How the Antisemitic Dreyfus Affair Led to the Creation of the Tour de France

How a group of anti-Dreyfusards channeled their anger into the creation of one of the world's most popular sporting events, centered on a new invention: the bicycle.

Nick Gendler | 26.02.19

Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his ranks, La Petite Journal, January, 1895. From the collections of the National Library of Israel

This is the story of a footnote to two major events in French history – the Dreyfus Affair and the introduction of the world’s greatest bicycle race, the Tour de France, that briefly, and ever so slightly intersected in June of 1899.

Following a humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian war in 1870, the French Third Rebublic placed its focus on the rebuilding of national pride – Revanchism.

The newly invented bicycle quickly became a symbol of health, fitness, and modernity, and a national obsession with cycling saw races taking place all over the country by the 1890s. The insatiable appetite for cycling meant an increase in the desire for news about the sport while manufacturers of bicycles and cycling components made use of the media for advertising purposes. Competing newspapers set up races to promote themselves.

In many senses the Third Republic was progressive but it was also beset by crises. One of these, the Panama Canal scandal, fostered growth in antisemitism since two of the businessmen at the center of it, and upon whom the patriotic press focused, were German Jews. This brought monarchists into conflict with Republicans, and Catholics into conflict with secularists – antagonisms that continued with the Dreyfus Affair. Throughout the nineteenth-century Jews enjoyed a degree of emancipation and political and commercial influence, thus feeding the antisemitic “international-Jewish-lobby” trope.

The Trap set for Dreyfus "Dreyfus the Martyr", The Graphic London, 1899 National Library of Israel — The Trap Set for Dreyfus, “Dreyfus the Martyr”, The Graphic London, 1899. From the collections of the National Library of Israel.

Four years after Dreyfus’s original conviction based on concocted evidence, the affair rumbled on. The real culprit, Major Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy, had been identified but was quickly cleared by a military court determined to hold tight to the army’s position and avoid humiliation. By the time Emile Zola’s “J’Accuse” article was published, the country was deeply split between those who were for and those who were against Dreyfus.

Emile Zola’s “J’Accuse” — “J’Accuse”, Emile Zola’s famous article in L’Aurore, January 3, 1898, from the collections of the National Library of Israel.

On February 16, 1899, French President Felix Faure suffered a brain hemorrhage while in the arms of his Jewish mistress, Marguerite Steinheil. His sudden death presented an opportunity for the Dreyfusards as Faure was succeeded by Emile Loubet, a left-leaning senator from humble origins who was very much a friend of the underdog. He was popular enough with other members of the national assembly to easily beat his opponent for the Presidency, but not universally popular across the riven nation; Loubet was seen as an enemy of the anti-Dreyfusards because he supported reviews of the trials of Dreyfus and Esterhazy.

On June 3, 1899, the Supreme Court overturned the original court-martial judgment against Dreyfus and ordered a retrial. Tensions were high when, the following day, Loubet accepted an invitation to watch horse-racing at the Auteuil Race Course.

Alfred Dreyfus at his Rehabilitation Ceremony, July 21, 1906, from the Dreyfus Family Collection at the National Library of Israel.

Unlike the Longchamp racecourse which was frequented by the lower classes, and therefore Loubet’s core support, Auteuil was the playground of the wealthy, monarchist, anti-Republican and mainly anti-Dreyfusard classes. Loubet’s presence was seen as provocative and he was confronted by hordes outraged by the order for a retrial. The demonstration turned violent almost as soon as the President took his seat. Among those who were arrested following the fracas was the wealthy industrialist Jules Albert Compte de Dion.

The pugnacious de Dion had two passions – engineering and dueling. At one point, his automobile company, De Dion Bouton, was the largest manufacturer of cars in the world.

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Pierre Gifford, the editor of the Le Velo newspaper, criticized the demonstration, as did much of French society, appalled at the humiliating treatment of the President by these uncouth aristocrats.

