Even before setting foot in the country, he demanded VIP treatment, had to “call in sick,” and inspired poems of praise by the poet Leah Goldberg… Here is the story of Bungo, the first Zionist elephant, who taught the Tel Aviv Zoo an important lesson about married life.
September 11, 25 Years Later: “A Moment of Collective Trauma”
When reflecting on the most lethal terrorist attacks ever to take place in the United States, the parallels with Israel’s own recent history come into focus.
Between Seoul and Jerusalem
Each summer, South Korea marks its independence and the end of its pivotal war. Early on, Israel worked to bring peace to the far-away land.
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.
“We Were on Very Good Terms”: A Look Back at Iran-Israel Relations
Retired Israeli diplomat Aryeh Levin has many fond memories from his years serving in Iran more than a half-century ago. As to the ongoing war between the countries, he says: “This is a crazy time we’re living in.”
When “Not Without My Daughter” Was Filmed in Israel
Can a country become part of a movie cast? The number of major international films shot in Israel can likely be counted on two hands, and when the film crews did come, many used the local landscape to stand in for other Middle Eastern countries. In the National Library archives, we uncovered documentation of how Ramat Gan became Tehran, and well-known Israeli actors found themselves playing Persians and Turks.
A Young Yitzhak Rabin Gives His First Interview
He was “level-headed, moderate, coolly analytical, with the lowest bass voice ever heard over the IDF’s combat radio,” and his “number of operations was as great as the number of freckles that once covered his face.” Lt. Col. Yitzhak Rabin gave his first interview to an army newspaper at the age of 27.
Barney Dreyfuss, a Jewish Under-the-Radar Baseball Hall of Famer
The German immigrant arrived in America in 1881 and left an imprint on its national pastime, including launching the World Series championship.
When Meyer Lansky Walked His Dog in Tel Aviv
The American-Jewish gangster lived in Israel for two years and wanted to stay, but was forced out in 1972 when Israel’s interior minister declared him an unsavory character.
Yesterday’s News: The Story of the Historical Jewish Press Archive
Professor Yaron Tsur—one of the founders of the NLI’s Historical Jewish Press website—has been awarded the Israel Prize. The honor recognizes, among other achievements, his role in helping create one of the National Library’s most significant initiatives. This is the story behind the Historical Jewish Press – a project that allows anyone, anywhere to explore nearly every Jewish newspaper published over the last 250 years—and embark on a captivating journey through Jewish history.
