Sponsored by Aish.com: In 1942, Hitler devised a plan for a Museum of Judaism, to remember the dead Jewish religion, culture and people. Millions of Jewish treasures — Torah scrolls, ritual objects, books and art — were looted by the Nazis and taken to warehouses. In Czechoslovakia, the objects were taken to the Jewish Museum in Prague, where the Jews themselves were forced to sort...
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 29
Sponsored by Aish: On this date in 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry, killing all seven crew members aboard, including Israel’s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon. During his 16 days in space, Ramon defied gravity by lifting his country from the morass of terror, by making Jews feel connected and proud. Ramon’s space luggage included a small Torah scroll that had...
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 24
Sponsored by Aish.com:
In 354 BCE, the prophet Zechariah predicted the rebuilding of Zion, as recorded in the biblical Book of Zechariah (1:7). King Darius of Persia had given permission to rebuild the second Holy Temple, and Zechariah rebuked the people for not quickly taking the opportunity to do so.
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 15
Sponsored by Aish.com: Today is Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for the Trees. This is technically the day when trees stop absorbing water from the ground, and instead draw nourishment from their sap. In Jewish law, this means that fruit which has blossomed prior to the 15th of Shvat could not be used as tithe for fruit which blossomed after that date. The custom on Tu B’Shvat is to eat...
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 13
Sponsored by Aish.com: In 1790, France granted full and equal citizenship to Sefardi Jews. (Ashkenazi Jews gained citizenship a year and a half later.) 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. In 1807, Napoleon created the French Sanhedrin — a Jewish...
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 7
Sponsored by Aish.com: In 1943, plans were finalized to deport the Jews of Athens, Greece. From 1941-1943, Greece was under control of the Italians, who by and large protected the Jews against the Germans. But in 1943, things changed for the worse; as punishment for Greece’s fighting against the Axis, freedom of movement was restricted for all Jews. Some Jews fled and hid in the...
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 3
Sponsored by Aish.com: In 1933, Adolph Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany. The November 1932 elections saw the Nazis emerge as the largest party in the Reichstag. Leading German politicians and businessmen persuaded President Paul von Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor, as a way to stabilize the government and economy. Hindenburg reluctantly agreed. Two months later, the Nazis...
Today in Jewish History – Shvat 1
Sponsored by Aish.com: On this date, as the Jewish people were completing 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses gathered the entire the nation and began his farewell address. Moses’ speech would continue for 40 days until his death, as described in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses reviewed the commandments of the Torah, gave a historical reflection, prophesized about future events, and...
Today in Jewish History – Tevet 26
Sponsored by Aish.com: In 1826, Maryland adopted a law which allowed Jews to hold public office, on condition that they accept the concept of reward and punishment in the afterlife. Maryland was founded as an asylum for Catholics in 1634, and in the early days the denial of Christianity was a capital crime in Maryland. Anyone speaking negatively about Mary or the Apostles was subject to a fine or...
Today in Jewish History – Tevet 19
Sponsored by Aish.com: In 1901, the Jewish National Fund was founded for the purpose of purchasing settlement land in Israel. JNF had the idea of placing a collection box in every Jewish home, and by the 1920s about one million of the famous “Blue Boxes” were in Jewish homes throughout the world. Besides purchasing land throughout Israel, JNF expanded into afforestation, water...
