That Date When
the U.S. government was informed of Hitler’s plan to deport and annihilate 4 million European Jews.
“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 5/Av 1:
3303 (457 B.C.E.) — Ezra and his followers arrived in Jerusalem from Babylon (Ezra 7:9) in order to be near the newly built second Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Only a relatively small group came together with Ezra, as the majority of Jews, including great Torah scholars, chose to remain in Babylon due to the harsh conditions that were then prevailing in Israel.
🔯 Wednesday, August 7/Av 3:
1955 — Bar Ilan University was founded in Ramat Gan in the Tel Aviv District. Named in honor of Rabbi Meir Bar Ilan — who led Jews from the ashes of Europe to rebirth and renaissance in Israel — the university was founded with the mission of blending ancient Torah tradition with modern scholarship. It is currently Israel's largest academic community with 32,000 students, scientists and staff.
🔯 Thursday, August 8/Av 4:
1942 — Gerhart Riegner, then an employee and later head of the World Jewish Congress, sent a cable to the U.S. government detailing Hitler’s plan to deport and annihilate 4 million European Jews.
🔯 Friday, August 9/Av 5:
1942 — 10,000 Jews were sent from the Borislaw ghetto to Bergen Belsen in the first mass deportation of Jews to the gas chambers.
🔯 Saturday, August 10/AV 6:
1920 — Birthday of Red Holtzman, best known for coaching the New York Knicks to two championships during the glory years of the late 1960's and early 70s.
🔯 Sunday, August 11/Av 7:
1929 — The Jewish Agency was founded in Jerusalem. A world-wide organization dedicated to the establishment of the Jewish Homeland and the encouragement and fulfillment of Jewish immigration, was created by Chaim Weizmann at the 16th Zionist Congress in Zurich. Since 1948, it has brought over 3 million immigrants to Israel.
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