Letter signed by Theodore Herzl sent to Mr. George regarding the collection of the “shekels” in Russia. Vienna, December 1903. Stencil print with Herzl’s signature at bottom right.
In his letter, Herzl addresses Mr. George and asks that due to the tense situation and the strict government supervision in Russia, he should collect the shekels for the Zionist Organization as soon as possible and keep them with him, despite the difficulty. Herzl is concerned that due to the various limitations Zionist propaganda would come to a halt, so he encourages him to work energetically on the issue, and he hopes that assistance will arrive from the West. Herzl’s letter was written a few months after the Kishinev pogrom, as the conditions for Russian Jewry worsened and the Zionist Organization was persecuted by the government.
[1] leaf, paper. 21×28 cm. Very fine condition.
Reden gehalten auf dem II Zionisten Congresse zu Bazel
(Addresses given at the [second] Zionist Congress in Basel) – Vienna, 1898. Rare.
Booklet in German with addresses by Herzl, Max Nordau, Dr. Max Mandelstam and Rabbi Moshe Gaster, chief rabbi of the Sephardic congregations in England, who was among the main speakers at the first Zionist congresses, and served as the vice president of the congresses. At this congress, the decision was taken to print and disseminate this booklet. Gaster’s address was brought in this collection “due to the great impression made upon his listeners with its rhetorical beauty.”
On the back of the booklet: Verlag des Vereines “Erez Israel” [“published by the of the Erez Israel Association”].
Very fine condition.
Palastina, Eine Werbeschrift fur die judische Arbeit in Erez Israel [ Publicity Booklet for the Zionist Enterprise in the Land of Israel ]. Published by the World Zionist Organization. Published by Die Welt, Cologne 1910. German.
There is broad coverage specifically of the activities of the Bezalel School of Arts in Palestine with various photographs of school activities [including an interesting photograph of Boris Shatz in the company of Sephardic rabbis], photographs of the orphanage, the old city of Jerusalem and more. With paintings from the work of Ephraim Moshe Lilien [many of which are full-page].
Old, period binding. Fine condition.
Four issues of Der Yud magazine of all Jewish topics.
* Issue 34, Krakow, August 23 1900 – extensive coverage of the Zionist Congress [‘ציוניסטען קאנגערס’].
* Issue 32, Krakow, August 9th, 1900
* Issues 27-28, Krakow, December, 1899
* Issues 48-49, Krakow, December 5, 1901 – festive issue published to celebrate Chanukah.
Fine condition.
Two bound volumes of 27 issues of the weekly Die Welt , rare publication of the Yiddish weekly.
The weekly Die Welt was founded by Herzl in Vienna in 1897, as a medium for the dissemination of his Zionist doctrine, Herzl actually wrote the newspaper himself, from beginning to end. It was quite successful – at its peak, it sold tens of thousands of copies. Feivel Berthold (1875-1937) replaced Herzl as editor in 1900. The newspaper closed in 1914 due to the world war.
Two volumes, 27 issues. 30 cm.
Moderate-fine condition, slightly disintegrating binding. The leaves themselves are complete, with some aging stains.
* HaTzfirah , Tenth Zionist Congress in Basel 15-22 Menachem Av 1911 – extensive coverage of the congress, including photographs of views of the congress and its participants and articles about the questions discussed. This congress was concerned with the decision to deal with subjects of culture, a decision which brought about tension between the religious and the other delegates. There was also a decision taken to unite Political Zionism and Practical Zionism into “Synthetic Zionism.”
* Participant’s card for the 14th Zionist Congress which took place in Basel in 1925.
Very fine condition.
Delegate’s ticket for the Israeli representative at the 17th Zionist Congress, Mr. Avraham Herfeld. The congress took place in Basel in 1931.
Personal details are recorded on the ticket, signed by the chairman of the congressional court and the executive secretary. The reverse contains instructions for use of the ticket in three languages [Hebrew, German and English]. At that congress, the revisionists’ proposal to declare the aspiration to establish a Hebrew state on both sides of the Jordan was rejected. In light of this, they withdrew from the congress.
12×18 cm. Fine condition.
Letter on the stationery of the Frederick Hotel in London from January 19th, 1931, addressed to his friend Dr. Zilkind, in which Bialik implores him to write his commentary on Tractate Kilaim specifically in the Hebrew language.
