That Date When
The Rabbi Moses Ben Nachman was forced to flee Spain in 1263 for Jerusalem – where he built the famous synagogue in The Old City that still stands today.
“THAT DATE WHEN”: This Week In Jewish History
At the beginning of each week, JEWDICIOUS brings you a select set of consequential dates in Jewish history. This feature is a joint venture with our Substack partner, DUST AND STARS, where you can subscribe to receive access to all landmark dates!
🔯 Monday, August 12/Av 8:
1263 - By order of King James I of Spain, Nachmanides (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman—the “Ramban”) was compelled to participate in a public debate, held in the king's presence, against the Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. His brilliant defense of Judaism and refutations of Christiani's claims served as the basis of many such future disputations through the generations.
However, since his victory was an insult to the king's religion, Nachmanides was forced to flee Spain to Jerusalem, where he revived the revived the Jewish community. The synagogue he built in the Old City is still in use today and is one of the oldest standing synagogues in the world.
🔯 Tuesday, August 13/Av 9:
Tishah be-Av
The traditional day of national mourning for the Jewish people, on which they don't eat, drink, bathe or engage in sexual relations. Lights in the synagogue are dimmed, and the Book of Eicha (Lamentations), Jeremiah's heartfelt recounting of the destruction of Jerusalem is read.
Several national tragedies have occurred on the 9th of Av. throughout Jewish History:
1290 - The expulsion of the Jews of England by King Edward I.
1492 - The Spanish Inquisition culminated with the expulsion of Jews from Spain.
1914 - World War I broke out, which set the stage for The Holocaust.
1942 - The mass deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka Concentration Camp.
*** The 9th of Av is also a day of hope: The Jerusalem Talmud, (Berachot 2:4) relates that the Messiah will be born on this very day.
🔯 Wednesday, Aug 14/Av 10:
1889 — 800 Jews fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. Due its open door policy of immigration, by 1920 more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America, with over 250,000.
🔯 Thursday, August 15/Av 11:
2005 - The Gaza disengagement began with 14,000 IDF soldiers and police officers forcibly evicting more than 8,500 Jewish residents who chose to remain in their homes in 25 towns.
The government's hopes that the disengagement would open "new opportunities" in relations with the Palestinian Arabs were bitterly disappointed. The vacated settlements were immediately used to launch terrorist attacks against Israel, including unremitting rocket fire, leading to a number of wars and ultimately Oct. 7.
🔯 Friday, August 16/AV 12:
1913 — Birthday of Menachem Begin, Polish survivor of the Soviet Gulag, commander of the "Irgun" military/political movement of pre-State Israel, founder of the Likud party, Prime Minister from 1977-1983 and winner of the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for signing the Camp David peace treaty with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
🔯 Satuday, August 17/Av 13:
1915 - Leo Frank, falsely accused of murdering Mary Phagan, was taken out of prison and hanged by a lynch mob in Marietta, Georgia, Phagan’s home town.
🔯 Sunday, August 18/Av 14:
1790 - In response to a letter from the Jewish community of Rhode Island, President George Washington responded:
"The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind …a policy worthy of imitation… For happily the Government of the United States, gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance….May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety underhis own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid..."
Washington’s letter is still housed in the Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI.
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