Die Welt , a Jewish weekly in German, founded by Theodore Herzl. Vienna, Berlin, 1897-1914. 15 volumes, 15 years.
An extensive collection of issues of this important and historical journal, which also served as the mouthpiece of the Zionist Movement. Includes the special issue printed after Herzl’s death, with a large picture of him in a black frame. The last issue is missing.
15 volumes including issues from 15 years, out of the 18 years in which the journal was printed (volumes 4, 5, 7 from the years 1900, 1901 and 1903 are missing). In volume 3 issues are missing. In volume 10 the advertising page is missing.
The issues were bound in new matching cloth covers, each year in a separate cover. Two years have old covers.
Fine condition.
Designed envelope with mishloach manot to the Jews of America. The package includes two mil coins from 1927 with values of 1 and 2 mil and a designed brochure about the activities of the JNF in the Land of Israel and the Jewish world in general and including a request to the Jews of America to return mishloach manot to the JNF in the Land of Israel. The brochure is from 19/3/1935.
The attached brochure is mainly in English. At the end, there is an entire page with a Yiddish translation. It opens with words about the Purim holiday in general, and especially the importance of mishloach manot on Purim. The JNF turns to Jews in America with a request that this year they donate to the JNF in the Land of Israel, and with this fulfill the mitzvah of mishloach manot in its most praiseworthy way LET YOUR PURIM GIFT HELP REDEEM ERETZ ISRAEL… MAKE YOUR PURIM CHECK PAYABLE TO THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND. The text points out that Jews are arriving in the Land of Israel from all over the world, including Jews emigrating from Germany, whose greatest need at this time is a land of their own [a few years before the Holocaust!]. The rest of the brochure is impressively designed showing a pioneer in the Land of Israel receiving mishloach manot in the form of a plate with an American check on it, the top part has a picture of Queen Esther and King Achashverosh with farms in the Land of Israel in the background.
Envelope: 9×15 cm. Brochure (closed): 13×17 cm. And two coins. Overall fine condition.
Divrei HaYamim L’Zion B’Russia from 1880-1888, by Ephraim Deinard, Kearny N. Dz. Parts one and two in one volume. Separate title page for each part. The book relates the internal political history of the various sects of Russian Jewry, with personal, individual sarcastic reference to influential personalities, most of whom Deinard had a personal relationship with. At the beginning of part 2 is the “An elegy on the death of our master, the leader of the Jewish exile, the president and savior of Israel at their time of sorrow, rebuilder of the ruins of Zion, Binyamin son of Yaakov, Dr. Theodore Herzl.” An elegy on the Herzl’s death in 1904, during the publication of the book. Ephraim Deinard [1846-1930], bibliographer, historian, and polemicist. One of the greatest bibliographers of the modern age. Known as a provocative author who wrote indiscriminately and with no inhibitions in criticism of people widely regarded as authority figures. 12, 155, 20, 64 pages. 17 cm. Stains, fine condition.
“To the multitudes of the Settlement!” “We will fight against the conscription!” An interesting poster which calls for the members of the Jewish yishuv not to cooperate with the British Army’s mandatory conscription. May 10, 1941.
“…because those conscripted who fell in battle, or were taken captive, and those who lie in hospital serve British imperialism but not the interest and security of the Jewish settlement. The workers can thwart the forced conscription…bring leadership to the Yishuv which will lead its battle for bread, safety, and peaceful relations with the Arabs!… We will fight against the coercive methods of those who conscript us! We will fight for shelters, evacuation of children from cities, and construction of hospitals! We will fight against the incitement against Arabs! We will fight against starvation, we will fight against the conscription!”
Rare. Does not appear in the National Library.
‘The Zionist Congress Basel 1, 2, 3 Elul 5757’ – a picture of all 162 delegates who took part in the First Zionist Congress, August 29-31, 1897.
When the picture is folded, writing in English appears on the back: The delegates to the First Zionist Congress, Basle, August 1897.