Bialik informs him that ‘in a number of days I will leave London and return to the Land of Israel.’ Dr. Zelkind arranged a commentary on Tractate Kilaim in Yiddish, and sent a sheet to Bialik to review and examine, apparently before it was printed. Bialik compliments Zelkind: “Each time a sheet from your mishnah arrives, it is a holiday for me … you are doing a great thing for the Jewish people, and your merit will stand by you forever.” He disagrees strongly, however, with the fact that Zelkind wrote his commentary in Yiddish. Bialik was of the opinion that the commentary should be written in Hebrew for a number of reasons: “The Hebrew audience who needs your commentary is twenty times greater than the Yiddish audience, so why should you work for nothing? “Please, with your abundant mercy, uproot your dwelling from the Yiddish to the Hebrew … you know that it is not from my jealousy nor my envy for the Hebrew Language that I say this. I have nothing against it, on the contrary I love it and I want it to be regulated, it’s just that the Hebrew commentary is worth sevenfold or even seventy-sevenfold more than the Yiddish, and the buyers are sevenfold more, and I am certain that the Hebrew will accelerate the complete of your work …”
[1] official hotel stationery. 12×18 cm. Fold mark. Stains. Fine condition.
Difficult letter saturated with pain, written in a depressed tone, composed by Gordon while he was suffering from various ailments. In his letter, he details his harsh illnesses and great suffering in somewhat lyrical prose. It is not clear to whom the letter was addressed, it turns to the addressee with the description “My dear Chassid, will we stray and not believe in the coming salvation!”
“You ask about my illness, what it is, what it’s called. My friend, the Blessed Creator prepared 953 different illnesses with which he causes people to die, which is approximately 1/3 more than the number of mitzvot with which the Holy One, Blessed Be He brings merit to Israel, and what difference does it make to you which of these ways it is … It’s been a year and more since I became ill with the disease of the ancient Philistines, and even the transmitters of tradition no longer know its name in the holy tongue – עכברים or טחורים, and this disease alone, which is a disease of the righteous, I paid no attention, and I said to myself that suffering is beloved to me [חביבין עלי יסורין]. Now the Philistines who stayed by the holy ark of G-d only seven months were stricken with this disease, as for a man like me who has sat by it almost his entire life … there are those who call it פוליפוס (in the book of Shmuel, ‘עכברים’), and there are those who have elevated it to the level of cancer …” Gordon later writes about his stay in a Berlin hospital for various treatments for his illness.
At the end of his letter, Gordon writes his opinion about writing poetry at that time: “I said that in these precipitous times, Israel does not desire poetry, melodies and flower gardens, and those who write and publish them see no blessing in their handiwork …”
Yehudah Leib Gordon [1830-1892] was one of the leading Hebrew poets of the enlightenment. His creations included original and translated poems, fables, feuilletons, stories, and scholarly and critical articles. He was born in Vilna in 1830 and studied in “cheder” in his youth, where he acquired extensive proficiency in Talmud and Tanach. In his adolescence, he drew close to the haskalah movement and began to read books of general interest, study foreign languages and to strike up friendships with some of the leading maskilim of his period, who influenced him very much. He worked as a teacher in schools in Ponovezh, Šilalė and Telz for 20 years. As a famous poet, he was invited to St. Petersburg in 1872 to serve as community secretary and administrator of Mefitzei Haskalah B’Yisrael. He wrote a lot in the HaMelitz journal and was one of the editors of HaMaggid . He passed away in St. Petersburg in 1892.
The letter’s conclusion may be lacking. [1] paper leaf written on both sides. There is an X-shaped scrawl on the back of the letter, with no damage to text. 13×21 cm. Large stain from an ink-smudge. Filing perforations. Fine condition.
Handwritten and signed letter by Sha”i Agnon addressed to his friend Ben Eliezer, undated.
In the letter, Agnon refers to his family in Germany as well as the jubilees [apparently his intent is specific groups who went to celebrate someone’s 50th birthday] ‘he shouldn’t be insulted by me, I don’t pay attention to jubilees, proof of the matter being that he did not take notice of mine …’
[1] leaf paper. 14×23 cm. Very fine condition.
Important historic letter in which Einstein, surprisingly, expresses his opinion on internal Israeli politics and also criticizes the American and British attitudes towards Zionism.
In the 1940s, there was a struggle over the leadership of the Zionist movement between two leaders, each of whom maintained a different approach to the goal of the Zionist struggle. On one side was Chaim Weizmann, a statesman who reasoned that all activities must be coordinated with the British, and that the Zionist movement must not fight the British government. On the other side was David Ben-Gurion, a seasoned politician who was far more in touch with the movement on the ground, and promoted said struggle. On a deeper level, there was a personal conflict between the figures. Weizmann was a famous scientist who had connections with world leaders but was not very connected to the Israeli experience. Opposite him was Ben-Gurion, a worker from Sejera who made his way up “from the bottom” by establishing the Histadrut, and who ruled on the ground undisputed.
