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“Schwester Selma”: Jerusalem’s Legendary Nurse

She’s considered Jerusalem’s first Jewish head nurse, a trailblazer who introduced professional nursing practices many of which are still in use today. But what prompted a young woman from Germany to leave everything behind for the dusty, underdeveloped hills of the Land of Israel? This is the story of a woman for whom nursing was a calling—a way of life. Her legacy still shapes nursing in Israel to this day.

Main832

Freedom Under Siege: The Last Seder in Kfar Etzion

How can one celebrate the festival of freedom, with the clear knowledge that your life or liberty will be taken from you in just a few days? The Seder night of 1948 was one of the last nights of freedom for those in besieged Gush Etzion, but this fact did not prevent the isolated group of men from creating the most celebratory atmosphere possible under the circumstances.

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Hidden Weapons, Explosives and Tunnels: The IDF’s Combat Engineers

No unit in the IDF can get very far without combat engineering personnel. However, these soldiers don’t always get the credit they deserve for their critical contribution to Israel’s defense. This is the story of the Combat Engineering Corps – the brave and careful soldiers charged with dismantling all types of obstacles that stand in the army’s way.

Tiyul715

Memories From 1947: A Trip to the Galilee

The National Library of Israel recently launched a project collecting diaries belonging to members of Israel’s founding generation. One of those diaries, written by 21-year-old Avraham Dubno, inspired the story found below. Avraham was killed in battle shortly after recording the diary. It was found decades later by his niece, Rina Neiman

Children of Heroes: The Story of Ma’ale HaHamisha

Is it a good idea to raise children in a place constantly under enemy fire? How much joy can there be for a ten-month-old baby whose father has died for a cause? This is a story of childhood spent in Kibbutz Ma’ale HaHamisha – a story of love, laughter and dedication, alongside constant threat and loss

Those Who Dream of Givati: The Many Lives of the Purple Brigade

The IDF’s Givati Brigade came into being during Israel’s War of Independence, even before the Jewish state was officially established. This is the story of one of the Israeli army’s leading infantry brigades, and the famous fighting spirit bequeathed to it by its founder, Shimon “Givati” Avidan