Size of the picture when open: 30×27 cm. When folded: 18×27 cm.
Very fine condition.
[105] leaves. 15 cm. Booklet printed by stencil by the Jewish Transportation Unit 178, published by HaChayil HaIvri. Italy, Adar 1944. Booklet with Hebrew poems prepared for print by the drivers of the Jewish Transportation Unit in the British army, when they were at the battle front. It was written to lift the spirits of the Jewish children at the end of the war. The booklet includes Hebrew folk and patriotic songs with illustrations. Divided into sections: Shabbat songs, patriotic songs for the revitalized homeland, songs of construction and labor, heroic songs and more. This is the first time that some of these songs were ever printed, and were composed by the soldiers themselves. The booklet ends with blank pages upon which the children could write new songs. One of these pages features the handwritten song “Chayalim Almonim” composed by Lechi commander, Yair Stern. “Yosef” dedicated the song to “Aryeh Grossman”. Unit 178 was one of the only units that was headed by an Eretz-Yisraeli Jewish commander, Major Wellesley Aron, in the summer of 1944. Jacket with front and back illustrations. Preface addressed to the children in Hebrew and Germany. Tear on the bottom of the jacket title page, not affecting text. Stains. Fine condition.
Four leaflets against attempts by the Jewish agency and Aliyat HaNoar to remove children of Morroccan immigrants from their parent’s authority in order to proselytize them. Land of Israel, 1940s.
* Flyer calling out to raise a hue and cry before the arrival of a boat with 5000 children from Morocco on their way to Israel without their parents who are at risk of proselytization by the Jewish agency when they arrive. “Children of Morocco … are pure seed, their parents raised them to Torah and fear of Heaven. Their parents are still in Morocco, the children are at the mercy of the zionist Jewish Agency … holy children are fattened – Chametz on Passover and you are closing your eyes? Hah, responsibility to great to bear. Each one of us can save the souls of the Moroccan children, each one of us can stand on their blood and assist in our silence, by way of the Jewish Agency, to destroy them forever, heaven forbid …’ after which appear details of the emergency rally in Jerusalem in the midst of Chol HaMoed Pesach, given the necessity of the time. 30×25 cm. Fold marks. Fine condition.
* Three leaflets calling to come join rallies and protests with the Moroccan community’s rabbis’ participation [Rabbi Yisrael Abuchatzeira and Rabbi Refael Toledano, Rabbi S. Nachmani, Rabbi Moshe Chaskelowitz, Rabbi Dov Sokolovsky and Rabbi Amram Blau: ‘To defend our children … from the various snares and nets set before their feet to trap them into into a culture of sinful people … by way of temptation and incitement to trap them en masse to their kibbutzes, to various educational institutions, to their clubs which are prepared for them … ‘Children were taken deceitfully from their parents … this is not a time for silence …” Identical size: 18×13 cm.
Brown leaves. Overall fine condition.
Official publication from the national headquarters of the Brit HaChashmonaim, including bylaws, constitution, emblem, and anthem. Jerusalem, 1942.
11 pages. 20.5 cm. Printed by stencil in blue ink. Original cardboard cover with label.
Brit HaChashmonaim was a religious-Zionist youth movement active in Palestine from 1937 until the establishment of Israel. It was headed by Rabbi Moshe Zvi Segal and Baruch Duvdevani. The movement shared Jabotinsky’s philosophies, and many of its members joined the underground movements of Etzel and Lechi. It operated like a military movement, as noted in this booklet, and was composed of groups who underwent basic training. Content: preface, bylaws and constitution, emblem, hymn, oath of allegiance, and dates of the movement’s holidays.
Original cardboard cover with aging stains. The booklet is in very fine condition.