The contest between them was decided in 1946 at the Zionist Congress, against a backdrop of the disagreement about the Jewish resistance movement. Weizmann quit his position as president of the World Zionist Congress. He returned to the United States and resumed his work as a scientist, but also continued his diplomatic activity for the Jewish state.
On May 14th, Ben-Gurion declared the Jewish state. Two days later, on Sunday, the first meeting of the people’s provisional council took place. It was decided there to appoint Weizmann (possibly as compensation for rejecting him two years earlier) as president of the state council.
Three days later, on May 19th, Einstein sent him a letter of greetings, which is the letter before us.
The letter: In the letter, Einstein expresses his satisfaction regarding the decision by Palestine Jewry to appoint Weizmann “head of the new state,” so that, at least partially, he is compensated for the ungrateful conduct regarding him and his merits. He adds that even at present (apparently referring to the situation of the Jews post-Holocaust), world powers do not treat the Jews properly, with Britain playing a “miserable game” against the Jews (referring to the lack of British support for Zionism), and the ambiguous American stance (Weizmann himself met with Truman on May 13, three days previously, and tried to convince him to recognize the existence of the state of Israel).
Nevertheless, writes Einstein, I am sure that our people will also overcome “this great spit” and that you (Weizmann) will experience the satisfaction of creating a happy Jewish community. He ends the letter with warm wishes.
Einstein and Weizmann had been close friends since the 1920s, when Weizmann traveled to the United States for the first time in 1921 on a Zionist mission. (It is told that when they disembarked from the ship in the United States, journalists asked Weizmann whether, after their long stay together on the boat, he comprehends the theory of relativity. Weizmann retorted that they did indeed discuss the theory of relativity a lot, and he has no doubt that he (Einstein) understands the theory of relativity very well …). After Weizmann’s passing in 1952, Einstein was offered the position of president of the State, but he turned it down.
Background: Chaim Weizmann (1874-1952) was one of the most prominent leaders of the Zionist movement, and his diplomatic activity was one of the primary causes of the establishment of the Jewish state. Weizmann’s first claim to fame was when he discovered a new species of bacteria which was used to produce acetone, proving very beneficial to British military industry in WWI. Weizmann was active in the Zionist movement from its inception. He was elected president of the Zionist Congress in 1921 and served in this capacity until 1946 (except for a two-year hiatus, 1931-1933).
[1] leaf paper. 28×21.5 cm. Typewritten on an official imprinted paper blank with Einstein’s handwritten signature.
Fine-very fine condition, tiny holes in the upper left of the leaf (apparently from removing staples), filing holes.
Magnificent invitation, with a festive gastronomic menu, to an event with Prof. Albert Einstein as the guest of honor in the University of the Republic of Uruguay in Montevideo. Park Hotel, 30.04.1925. The invitation was inscribed and autographed by Prof. Einstein to the Foreign Minister of Uruguay, Dr. Juan Carlos Blanco Acevedo. Freely translated, he wrote: “Souvenir of the wonderful hours we were together.”
Prof. Einstein’s trip to Uruguay in 1925 and his appreciation for its beauty and the quality of its people has become one of the Uruguayan myths that is related with much pride. On 24.04.1925, Einstein arrived from Argentina for a week-long visit in Montevideo, Uruguay. During his trip, Einstein delivered a series of scientific lectures. He was impressed by the country’s natural scenery and its buildings, its citizens and its special character, and he noted his experiences in his personal journal. The journal describes Uruguay as a small and happy country with exquisite natural scenery, beautiful weather, hot and damp, and amazing architecture. He was also impressed with the liberality of the country, its socialist laws and its constitution, which was somewhat similar to that of Switzerland.
His visit concluded with a magnificent event in his honor at the Park Hotel, arranged by the Uruguayan government and the local university. At the event, he sat next to the president of the Republic Eng. Jose Serrato and the Foreign Minister, enjoying warm conversation with them. Einstein wrote a personal inscription to the foreign minister on the gourmet menu prepared for the event.
Years later, this Foreign Minister headed the Uruguayan delegation to the United Nations that voted for the establishment of the State of Israel on 29.11.1947. On 25.03.2006, this menu was displayed in the halls of the LATU (Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay) in Montevideo, at a prominent international exhibition.
