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The Story of the Destruction
What do we mean when we speak of the Destruction of the Temple? For most of us, the phrase evokes the destruction of the Second Temple – the catastrophe that ushered in nearly two thousand years of exile and is documented in relatively abundant historical sources. Yet Jerusalem had already known devastation long before then, and the Ninth of Av (Tisha B’Av) was established as a day of mourning and fasting centuries earlier.
So, what led to the destruction of the First Temple?
History of Israel
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Recognizing Israel: Harry Truman’s Historic Decision
President Truman’s call in May of 1948 could have gone another way, with most of his top advisors objecting to recognition of the Jewish State. Today, the National Library of Israel houses several historic artifacts from the momentous occasion.
When the Historian Said “No” to Ben-Gurion
Historian Jacob Talmon admired Israel’s founding prime minister and hoped to immortalize him in the work of a lifetime. But when the controversial Lavon Affair came to represent, in his eyes, a threat to Israeli democracy, the scholar who had built his reputation studying the dangers of political absolutism put down his pen, turned against his hero, and launched a public campaign that would shake one of the most fascinating intellectual relationships in Israeli history.
When Israel’s “Queen of the Kitchen” Was Named Yacov
In 1969, with Golda Meir serving as prime minister, the men of Haifa decided it was only fair to reclaim the kitchen. Meet Yacov Lishansky: military governor, gas station owner, and the first man ever to be crowned Israel’s “Queen of the Kitchen.” This is a story of mullet fish, royal aprons, and shakshuka cooked under fire along the Suez Canal.
The Origins of Israel’s Civilian Defense Units
From the Tiberias massacre of 1938 to the events of October 7, the civilian defense units that have saved so many lives in Israel are far from a recent invention. What happened in that massacre nearly 90 years ago, and how did it shape the way the Jews of the Land of Israel learned to defend themselves?
American Jewry
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On Strangers and Nuance: A Conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Participants gathered at the National Library of Israel on July 12 to hear a fascinating conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl. The first Korean-born rabbi and cantor in North America, Rabbi Buchdahl is Senior Rabbi of the Reform Central Synagogue in New York City and a major voice today within the American Jewish community. Buchdahl was speaking with Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library.
Hamilton and the Jews: Tracking the Jewish Footprints of an American Founding Father
Alexander Hamilton, the brilliant statesman, helped to define a young America. His stories have been told in everything from biographies and novels to iconic Broadway show-tunes. Yet surprisingly, little of this material has focused on his meaningful connection to Judaism, which stretches back to his roots in the Caribbean…
“Our Jubilee, By God Set Free”
A rare broadside from 1876 contains a poem in Hebrew which served as a tribute to America’s centennial and heralded the golden age of American Jewry.
Mel Brooks, the 2,000-year-old Man, Turns 100
The comedic writer-director-actor from Brooklyn has made some of America’s zaniest films. A Jewish sensibility stars in his movies, too.
Jerusalem
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The Abu Ghosh Clan: Guardians of the Road to Jerusalem
On a courageous choice that shaped the fate of a family and a village just outside the Israeli capital
The Stories of Jerusalem’s Jewish Slum Neighborhoods
Jackals, mold, rot and cave-ins. Neighborhoods suffering from overcrowding, neglect, filth, poverty and a lack of basic sanitation. Moshe David Gaon, secretary of Jerusalem’s Sephardi Community Council, toured the city’s poorest Jewish neighborhoods during the British Mandate period. He documented his observations in reports that were recently discovered in his archive, now housed at the National Library.
Who Was Judah Touro?
Touro’s philanthropy left its mark on Jewish life around the globe, yet, almost paradoxically, few today are familiar with his name.
When “Jerusalem Day” Was a Day of Mourning
Before the Old City of Jerusalem was liberated in the Six-Day War – and even before the founding of the State of Israel – there were already a number of forgotten attempts by individuals, organizations, and official institutions to establish a “Jerusalem Day.” How was Israel’s capital commemorated before the Six-Day War? The answer is, at times, surprising.
Lives Lost: The Works of the October 7 Fallen
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David’s Light Still Shines
“To be able to have coffee whenever we want” – that was how David Meir, of blessed memory, defined economic independence. He worked to help those around him gain financial literacy. David grew up in the community of Kochav HaShachar, founded by his parents, and served in the IDF’s elite Sayeret Matkal unit. On October 7, he was among the first to reach the Gaza border communities and was killed in battle at Kibbutz Be’eri. A special edition of the book “The Psychology of Money” has now been released in his memory.