Politically, Gifford was on the left and wrote scathing articles criticizing De Dion and other anti-Dreyfusards, despite many of them being important advertisers in his newspaper. Gifford’s reporting of the demonstration incensed De Dion and others industrialists such as Eduard Michelin, a vigorous antisemite, and Gustave Clement.

The Le Velo newspaper which covered sport and politics, dominated the sports paper market, enabling it to command high advertising rates. It was also financially backed by the Darracq motor company – a rival automobile manufacturer to De Dion and Clement.

Giffard’s criticism following the Auteuil incident was the last straw. The anti-Dreyfusard businessmen were already frustrated that Le Velo had a virtual monopoly and was controlled by one of their rivals. Dion and his allies decided to withdraw their advertising and to launch their own rival paper, L’Auto-Velo, under the editorship of Henri Desgrange, a man with significant experience in journalism and the world of cycling.

De Dion chose Desgrange to be his editor for his hard-headed, opinionated and autocratic style. He left the running of the paper to Desgrange with a single instruction: to drive Le Velo out of business.

L’Auto-Velo was launched on October 16th, 1900 and was printed on yellow paper to distinguish it from the green of Le Velo, a decision that was to have lasting significance.

In November 1902, as the renamed L’Auto struggled with circulation at consistently around a quarter of that of Le Velo, Desgrange held a crisis meeting. It was at this meeting that a young reporter by the name of Geo Lefevre, allegedly desperate to suggest something, spontaneously floated the idea of the Tour de France as a promotional enterprise.

Desgrange initially received the idea with skepticism, but after consulting his finance manager, he decided to launch the race in January of 1903. To his surprise “Le Tour” was an immediate success for the paper with circulation rising from around 25,000 to 65,000 after the first edition of the race, spelling disaster for Le Velo which ceased publication in 1904.

de_L'Auto — Le Tour de France is announced in L’Auto.

L’Auto went on to enjoy massive benefit on the back of the Tour de France, and, by the time of the 1923 tour, it was selling 500,000 copies a day during the race. Sales peaked at over 850,000 during the 1933 tour.

Desgrange stayed in charge until his death in 1940 when the paper was taken over by a German consortium. During the war period L’Auto was not unsympathetic to the Nazis, allowing it to continue operating under the Vichy government, but after the war, it was shut down along with all other pro-German publications. From the ashes of L’Auto emerged the now popular French sports paper, L’Equipe.

So, if we look back and connect the dots, we can see that, if it wasn’t for Alfred Dreyfus and his antisemitic ordeal, there would be no Tour de France.

This post was written as part of Gesher L’Europa, the NLI’s initiative to connect with Europe and make our collections available to diverse audiences in Europe and beyond.

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In Vivid Color: Century-Old Postcards Depict the Lives of Jewish Immigrants to America

Bartending cantors, strange outdated customs and Yiddish jokes - These fascinating postcards from the National Library of Israel's collections offer a rare glimpse into the lives of freshly arrived Jewish immigrants to the United States.

Shai Ben-Ari | 20.02.19

American Jewry Jewish Culture Life Before The Holocaust Rosh Hashana Rosh Hashanah

The turn of the 20th century came at the height of a massive wave of Jewish immigration to the United States from eastern Europe. It is estimated that around three million Jews landed on America’s shores in the period stretching from 1880 to 1924. They came fleeing the pogroms and anti-semitism which had become rampant in their homelands, seeking a new life in a new world.

These new Jewish immigrants brought many of their customs and traditions with them, but the encounter with an American culture on the rise created a unique and rich blend which came to define the new community. Some of the most enlightening remnants of this period in Jewish-American history are the popular holiday greeting cards which friends and relatives would send each other to mark Jewish festivals.

The National Library of Israel has a large collection of postcards of this type, featuring a range of colorful images with a certain Jewish flair or twist. A selection of them appears below. Some of these cards are based on photographs, while others were drawn by hand, but all of them depict scenes from the day-to-day lives of the new Jewish arrivals in America. Most were intended for use as greeting cards for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.

