the fast of Tisha B'Av should be discontinued (Zechariah ch. 7). Tisha B'Av is a commemoration of the destruction of the Temple, and at the time, the Second Temple had just been constructed. The answer, as recorded in the Talmud, is that if Israel remains under foreign control, then the fast remains -- even if the Temple is built. But if the Temple is built and Israel is self-governed, then the fast turns into a day of celebration. In this case, since the Second Temple was eventually destroyed (also on Tisha B'Av, 420 years later), it is commemorated till today as a Jewish national day of mourning.

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5 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shmuel Edels (1555-1631), a renowned Talmudic commentator, who is known by the acronym Maharsha. He was born in Krakow, Poland, and his masterful commentary, encompassing Jewish law, philosophy and ethics, is printed in all standard editions of the Talmud.

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6 Kislev

In 1958, Jerusalem inaugurated a new water reservoir, thus assuring the holy city of an adequate water supply for the first time in its 3,000-year history. Jerusalem's shortage of water was long its weakness in time of military siege. Back in the days of King David, a tunnel had been dug from the Old City to a neighboring valley, to channel water inside the Old City Walls. In modern times, the problem was exacerbated in 1948 when the Arab blockade of Jerusalem left its residents without a water supply.

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7 Kislev

In 440 BCE, 18 years prior to the destruction of the First Temple, King Yehoyakim burned a scroll containing the biblical Book of Lamentations, as recorded in the Book of Jeremiah (ch. 36). The idea of a Jewish king taking such an un-Jewish approach was viewed by the community as a great tragedy, and this date was proclaimed as a fast day. The prophet Jeremiah later re-wrote the scroll.

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8 Kislev

In 1974, the United Nations passed a resolution granting observer status to the PLO. This was the first recognition of the PLO by a major political body, and was seen by many as opening the door to eventual Palestinian statehood. The UN decision came nine days after Yasser Arafat addressed the UN plenary in New York. In the speech, with a gun holster strapped to his hip, Arafat compared himself to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. By 1980, the PLO has been recognized by European nations, and by Israel in 1994.

This date also marks the death of Golda Meir (1898-1978), former Prime Minister of Israel. Born in Kiev, Russia, she was subjected to brutal pogroms and moved with her family to Milwaukee at age eight. It was 10 years later, while organizing an American protest march against these Russian pogroms, that Meir decided to make aliyah. Meir became involved in politics at age 24 and was among the signers of Israel's Declaration of Independence. Meir became Israel's first Ambassador to the Soviet Union, and served as Prime Minister during the tense time of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. She once said: "Peace will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us."

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9 Kislev

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

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10 Kislev

In 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem. Sadat was the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel, after receiving an invitation from Menachem Begin. Sadat had orchestrated the Egyptian attack on Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but after suffering defeat became resigned to the existence of the State of Israel. Much of the Arab world was outraged by Sadat's visit and his change of strategy. One year later, Sadat and Begin signed the Camp David Peace Agreement, for which they received the Nobel Peace Prize. As part of the deal, Israel withdrew from the Sinai peninsula in phases, returning the entire area to Egypt by 1983.

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11 Kislev

In 1945, the charter of Yeshiva College (later Yeshiva University) was amended by the New York State Board of Regents, making it the first American university under Jewish auspices. Through the first half of the 20th century, many American universities maintained a regional quota system, whereby spaces for Jewish students was often limited. (This was, however, better than the situation in the Middle Ages, when universities were entirely closed to Jewish students.) Yeshiva University helped alleviate that strain, and today is regarded as one of America's leading academic institutions, offering advanced degrees in rabbinics, business, medicine, law, and Jewish education.

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12 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Luria (1510-1573), known by the acronym of his name, Maharshal. His ancestry was traced back to the great Jewish commentator, Rashi, and he was a cousin of Rabbi Moshe Isserles, who wrote the Ashkenazi portion of the Code of Jewish Law. Rabbi Luria himself wrote the classic book of Jewish law, Yam Shel Shlomo, and a commentary on the Talmud, Chachmat Shlomo (an abridged version appears in nearly all editions of the Talmud today). He was rabbi of the city of Brisk, and head of the famed Lublin Yeshiva, which attracted students from across Europe.

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13 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of Ravina, co-editor of the Babylonian Talmud, a voluminous work that is the prime repository of Jewish law and lore. Ravina's father died when he was young, so he was educated by his mother. In 475 CE, Ravina and his teacher Rav Ashi collected and commented on the rabbinic discussions that would henceforth be known as the Babylonian Talmud. Ravina's death in 499 CE marked the end of the talmudic period.

