Shortly before what is known as “The First Aliyah”, a group of Jews from Yemen arrived in the Land of Israel. Several dozen Yemenite families had embarked on a long and arduous journey to settle in Jerusalem. Once there, they encountered hostility, arrogance, and deprivation on the part of their fellow Jews. Where did they turn and who came to their aid?
A Vanishing World: What Will Become of the Yung Yiddish Museum?
The “Yung Yiddish” museum, tucked away inside a massive bus station, is something in between a library and an underground club. Its collections have survived two world wars in Europe. Whether they can survive the disparaging attitude in Israel remains to be seen.
The First Woman to Sign Israel’s Declaration of Independence
Rachel Cohen-Kagan was one of the most prominent activists for the advancement of women’s rights in the young State of Israel. Her efforts led to her being among the signatories of the Declaration of Independence
The Worm That Built Solomon’s Temple
Did a mysterious little creature, the enigmatic “Shamir”, really help build the First Temple?
A Dragon From the Land of Israel?
Stories about dragons usually lead us to dark caves in Europe, but one classic dragon-tale may have its ancient roots right here, in the Land of Israel
When Ice Cream Was Forbidden in the Land of Israel
Why were the residents of Mandatory Palestine banned from eating ice cream for three whole years?
Jerusalem During the War of Independence—Now in Color!
The blockade of Jerusalem began during the first few days of the War of Independence, spreading from the Old City’s Jewish Quarter to the rest of Jerusalem. These color photos from 1948 show us what life was like in the city that was cut off from the rest of the country…
The Story of the Daring Pilot Zahara Levitov
Zahara Levitov was a Palmach fighter and among the first women to fly planes in the newly established IDF, but her service was cut short by a tragic crash
Who Opposed Eichmann’s Execution?
The trial of Adolf Eichmann had a profound effect on Holocaust discourse in the young State of Israel. During the trial, a heated debate raged within Israeli society over the appropriate punishment for the senior SS officer…
Israel’s First Independence Day and “The Parade That Didn’t March”
What Israel’s Independence Day looked like before there was an Independence Day