[1] double leaf, within a printed jacket binding made of cardboard and tied with a lace. 18×12 cm.
Fine-very fine Condition. Minimal aging stains. Traces of tape on the back.
Letter to the Vaad HaPoel of the Histadrut signed by Moshe Sharett in which he demands an increase of the percentages of the draftees from the kibbutz movement to the new Jewish companies in the infantry and transport corps. 30/7/1941.
Sharett complains in the letter about the kibbutz movement’s general lack of willingness to participate in the quota of regular recruits to the Jewish companies with their claim that the kibbutzim are filling their obligation of “settlement work” and if their members are recruited to the companies, this will harm the settlement. As for Sharett, he claims that this is incorrect, and that there are sufficient members to establish the settlement even if the percentage of draftees goes up. He also complains that the low percentage of draftees in the kibbutz movement causes weakness in other places of work and actually causes widespread draft-dodging.
Stencil print with Sharett’s handwritten signature.
[1] leaf official paper of the Jewish Agency. 20×25 cm. Perforation holes. Very fine condition.
Personal letter handwritten and signed by Moshe Sharett, addressed to Mr. Moshe Keren. 31/10/1954. In the letter, Sharett candidly writes interesting things about himself in old age – that his flight from blessings and honor is what sweetens his old age:
“The sadness which has descended upon me as I have reached such an old age has been much sweetened by my success in avoiding the empty noise of blessings and honors. At the same time, the quiet blessing of true good friends is dear to me, so your honest words have brought me joy. Yours, Moshe Sharett.
Sharett served as prime minister of Israel for about two years 1953-1955. Sharett’s short term as prime minister was characterized by his weakness. Ben-Gurion’s influence was hard on him, and this remained unchanged even when he vacated his place as prime minister and settled in Sde Boker.
[1] Prime Minister Sharett’s official leaf. 17×21 cm. Fold mark. Very fine condition.
HaOlam, official weekly journal of the Zionist Organization, edited by N. Sokolov. Tzvi Hirsch Itzkovitzki, Cologne. Volume of issues from the first year: issues 1-52, January-December, 1907.
Volume with the 52 issues of the first year of the weekly HaOlam . The weekly was the official organ of the Zionist Organization in Hebrew, and its name is a translation of the movement’s German-language newspaper, Die Welt . The newspaper included articles with the questions of the time, segments of literature and poetry, Jewish content and history and letters to and from the editor. The editor of the newspaper was Nachum Sokolov, and the writers included Eliezer Ben-Yehudah, Joseph Klausner, Mendele Mocher Sefarim, Itzhak Katzenelson and others.
Detached external spine and binding. Stains. Fine condition.
* “Permanent Admission Ticket” of a journalist named Lipman Luthnik, for the 1934 Levant Fair. There is a list of the rights of the bearer of the ticket on its reverse [discounts on train, boat and air services to the Land of Israel, open admission to the fair, hotel discounts, discounts for travel, restaurants, and the Mugrabi and Ophir cinemas for the duration of the fair].
* Three connected stamps which were published in honor of the 1934 Levant Fair with the emblem of the fair – the flying camel, and with “Levant Fair 1934” inscribed.
* Two paper tags with the emblem of the fair – the flying camel, on one it faces right and on the second, left.
* Letter on the fair’s official stationery signed by Lazar in which he turns to the Histadrut Poalei Agudat Yisrael and expresses his appreciation and his desire to deepen the participation of its members in the fair.
The Levant fair was an international trade fair which took place in Tel Aviv during the 1930s. The fair was preceded by a series of exhibitions and fairs held in Tel Aviv 1924-1929 and for the most part organized by the Trade and Industry company, which was established by Tel Aviv entrepreneurs.
Various sizes and conditions, overall very fine condition.
Collection of photos and documents – Jewish family in Alexandria 1945-1947.
* 9 pictures from the life of a Jewish family in Egypt: costumed children enjoying a Purim feast, group picture of children during Chanukah, a Jewish nursery school, a Jewish family, family near a relative’s grave in Egypt, and more.
* [20] documents – most correspondence from the Paul Weinblatt family to various authorities: [including the chevra kadisha] regarding the purchase of a burial plot in the Jewish cemetery in Alexandria [with a sketch the shape of a Jewish tombstone] for the deceased family patriarch Mr. Weinblatt, and arrangements regarding his bequest. Stencil print with signatures of various authorities.
