Treasure Trove: David Matlow explores the long history of Israeli protests
For over 30 weeks there have been rallies and general strikes across Israel, protesting the government’s judicial reform initiatives. But it’s not the first time Israelis have taken to the streets in mass demonstrations. Prior to Israel’s independence in 1948, there were many protests and strikes directed at the British mandatory government. In September 1940, three […]
Treasure Trove: An ancient coin recalls the Jewish struggle for Jerusalem during the Roman conquest
This coin is from 69 CE, the fourth year of the Jewish revolt against the Roman conquerors in the land of Israel. Rome sent 60,000 troops to crush the rebellion. During the revolt, coins were minted with symbols that served as political statements to rally support for independence from Rome. On one side, is a lulav […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow tracks down the story of a model of Jerusalem
A scale model of Jerusalem was a featured attraction at the Ottoman Pavilion of the 1873 world’s fair. Held in Vienna, the fair showcased Austro-Hungarian industry and culture and commemorated Franz Joseph I’s 25th year as emperor. The model, which was 4.5 by 5 meters, was created by Stephan Illes, a Hungarian Catholic who arrived in Jerusalem […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow looks at the evolution from Palestine pounds to Israeli shekels
The Palestine pound was introduced by the British in 1927 to replace the Egyptian pound and British sterling as the official currency. The banknotes and coins had inscriptions in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Bracketed beside the word Palestine in Hebrew were the letters ‘aleph’ and ‘yud’ for Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel), which angered members of […]
Treasure Trove: Mickey Marcus, the American who was the Israeli army’s first general
David “Mickey” Marcus was a colonel in the United States Army in 1947, when David Ben-Gurion asked him to recruit a military adviser to design the future State of Israel’s army. Not finding anyone suitable, Marcus volunteered to do it himself. The army permitted this so long as Marcus disguised his name, so he became “Michael […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow recalls the famous German rabbi, Leo Baeck, on his 150th birthday
Leo Baeck (1873-1956) was a Reform rabbi who was the spiritual leader of German Jewry during the Nazi period. In his book This People Israel: The Meaning of Jewish Existence he expanded on his idea that ethics is the core of Judaism, and that man-made ritual law creates a framework for the realization of the ethical. This […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow on why some Zionist Congresses were truly extraordinary
This pin was distributed to delegates to the First Zionist Congress, held in Basel, Switzerland in August 1897. Theodor Herzl convened the Congress and designed the logo that appeared on the pin: it had seven stars representing the seven-hour work day that Herzl planned for the Jewish state. (This was a very progressive idea as the […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow on why even trading cards recognized the founding of the State of Israel
“State of Israel Proclaimed” was the headline in The Grand Rapids Press featured on the back of this trading card, which added that the proclamation “sets up the first Jewish nation in the world since 70 A.D.” In 1954, Topps diversified its sports card business to issue the 156-card Scoops series which included this card […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow explains why the Lodz ghetto currency was a Nazi tactic to defraud and persecute Jews
The Lodz ghetto currency was another tool used by the Nazis to defraud and dehumanize their Jewish victims. The ghetto in Lodz, Poland, held 160,000 Jews who were forced to live in the 1.6 mile-area, surrounded by barbed wire. The currency (referred to as the rumki because they were signed by Jewish Council head Mordechai […]
Treasure Trove: David Matlow reflects on April as ‘Freedom Month’
April 1948, one month before Israel’s proclamation of statehood, was declared Freedom Month by America’s United Jewish Appeal in support of its $250-million campaign. UJA chairman Henry Morgenthau Jr. noted the long and historic association between April and freedom both in Jewish and American history including the holiday of Passover, the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, the first […]