A Musical Gift Left Behind: Remembering Guy Illouz
Guy Illouz, 26, was carving a career in the music business. Hamas terrorists shot Illouz at the Nova festival and kidnapped him to Gaza. Illouz died there of his wounds.
Remembering Yonatan Richter
Yonatan (Shafik) Richter was an exceptional person. He lived a life full of practical achievements as well as great spiritual awareness, the kind of life that can serve as an inspiration to us all. He was a family man with a thriving career who also sought greater meaning and hoped to share his insights with others. On October 7 2023, he volunteered as a mental health supporter at the Nova festival, where his life was cut short.
Hannah Kritzman: The Storyteller of Kibbutz Be’eri
At age 15, Hannah Kritzman ran away from home to Kibbutz Be’eri, where she became a beloved preschool teacher and founded the local children’s library. 73 years later, on October 7, after spending hours hiding with her caregiver in her safe room, Hannah was shot by a Hamas terrorist, just as the two were being rescued. The memoir she completed shortly before her death offers us a glimpse of what a wonderful woman she was.
Life on the Border: A Tribute to the Communities of the Gaza Border Region
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The Lovers’ Garden of Kibbutz Nir Oz
A 50-year-old news article illuminates the deep bond between Oded and Yocheved Lifshitz from Nir Oz, who nurtured not only their love but also a unique and remarkable garden in their kibbutz. Both were abducted from their home on October 7, and now Yocheved waits for her beloved Oded’s return.
When the Farhud Came to Be’eri: October 7 and the Legacy of an Iraqi Pogrom
“We made Aliyah from Iraq to Israel so that Arabs wouldn’t be able to enter Jewish homes and murder us,” said Kibbutz Be’eri members who survived the pogrom known as the Farhud. In Be’eri, founded in part by Iraqi immigrants, there is a monument to the victims of the Farhud, suffered by the Jews of Iraq over 80 years ago. They couldn’t know that years later, their children and grandchildren would face a similar horror – but this time, in the Jewish state.
Nir Oz Will Blossom Again: The Story of a Legendary Kibbutz Gardener
In the early days, members of Kibbutz Nir Oz suffered from terrible sandstorms that made it difficult to move, see and even eat. Ran Pauker, the kibbutz’s legendary landscaper, was called to solve the problem, and along the way, Nir Oz became a green, ecological gem. When asked about the future of the kibbutz that suffered a fatal blow on October 7 – he says the vegetation will be restored within a year, as for the community: “We’ll have to wait and see”
We Shall Return: The Spirit of Kibbutz Nirim Will Prevail
“We shall return” – these were the words printed in Hebrew on t-shirts made by the survivors of Kibbutz Nirim. These words embody a history of heroism, pioneering, culture and Zionism which should serve as a model for all of us. Kibbutz Nirim, founded in 1946, faced a desperate battle for its very existence just two years afterwards. It survived then and survives now thanks to the unique spirit of its members.
The Man Who’s Been Documenting the People of Ofakim Since October 7
Nadav Mishali founded the cinematheque in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim. His personal story is bound up with that of the city itself and its brave and exceptional residents. Mishali has now taken on an even bigger mission – to document the stories of hardship and heroism that took place in Ofakim on Saturday, October 7, 2023
Jewish Communities
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On Strangers and Nuance: A Conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Participants gathered at the National Library of Israel on July 12 to hear a fascinating conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl. The first Korean-born rabbi and cantor in North America, Rabbi Buchdahl is Senior Rabbi of the Reform Central Synagogue in New York City and a major voice today within the American Jewish community. Buchdahl was speaking with Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library.
Abe Foxman: A Life Fighting Hate and Shaping Jewish Leadership
Foxman, who passed away on May 10, recently deposited his archive at the National Library of Israel. He was a defining voice in the struggle against antisemitism.
From Belarus to Shanghai: The Mir Yeshiva’s Journey of Survival
The extraordinary story of hundreds of yeshiva students who crossed Russia by train, sailed to Japan, and reunited in Shanghai. A story of enduring faith, of a library rebuilt under impossible conditions, and of a journey that helped shape the future of the yeshiva world.
Grandfather Mehdi’s Camera: A Rare Glimpse Into Jewish Life in Iran
When the Frarouy family set out on their perilous journey to Israel, they packed a single item in their suitcase, one that, nearly forty years later, offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the everyday life of a family and a community whose world was overturned overnight.