* Prospectus for Reader 4, published by A. Gittlin, Warsaw. 1935. * Prospectus for Reader 5. She’arim Lilmod HaSafa V’Hasifrut. Warsaw, 1936. * Prospectus Ameinu B’Avar U’behove. By Y. Weingarten and Dr. M. Tauber. Published by Warsaw-New York-Tel Aviv. 1930’s. Throughout the 1930’s Y. Weingarten published seven volumes of “Reader” for the study of the Hebrew language according to the order of the letters, and a series of history textbooks called “Ameinu”. The booklets before us are written and illustrated prospectuses which were published alongside the original volumes, with explanations of the content and summary of the book which is going to be published, including recommendations. The three booklets are in very good condition and are not in the National Library.
This book educated the younger generation about Herzl: “Herzl is a nice, good boy, ” “Herzl is a good student, ” ending with “Herzl the King.” The interior of the binding features a picture of Herzl and his mother.
This book is a bibliographic mystery. It does not appear on any listings of Kipnis’s works. The Bibliographic Project lists this book at a different press: the listing details were conjectured, because they did not actually see the book.
Jacket binding. Tears in blemishes to the blank margins. Moderate to poor condition.
Four original paper documents from the Levant Fair.
* Honorary entrance ticket [opens] – invitation issued on behalf of the “Levant Fair Committee” to visit the fair that was scheduled to take place between the 26th of April and the 26th of May, 1934. Official stamp of the fair inside. The blank lines for the details of the addressee have not been filled out.
* Pair of stamps with a picture of the flying camel – the Fair’s emblem, 1934.
* Catalog booklet with pictures of the participants and booths at the Levant Fair in 1936. French.
* Title page of the catalog of the second Levant Fair in Palestine in [1926]. The name “Levant Fair” had not yet been coined, so the page bears the [Hebrew] words “Catalog of the exhibition and fair of the Near East in Palestine 1926.”
The Levant Fair was an international trade fair held in Tel Aviv in the 1930s. The fair was preceded by an assortment of exhibitions and fairs in Tel Aviv between 1924-1929, most of which were arranged by the “Business and Manufacturing Society” that was established by Tel Aviv entrepreneurs. The 1932 fair was the first to be officially called the “Levant Fair.”
Varying sizes and conditions. Overall fine condition.
Collection of caricatures by Yehoshua Edri, arranged by Yosef Vinitzky, Tamula publishing. The book collects the caricatures from newspapers of the time, made by Revisionist artist Yehoshua Edri (1911-1966). They generally take aim at the Zionist institutions, Jewish Agency, Dovid ben Gurion, Chaim Weizmann, the Shomer HaTzair and more. 62 [2] pages. 18×25 cm. Album with lace, minimal stains. Overall fine condition.
Seven rare items from the First Maccabiah, Palestine, 1932.
* Program for a reception in honor of the athletes held in the Beit Ha-am auditorium, on the 20th of Adar 1932. Issued on behalf of the Tel Aviv municipality in honor of the First Maccabiah. [The program includes an address by the Mayor, Meir Dizengoff, performance by the Bimah theater, songs and more.]
* Song booklet dedicated to the memory of Elimelech Kuperstein who passed way on the 28th of Av, 1931, and did not merit to see the first Maccabiah.
* The “First Maccabiah” booklet, Eretz Yisrael 1932, published by the “Maccabi” Histadrut Olamit L’Hitamlut U’Sport. Includes the schedule of the competitions, list of contestants, judges etc. 16, 8 pages. The schedule is in Hebrew, German and English. List of contestants in light athletics – exclusively in Hebrew. The left jacket and second title page are in Hebrew and German.
* Poster “Hygenic precautions” for the First Maccabiah in 1932. Instructions in Hebrew and German. [“Do not drink excessively, do not drink water from an unknown source, don’t buy fruits in the open market, due to fear of Schistosomiasis, it is forbidden to bathe in the Yarkon and pools in Petach Tikvah and Rishon L’Tzion, etc.]
* Booklet “Maccabiah 1932.” Published in honor of the first Maccabiah. Includes the names of the presidents, council, administration, various committees, photos, advertisements, articles regarding the contestants and the first Maccabiah, schedule of activities etc. Illustrated title page. Not in the National Library.