Have a look at these postcards from the National Library of Israel’s collections and the Folklore Research Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and get a glimpse of Jewish-American life as it was a century ago.

A Jewish immigrant family arrives on Ellis Island, with New York's turn-of-the-century skyline in the background. Unknown artist. The National Library Ephemera Collection. — A Jewish immigrant family arrives on Ellis Island, with New York’s turn-of-the-century skyline in the background. Unknown artist. The National Library Ephemera Collection.

This postcard from 1909 features a drawing by Jacob Keller depicting Jewish immigration to America. On the right (east) is a group of traditionally dressed Jews carrying their meager possessions while the symbol of czarist Russia hovers above. The richly dressed, smiling Jews of the west welcome their eastern brethren as does the Statue of Liberty. Overhead, a bald eagle carries a ribbon with a Hebrew quote from Psalms 17:8 - “and shelter us in the shadow of Your wings”. Printed by the Hebrew Publishing Co. The National Library Ephemera Collection. — This postcard from 1909 features a drawing by Jacob Keller depicting Jewish immigration to America. On the right (east) is a group of traditionally dressed Jews carrying their meager possessions while the symbol of czarist Russia hovers above. The richly dressed, smiling Jews of the west welcome their eastern brethren as does the Statue of Liberty. Overhead, a bald eagle carries a ribbon with a Hebrew quote from Psalms 17:8 – “and shelter us in the shadow of Your wings”. Printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

A Jewish couple blesses their children as Shabbat begins. Unknown artist, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — A Jewish couple bless their children as Shabbat begins. Unknown artist and publisher, the National Library Ephemera Collection.

A Jewish family prepares to eat Shabbat dinner, this is perhaps the most common theme featured in postcards of this type. Unknown artist, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — A Jewish family prepares to eat Shabbat dinner. This is perhaps the most common theme featured in postcards of this type. Unknown artist and publisher, the National Library Ephemera Collection.

A Jewish family singing Zemirot (Jewish hymns) for Shabbat. By artist Jacob Keller, circa 1910, the Hebrew Publishing Company. — A Jewish family singing Zemirot (Jewish hymns) for Shabbat. By artist Jacob Keller, circa 1910, the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

A child stands and asks "Mah Nishtanah?" during his family's Passover Seder. This image was drawn by Freidrich Kaskeline and produced by the Williamsburg Art Company, circa 1920-1930. — A child stands and asks “Mah Nishtanah?” during his family’s Passover Seder. This image was drawn by Freidrich Kaskeline and produced by the Williamsburg Art Company, circa 1920-1930, the National Library Ephemera Collection.

A family heading to Synagogue - the Yiddish caption reads "Going to Shul". Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company circa 1920, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — A family heading to synagogue – the Yiddish caption reads “Entering Shul”. Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company circa 1920, the National Library Ephemera Collection.

Men discussing the issues of the day after synagogue services. This postcard was intended as a companion to the previous one. The Yiddish caption reads” (Coming) from shul”. Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company circa 1920, the National Library Ephemera Collection.

A cantor reads from a book in synagogue, unknown artist and publisher, the National Library Ephemera Collection.

This postcard depicts the Simchat Torah holiday custom of "Kol HaNearim" (all the boys), in which the young boys of the congregation are called to gather under a large talit as Genesis 48:16 is recited - a verse from Jacob's blessing to Ephraim and Manashe. By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, the Hebrew Publishing Company, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — This postcard depicts the Simchat Torah holiday custom of “Kol HaNearim” (all the boys), in which the young boys of the congregation are called to gather under a large talit as Genesis 48:16 is recited – a verse from Jacob’s blessing to Ephraim and Manashe. By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Jewish families greet each other outside the synagogue. Some wear clothes typical of poor eastern European immigrants, while others are dressed as wealthy Americans. Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company during the first quarter of the 20th century, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

A Jewish man recites the "Shema Israel" prayer before going to bed. By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — A Jewish man recites the “Shema Israel” prayer before going to bed. By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Some of the postcards showcase situations which are perhaps not traditionally associated with Jewish life…

