Jewish History

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Today in Jewish History​

• First Jewish Governor Sworn In (1801)
When Governor of Georgia James Jackson resigned his post to serve as a US senator, the president of the Georgia Senate, David Emanuel, who was said to be Jewish, was sworn in as governor. If he was indeed Jewish, March 3, 1801, was the first time that a Jewish person served as governor of a US state.

Emanuel served the remaining eight months of Jackson's term, but did not seek re-election, opting instead to retire from politics. In 1812, Georgia named a new county in his honor: "Emanuel County."

• First Jewish Periodical in US (1823)
The inaugural edition of "The Jew," the first Jewish periodical in the United States, was published in March of 1823. It was published in New York City and edited by Solomon H. Jackson.

The subtitle of the paper was “Being a defence of Judaism against all adversaries, and particularly against the insidious attacks of Israel's Advocate.” Its major aim was to combat missionaries, and specifically "Israel's Advocate," a Christian conversionist periodical published at the same time.

The periodical was issued until March 1825.

• Salvation of Yemenite Jewry (1722)
The Jews of Sana’a, Yemen, were saved from a decree plotted against them by the king’s anti-Semitic ministers, in which they were accused of killing the grand prince. Yemenite Jewry celebrated this day each year with feasting and rejoicing.

 

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Today in Jewish History​

• Israel Secures Ein Gedi (1949)
Following the War of Independence, Israel needed to secure its borders against the hostile Arab nations which surrounded it. Ein Gedi, on the western shore of the Dead Sea, was secured on Sunday, March 20, 1949.

 

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A Spanish Easter festival has drawn criticism after encouraging people to “Matar judíos,” which translates to “Kill Jews.”

Semana Santa, otherwise known as Holy Week, is observed all over the Spanish-speaking world, but the Spanish region of León has its own unique take on the festivities.

Each year locals and tourists are encouraged to drink a special glass of wine-lemonade, which is accompanied by a call to “Kill Jews.”

Sonia Da Costa, at Cafetería Chamberí, told JTA: “It’s strange to foreigners, but they take it with a laugh. Here it is normal.”

“People are used to it here, it’s an expression that is not racist at all,” said José Manuel, who works at Vychio Cafe Bar.

“It’s an expression from a time period of racism but now, no, it’s an expression out of custom.”

The city of León, which has a population of 124,000 has no visible Jewish community.

The Jewish quarter of León has not seen a Jewish population in hundreds of years.

But that does not stop the area teeming with revelers in search of the “killing Jews” cocktail during the festival.

According to Torres Sevilla: “The third Jewish synagogue of León was built here (1370-1481).”

The expression of “killing Jews” dates back to the 15th century, Torres Sevilla explained.

The Black Death had left many Christian noblemen in debt and one knight, Suero de Quiñones, owed payments to a Jewish merchant.

To avoid paying his debt, Quiñones whipped up religious hate against León’s Jews on Holy Week in 1449.

He and other knights launched an attack on the Jewish quarter, murdering the lender and several others on Good Friday.

Torres Sevilla explained: “Quiñones said on Holy Week, our Lord was accused by the Jews and the Jews killed him.

“So what do we do with the Jews? Kill them. But the real reason was not a Christian motive — the real reason was that he had an important debt to an important merchant of the Jewish community.”

Following the attack on the Jewish community Quiñones and his allies went to drink wine in Barrio Húmedo.

And this is where the tradition of downing limonadas to the call of “killing Jews,” comes from.

After the attack a lot of the Jewish community was expelled from León in 1481 and many of the Jews who stayed converted after 1492.

“Everybody knows about ‘kill Jews,’ but nobody knows about the Jewish history of León,” said Torres Sevilla.


(full article online)

Spaniards defend Easter tradition of ‘killing Jews’

Each year participants are encouraged to drink a special drink of wine and lemonade, which is accompanied by a call to ‘Kill Jews’

www.thejc.com

 

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Today in Jewish History​

• Mishkan assembled for the 1st time; "Seven Days of Training" begin (1312 BCE)
The Children of Israel began building the "Mishkan" (also called the "Tabernacle"--a portable sanctuary to house the Divine presence in their midst as they journeyed through the desert) on the 11th of Tishrei of the year 2449 from creation (1312 BCE) -- six months after their Exodus from Egypt, four months after the revelation at Sinai, and 80 days after their worship of the Golden Calf. The construction of the Mishkan, which followed a detailed set of instructions issued to Moses on Mount Sinai, lasted 74 days, and was completed on the 25th of Kislev; but the Divine command to erect the edifice came only three months later, on the 23rd of Adar, when Moses was instructed to begin a 7-day "training period."

During the week of Adar 23-29, the Mishkan was erected each morning and dismantled each evening; Moses served as the High Priest and initiated Aaron and his four sons into the priesthood. Then, on the "eighth day" -- the 1st of Nissan -- the Mishkan was "permanently" assembled (that is, put up to stand until the Divine command would come to journey on), Aaron and his sons assumed the priesthood, and the divine presence came to dwell in the Mishkan.

 

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