Varying sizes and conditions, overall fine condition.
Important collection of 15 letters from various Zionist organizations around the world to the Land of Israel (most to the aliyah department of the Jewish Agency) mainly from the 1920s and 30s. The letters were sent from different countries: Cuba, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, Greece, Denmark, Yugoslavia, Belgium and additional places. For the most part, they deal with requests for permits to immigrate to the Land of Israel. Various languages: Hebrew, German, French and Greek.
Almost all of the letters deal with requests for support and assistance for diaspora Jewry, a good number are requests for permits [“certificates”] to immigrate to the Land of Israel. An interesting detail is that in most of them, the Zionist organizations ascribe their requests to the fact that the people for whom they are requesting the certificates have been and are presently engaged in Zionist activities, and therefore deserve to be given permits to immigrate to the Land of Israel. For example, there is a letter which was sent by the Zionist Organization in Alexandria in 1940 with a request for a certificate for Mrs. Laura Levi, daughter of the president of the Zionist Organization in Egypt: “The above woman, the daughter of the president of the Zionist Union here, must, for various reasons, immigrate to Israel … she was one of the founders of WIZO here; she was was active in all the Zionist institutions, we recommend and request that you do everything possible to enable her immigration to the Land of Israel …” A letter from 1927 on behalf of the Zionist Federation in Ossetia (Russia) appears to assist obtaining a permit for the Fried family to enter the Land of Israel, who, according the opinion of the father of the family, ‘should immigrate to the Land of Israel so that they can educate their daughters in an Israeli environment …’ He was here for a few years, and some of his donations were to the UIA.” There is a letter sent on behalf of the Zionist Federation in Brazil in 1935 with a request for an immigration permit for Prof. M. Benenson, as follows: “He is one of the few Zionists who relates to Zionism with a clean, pure heart and who is both wholly and enthusiastically dedicated to the work. Zionism is the essence of his life and his thoughts; he has worked for it for 35 years and he has dedicated his extensive knowledge and experience for tens of years … his honor should make an effort … to fulfill the professor’s request … and make it possible for the gates of the Land to open for him …”
Most of the letters are printed on the various Zionist organizations’ official stationery, stamped with ink stamps and signed by hand. Four letters are handwritten (they are also on official stationery). Some of the letters have Jewish Agency administration stamps documenting the receipt of the letters. Three of the letters have JNF stamps stuck on them.
Various sizes, overall fine-very fine condition.
Madrich Totzeret HaAretz , including local manufacturer’s names, addresses, various consumer goods produced in the Land of Israel, published by HaMercaz Lemaan Totzeret HaAretz published by the Manufacturers Association of Israel, Tel Aviv, 1936. Hebrew with a parallel summary in English.
The aim of the guide was to strengthen public awareness of local industry which grew in the 1930s, in the publisher’s words, “This book … its objective is to block one gap in the warfront for the sake of locally produced goods, which is lack of knowledge … under normal circumstances, Israeli industry stands in the shade … there will be no base nor foundation to our existence in the Land of Israel as long as the settlement is not a strong and independent economic unit … and with the public cymbal-crash of the words “Totzeret HaAretz;” with the glare of the words across the pages of the press, and with the conquering of public interest, a civilized person will encounter the question: Do we already have this and that made in Israel? “Buy the produce of the Land and the building of your country is in your hand” is written at the tops of the pages. There is an interesting dictionary of terms which is something of a Hebrew-Hebrew dictionary for the various products [אבקת תמרוקים – פודרה, מרח – פסטה and more]. The guide contains many advertisements: Early advertisements for Tnuva, Carmel Mizrachi wines, the Drom Yehudah bus service, early advertisements for the HaAretz newspaper, the Dubek cigarette company and more.
100, [2], 100 pages. 25 cm. Stains, fine condition.
Special Booklet accompanied by photographs, published four years after the establishment of the company. It covers the operations of the Hebrew shipping company, Lloyd, which was established with four principles: Hebrew capital, Hebrew flag, Hebrew labor, Hebrew product. Tel Aviv.
From the words of the publisher in the preface: “The sea, which has been, until now, a boundary of foreigners, has slowly become our boundary, the boundary of the pioneering Hebrew enterprise. This abyss, to which we have become accustomed over the long generations only to discard our Jewish despair … There is no one who will now doubt the importance of seamanship with regard to our national economy, and the slogan “conquest of the sea” was the order of the day in the fighter’s and builder’s camp. Among the positions that the yishuv conquered in the profession of seamanship, the Lloyd Seas of the Land of Israel Ltd. holds an important position … The company was founded in 1934 and started its service on the Constanza-Land of Israel route with the two ships Mount Zion and Mount Carmel . In those days, that route was not yet known as a primary route of transport between our Land and European shores.” The four foundations of the company are listed later: Hebrew capital, Hebrew flag, Hebrew labor, Hebrew product; its achievements, details of the Hebrew seamen’s training, and more.