The Yiddish caption here reads: “Throughout the year he works as a bartender in a Coney Island saloon. On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur he is a cantor in a synagogue.” A similar theme was explored in the classic 1927 film “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson. By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

A man bursts into his home carrying a winning lottery ticket as his family members stare at him in joy and disbelief - The ticket reads 75 Thousand in Yiddish. "God has blessed you now - a joy!" Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company around the turn of the 20th century, the National Library of Israel Ephemera Collection. — A man bursts into his home carrying a winning lottery ticket as his family members stare at him in joy and disbelief – the ticket reads “75 Toyzend” in Yiddish. “Das groyse gevins!” – Big winnings! Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company around the turn of the 20th century, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Some of the customs of the Old Country have been nearly completely forgotten, but the Yom Kippur ritual of flagellation was still common enough during the early 1900s to feature in this postcard. Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company during the first quarter of the 20th century, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — Some of the customs of the Old Country have been nearly completely forgotten, but the Yom Kippur ritual of flagellation was still common enough during the early 1900s to feature in this postcard. Printed by the Williamsburg Art Company during the first quarter of the 20th century, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Several of these postcards feature whimsical examples of Yiddish humor.

The Yiddish text here reads – “He: But if I were rich, you would have loved me, wouldn’t you have? Her: Loved you? I don’t know about that, but I certainly would have cooperated.” By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Oy vey! Two pounds of fat have disappeared from the kitchen! The lady of the house blames the servant girl, who in turn replies - "It was the cat!" To solve this crime, the cat is put on the scales, which reveal the animal weighs exactly two pounds. "So the fat is in there," says the lady "the question now is -where is the cat?" By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the National Library Ephemera Collection. — Oy vey! Two pounds of fat have disappeared from the kitchen! The lady of the house blames the servant girl, who replies – “It was the cat!” To solve this crime, the cat is put on the scales, which reveal the animal weighs exactly two pounds. “So the fat is in there,” the lady exclaims, “the question now is – where is the cat?” By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company,the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Yiddish text here reads - "A disabled man with only one leg meets a blind man on the with only one eye. 'How is it going?' asks the blind man, 'As you see' replies the man with one leg." By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the National Library of Israel Ephemera Collection. — The Yiddish text here reads – “A disabled man with only one leg meets a blind man on the street with only one eye. ‘How’s it going?’ asks the blind man, ‘As you see!’ the disabled man replies.” By artist Jacob Keller circa 1910, printed by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Folklore Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The National Library’s “Time Travel” project is dedicated to collecting and scanning Israeli and Jewish ephemera and making them accessible to the general public, you can browse through the collection here.

Ariel Viterbo of the National Library’s Archives Department assisted in the preparation of this article.

How Bergen-Belsen Survivors Celebrated Independence

Take a rare look inside the newspapers published by the inhabitants of the concentration camp after liberation.

Daniel Lipson | 19.02.19

Gesher L’Europa Independence Day 1948 Newspapers The Holocaust עיתונות

Survivors from Bergen-Belsen immigrating to the land of Israel. A photograph from the album, “Destruction and Rebirth: Bergen-Belsen 1945-1965”

The Bergen-Belsen camp was established in Germany in the 1930s to house workers who were constructing a military camp near the village of Belsen. The camp held Polish, French, Dutch and Belgian prisoners of war at the beginning of World War II. In 1941, thousands of Russian prisoners of war were detained at the camp.

At the same time, the German Foreign Ministry ordered the rounding up of Jews with dual citizenship or citizenship of neutral countries in order to exchange them for German citizens who had been taken captive in the Allied countries, such as the German Templar communities in Palestine. In 1943, SS Commander Heinrich Himmler ordered that these “exchange Jews” (Austauschjuden) be moved from a camp in Poland to a camp in Germany. The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was chosen as the new detention center for these Jews. The lives of a few of the “exchange Jews” were spared when they were returned to their country of origin in exchange for captured Germans. The vast majority, however, did not share this fate.

