There was a time when Lebanon’s coastal cities and snowy peaks were leading tourist destinations for the Jewish residents of Mandatory Palestine
How the Western Wall Became One of Judaism’s Holiest Sites
When and how did Jews begin praying at the Western Wall?
An 18th-Century Washing Machine
In the National Library of Israel’s Edelstein Collection, we discovered evidence of one of the world’s first modern washing machines, dating back to the 18th century
Rare Pictures: When the Haganah Trained on the Beaches of Tel Aviv
The Haganah’s Camp Yona was located in northern Tel Aviv, on a site occupied by a luxurious hotel today; this was the location for a string of historic events, from the murder of Arlosoroff, to the shelling of the Altalena
The Israeli Roots of the Penalty Shoot-Out
Cherry tomatoes, soup mandels and penalty shoot-outs – all Israeli inventions! This is the story of the most significant Israeli contribution to the beautiful game
Blood of the Maccabees: How a Little Red Flower Became the Symbol of Israel’s Memorial Day
Every year on Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, many of us wear the famous Dam HaMaccabim sticker; the connection between the flower and the occasion was made in the early days of the state
When Israelis Stood in Line for Rations
Lines, food shortages and powdered eggs. The coronavirus crisis recalls the early days of the State of Israel, when a policy of austerity was put in place
A Tango in Auschwitz
“I’m still young, I want to live”; even in their darkest hour, the prisoners of the Nazi camps wrote songs of hope
The Exceptional Lilli Henoch: The Sad Story of a Champion Athlete
Lilli Henoch won championships and set new world records, but her accomplishments weren’t enough to save her from the bullets of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen soldiers
Is “Chad Gadya” the First Children’s Song in Recorded History?
Parents have probably been singing songs to their children since the dawn of history, but “Chad Gadya” – composed specifically to help children stay awake until the very end of the Passover Seder – may be the first song ever printed specially for children