Rare advertisement, does not appear in the National Library.
Collection of ten posters and publications of the Irgun, 1940s.
“The Voice of the Fighting Zion” [the Irgun’s broadcast station] poster 1947; “Enlist to the Service of the Rebels”; “Gold is False and Redemption is in Iron”; pamphlet for the day of the arrival of David Raziel’s remains for reinterment in the Land of Israel; “National Committee Announcement” regarding the deportation of 1800 Holocaust survivors on the Atlantic : In the name of the entire settlement, the National Committee expresses its indignation and vigorous protest regarding this action carried out by the government which deeply insults the human and nationalist feelings of the yishuv …”; stencil print of a “The Voice of the Fighting Zion” broadcast from 6/8/1947 against cooperation with the British authorities; “El HaNoar” poster from Iyar 1945; Irgun poster from Av 1947 demanding return of the illegal immigrants from the ship Exodus to the Land of Israel; stencil print poster “Response to the Traitorous Provocateurs” – sharp publication: “Who will answer for the blood of the 250 Jewish souls you murdered on the Patria … you sent them to their deaths to trade their blood before the Nazi-British enslaver …”
Various sizes and conditions, overall very fine condition.
Jewish Brigade Hed HaMachaneh bulletin – the Eretz-Yisraeli infantry, Tevet 1943 – apparently the only booklet published. Stencil print with illustrations. Name of publisher not indicated.
The title page has an impressive illustration of a Jewish soldier with a star of David on his arm standing with a drawn gun and a swastika at his feet. There is also extensive reference to the Nazi enemy and the role of the Hebrew soldiers: “The reports of the atrocities against the Jewish communities in the occupied countries which have just reached us, atrocities with no precedent in the 2000 years of our exile which have been saturated with slaughter and humiliation, reveal with terrible cruelty the reason for our recruitment … and who among us won’t say today, while our brothers who are slaughtered methodically and with devices of the cultured man and with the cruelty of the predatory animal, scream to us – remember and avenge! … There will be no purpose in our screams to the Allies and no truth or consistency in the rage and mourning of the yishuv, if we do not stream by the thousands to the battalions to avenge the blood, to rescue what can still be rescued …”
60, [1] page. Tears in the spine, fine condition.
10 HaYeled issues – HeYeled Essays for Jewish Evacuee Children published by Keren HaTorah, London. Various months of the years 1942-1943.
There are articles on the topic of mitzvah observance, news on what’s happening in the Jewish world, articles about rabbinical leaders. The front page of the May 1942 issue features a picture of the Admor Rabbi Alter of Gur next to an Israeli flag, the front page of the February 1942 issue features a picture of Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky.
Rare collection. The National Library contains issues published in 1947-8, the issues before us do not appear in the National Library.
Overall fine-very fine condition.
78 issues of the Jewish Brigade soldiers’ bulletin, Yoman – The Hebrew General Transport Unit – י.ע.ל. Almost completely continuous series from the first bulletin published in May 1942, almost continuous until issue 85, December 1944. Britain, Libya, Egypt.
Lacking issues 5, 20, 47, 57, 58, 73, 77.
From the opening words of the first issue: “We are privileged to be the first Hebrew unit, for transport. We are privileged to be creating and consolidating its character … the first Yoman is hereby presented … to all members of the unit.” In the foreword of issue 46 from 21/5/43: “We were recruited with one great consideration, that being: war with the enemy who arose to destroy our people. War with an enemy such has not arisen against the Jewish people and all of humanity, with the hate, the bestiality and the power of destruction within him. We have enlisted as an emotional response, almost instinctive, to the possibility of the destruction of Jewry in exile and the cutting off of the final unit – the Land of Israel … We want to be among those who bring the news of liberation and redemption to the ghettos of destroyed European Jewry!”
The issues were printed in stencil; most contain illustrations of the daily lives of the Hebrew soldiers. Aside affiliate reports, yizkor notices for fallen soldiers, and reference to the fate of the Jewish people, there are humorous segments and caricatures. Overall fine condition except for light stains and tears in the margins of some of the issues.