Within a short time, other European Jews joined the “exchange Jews” at the camp. In the spring of 1944, transports of ill Jews arrived from other camps. Their compromised state of health, combined with the abusive treatment in the camp, greatly increased the mortality rate at Bergen-Belsen. Later, the Germans transferred in Jews from other camps that were deemed too close to the eastern front, including those who had survived the death marches. The camp administration had never planned to hold such a large number of prisoners, and Bergen-Belsen soon became a place of widespread starvation, typhus, dysentery, suffering, and death.

The camp’s survivors sit, packed together. A photograph from the album, “Destruction and Rebirth: Bergen-Belsen 1945-1965”

On April 15, 1945, British armed forces arrived at the site, liberated the camp and arrested its Nazi administrators. The British were shocked by what they saw. One of the first officers to arrive was the chief medical officer of the Second Army, Glyn Hughes. He described a terrible density of humanity in the barracks, where the living and the dead lay side by side. More than 40,000 prisoners were found in the camp, 28,000 of whom required medical treatment. Among the living prisoners, the British also found 10,000 bodies. Thousands of other bodies were found piled in mass, uncovered graves at the edge of the camp,

The British army, the Red Cross and later, Jewish aid organizations such as the Joint, the Jewish Relief Unit, the Jewish Agency, and other organizations sent food, clothing, medical supplies, and relief workers. Sadly, these efforts did not always succeed in helping the starving and sick prisoners. In the weeks following the liberation of the camp 15,000 people died. In most cases however, the survivors’ will to live overcame the compromised state they were found in.

The pictures in the history books change with surprising speed. In the first few pages, we see pictures of horrifying scenes – heaps of dead bodies alongside walking skeletons waiting desperately for their last day. But, shortly following, are group photos featuring smiling, healthy faces and well-dressed children kicking a ball around. In short order, the survivors began to rebuild their lives. Three days after the liberation, on the 5th of Iyar, the date on which David Ben-Gurion would announce the establishment of the State of Israel just three years later, a Jewish committee was established in the camp. The chairman of the committee, from its establishment until the eventual closure of the camp, was Josef Rosensaft.

On May 21, after all the prisoners had been transferred to a nearby military base, the British burned down the camp in order to eliminate rampant typhoid. Over time, a series of monuments and memorials were erected in the location where the concentration camp stood.

Crowds watching flames and smoke in the camp’s vicinity after the British forces entered

With the war over, Jewish life developed rapidly in the new Bergen-Belsen camp for displaced persons. The first wedding of survivors was held in June of 1945. Children of survivors – the next generation – were born in the camp. Among them was Shlomo Goldberg who would later devote nearly 50 years of work to the National Library in Jerusalem.

Within a short time, a primary and secondary school, a Yiddish theater, a hospital, sports teams, and a center of Zionist political activism were all established in the camp. Many came to visit the displaced and assist whenever possible. Just as in the pre-war period, the survivors now joined the various Zionist organizations and extensive Zionist activity began to take shape at the camp.

Many works and periodicals were published in the camp, mainly in Yiddish. A booklet containing copies of 58 periodicals, books, poems and more is now kept in the National Library of Israel. All of the works within the booklet were printed at Bergen-Belsen.

A booklet that was published in the camp.

The first periodical issued by the survivors was published on July 12, 1945, in the town of Celle, in the British zone near Bergen-Belsen. The title of the publication was “Undzer Shtime” (“Our Voice”). Printing in Bergen-Belsen itself began with the second issue.

In the first issue, which opens with the Yizkor (memorial) prayer, David Rosenthal wrote about the decision to publish the journal and the reasons behind it. “The Jewish word will be heard in the land of our enemy,” Rosenthal explained. He added that the purpose of the newspaper was “to reflect our daily lives and to make contact with our brothers in the other camps.”