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14 Kislev

Birth of Reuven, Jacob's first son and the first of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Genesis 29:32). Jacob had originally worked for seven years in order to marry Rachel, but at the last minute Leah appeared under the chuppah instead. On their wedding night, Reuven was conceived. Though he was first-born, he eventually lost his leadership role, due to a reputation for impetuousness.

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15 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi (135 - ca. 220 CE), also known as Rabbi Judah the Prince. He was leader of the Jewish people during the period following the destruction of the Second Temple. Rabbi Yehudah developed a close friendship with the ruling Roman authorities, and was able to secure various benefits for the Jewish community. His greatest achievement was to compile the Mishnah, the Jewish legal teachings which until then had been taught orally, from teacher to student. But with persecutions and exile threatening to break down that chain of transmission, Rabbi Yehudah took the bold step of writing the Mishnah in its final form. He is credited with the wise and humble saying: "I learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, but most of all I learned from my students."

Also on this date, in 1987, more than 200,000 American Jews marched on Washington to demand that Soviet Jews be allowed to emigrate and practice their faith. The rally was timed to coincide with a meeting between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Russian Jews like Natan Sharansky, Yosef Mendelovich and hundreds of others were imprisoned for the mere act of applying for an exit visa. Their plight, met with indifference by much of the Western world, spawned a massive activist effort on behalf of Soviet Jewry. In the 1970s, when the Soviet Bolshoi Ballet performed in the U.S., they were greeted by Jewish pickets demanding rights for Soviet Jews. In 1974, the U.S. Congress passed the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which linked trade with Russia to freedom of emigration for Soviet Jews. The struggle for Soviet Jewry continued throughout the 1980s, and it was not until the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991, that the gates opened to the emigration of some one million Jews.

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16 Kislev

In 1946, the 22nd World Zionist Congress met in Basle, Switzerland. In the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust, Zionist leaders had lost all patience with British stonewalling about the creation of a Jewish state. Thus the Zionists decided to forcibly resist British policy, and Jewish underground movements redoubled their campaign to damage British installations such as rail lines, police stations and army bases. In one night in 1946, Ben Gurion's Hagana blew up 12 critical bridges. The efforts were largely successful, and by 1947 Britain declared its intention to withdraw, thus leading to the UN Partition Plan of November 1947.

On this date in 2009, Aish HaTorah dedicated its new educational center directly across from the Western Wall. The building features an aqueduct used to bring water to the Holy Temple, and reconstructed archways from the Crusader period. The atrium is punctuated by a two-story-tall glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly, entitled “Fire and Water.” On the rooftop terrace directly overlooking the Temple Mount is a 1.2-ton model of the Holy Temple. The building is also slated to house the Explorium of Jewish History.

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7 Kislev

In 1947, the United Nations voted in favor of the partition of Palestine. The Jewish area was split into three non-contiguous plots, with no consideration of security: the eastern Galilee, the coastal plain from Haifa down to Tel Aviv, and the majority being the uncultivable Negev desert. The other half of the land was to form a new Arab state. Jerusalem and its 100,000 Jews was to be completely surrounded on four sides by the Arab state, and administered as an international zone. Despite these unfavorable terms, the Jewish Agency immediately accepted the Partition Plan; the Arabs immediately rejected it. Fighting began soon after, leading to a full-scale assault in 1948 by troops from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi and Yemen.

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18 Kislev

In 1793, the French district of Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine passed an anti-Jewish law prohibiting circumcision and the wearing of beards. It also ordered the burning of books written in Hebrew. The French Revolution, born of the ideals of Enlightenment, had become the first society to emancipate the Jews, permitting them to enter the highest levels of government and finance. Yet all the talk of "equality" did not stop Voltaire from singling out the Jews as "the most abominable people in the world." The invective gained expression in the 1940s when the French Vichy regime took the initiative to round up and hand over 61,000 Jews to the Nazis.

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19 Kislev

Yahrtzeit of the Maggid of Mezrech (1710-1772), the successor of the Baal Shem Tov, who consolidated chassidic teachings into a structured, cohesive movement. Among the ideas he emphasized was the importance of clinging to God in all actions -- business, social and religious. The Maggid also taught of perfecting one's soul in order to bring about the redemption of the world. Today, tens of thousands of chassidim trace their spiritual roots back to the Maggid of Mezrech.