The publication focused on youth education and national Zionist education in general. The newspaper detailed the suffering of the survivors in the camp and fumed at the British closure of the gates to the Land of Israel. It included articles on the history of the Jewish people, Jewish holidays and festivals, Zionism, and settlement. It offered information about what was happening in the camp, news from the Land of Israel, reviews of Nazi trials, and more.

Since there was no Hebrew typewriter available in the camp, the first four issues were handwritten and then duplicated for distribution. Issue No. 5 was the first to be written on a typewriter. The camp received one typewriter from soldiers of the Jewish Brigade who came into Germany from Italy, and another from a Jewish-Canadian soldier. Around the time of issue No. 12, members of the editorial board were able to obtain a more professional printing machine.

“Undzer Shtime” was intended to be a bi-weekly magazine, but it was not always published in an organized fashion. During its two years, only 24 issues were published. The last issue was published on October 30th, 1947. The three editors (Rafael Olewski, Paul Trepman, and David Rosenthal) belonged to various Zionist parties, which helped maintain the paper’s neutrality and non-partisan approach.

The “Undzer Shtime” editorial board. From the left: David Rosenthal, Paul Trappman and Rafael Olavsky. A picture from “The Tear,” by Rafael Olavsky

The “Wochenblatt” newspaper began to appear in Bergen-Belsen on December 5, 1947, a week after the passing of the UN resolution to establish a Jewish state. The title of the main article in the first issue was “The End of Homelessness, the End of our Wandering- A Jewish State in the Land of Israel. ” Like its predecessor, this newspaper was also issued by the Central Committee for Liberated Jews in the British Zone in Bergen-Belsen. Members of the editorial board were the same members who served on the editorial board of the “Undzer Shtime.” Over time, as the original editors left Germany, they were replaced by other editors.

After two months, the periodical evolved into a bi-weekly paper. It resembled any other newspaper in that the editors made sure to provide news to its readers but, like “Undzer Shtime,” “Wochenblatt” contained a fair amount of articles about camp life, news from the Jewish world, sports and culture. The “Wochenblatt” advocated for Jewish rights, warned against anti-Semitism in Germany, and published the names of former Bergen-Belsen detainees who had fallen in battle in the Land of Israel. The newspaper called on the Jews to leave Germany, which was still difficult as the struggle for independence in the State of Israel trudged on.

On Friday, May 14, 1948, an important article appeared in the newspaper. It was entitled, “The Eve of a Jewish State.” Although rumors were circulating, the editors had no way of knowing that that very day in the Land of Israel, Ben-Gurion would announce the establishment of the State. The announcement was heard in Bergen-Belsen that night on the radio.

“The Eve of a Jewish State.” Issue No. 19, May 14, 1948

The next morning the camp residents woke to loud singing and cries of joy at the birth of the State of Israel. Jews danced in the streets and in synagogues. The youth distributed flyers in the camp, calling on all residents to celebrate the establishment of the State and to participate in a festive rally to be held later in the day. At the rally the chairman of the Central Committee, Josef Rosensaft, announced that recruits from the camp would soon arrive in Israel to serve in the new Israeli military. The group of recruits was invited onto the stage to thunderous applause.

The next issue of “Wochenblatt,” which came out a week later, was titled “Jewish Independence: Reality.”

“Jewish Independence – Reality.” Issue No. 19, May 21, 1948

In the 79th issue of “Wochenblatt,” Josef Rosensaft wrote that the Bergen-Belsen camp was in its closing stages and that the last Jews in the camp would be moved to the Jever displaced persons camp. It was there that the 80th and final issue of the “Wochenblatt” was published on August 18, 1950. It focused on the conclusion of the Jewish Agency’s activities in Germany. The Jever camp was closed the following year.

In September 2010, the Sh’erit Hapleta survivors organization of Bergen-Belsen in Israel published the newsletter “Our Voice – Undzer Shtime”. This time the newsletter was not printed in Yiddish in the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons’ camp, but in the free city of Tel Aviv in the local language of Hebrew.