* Letter #10 [Shevat, 1932] issued by the secretariat of the Maccabiah. Includes necessary information regarding the institutions who announced that they would be participating in the Maccabiah, the Maccabi uniform, address where one could pick up Maccabiah motifs, Maccabiah hats etc.
* Letter #19 [Adar, 1932]. A report of the Maccabiah representatives from Cairo, names of new guests, details regarding entrance tickets, details regarding shoes prepared specifically for participants in the first Maccabiah and more.
Varying sizes and conditions, overall fine condition.
“1944, Shinat Hitezrachut V’ha’shem HaIvri” published by the Jewish Agency [Yoetz HaSochnut HaYehudit L’Inyanei hg”a L’ishchat Hahadracha Hamerkatzit]. Tel Aviv, 1944.
Guidebook issued by the Jewish Agency with suggestions for changing old “exile” names to modern original Hebrew ones. In his preface, the publisher explains his intentions: “The time has arrived for our complete naturalization – including the Hebraization of the first and last names of each and every one of us – which will be fulfilled with a collective effort by the entire yishuv….with our yearning for natural and complete Hebrew we want to shake off this specific thing, which reeks of exile, and therefore, with the prominence of the Hebrew name of each and every one of us, we will be eradicating the legacy of the exile and will emphasize our desire to revive ourselves in our Hebrew homeland.”
The publisher then writes that 1944 was designated as the year for eradicating foreign names and switching them to original Hebrew ones. The name change can be implemented by a notice to the immigration department and publishing the new name in an official newspaper. The publisher uses the first 25 pages of the booklet to refute the claims of the new immigrants who cling to their original names and refuse to change them. In the second part of the booklet, the publisher suggests hundreds of Hebrew surnames that could replace the foreign names, with similar sounds, ie: replacing “Ava” for “Avichai”, “Behr” for “Beiri” etc. It concludes with a list of Biblical names that do not need to be replaced becaues of their modern sound, such as: Avidan, Avner and Achitov.
This is the second section of the initiative. The first booklet related to naturalization as a whole. This is historic testimony to the roots of the widespread phenomenon in the 1940s that significantly influenced the character of the State of Israel.
47 pages. 17 cm.
Stains. Fine condition.
Title-page cover [17] leaves. Events in Israel, Telegrams and Information in Illustration, printing press of Eitan V’Shoshani, Tel Aviv 1929. First edition which was printed in Hebrew and English in Israel. In the book are cartoons illustrated by Nachum Gutman in a sharp and critical manner against the behavior of the British Mandate during the 1929 massacres in Israel, when they did not get involved, an act which was seen as assisting the Arab rioters, [a cartoon depicting British soldiers in an airplane flying above Israel with massacres beneath them and the writing “A wonderful sunset in the Holy Land” with an expression of studied disregard on their faces], and against the Arab rioters themselves, such as a cartoon which says “Ten cigarettes for every murdered Jew – mabruk [congratulations]”, with Arab figures next to the speaker. The booklet made a great impression in Israel and was circulated in various groups until the British authorities discovered it and confiscated all of the booklets it could find. In 1930 a second edition was printed in Warsaw in three languages – Hebrew, Yiddish and English, after they had run out in Israel due to the British censor. Before us is a copy of the first, original copy of the book, from the few copies which survived the British censor. On the pre-title page is written in handwriting from the time of printing: “The book was confiscated on 23/9”. Front and back binding are detached. Fine-moderate condition.
Diary for 1947-8 written by a soldier in the “Mishmar Ha’am” who served in the Jerusalem area. The diary entries include descriptions of events related to his service, various developments regarding Arab-Jewish security, description of activities of the “Mishmar Ha’am,” notes regarding the sessions of the “Hanhalat HaVaad HaLeumi,” description of security arrangements for sensitive areas, a visit with Yitzchak ben Tzvi and more.
On the leaf dated the 3rd of Kislev, 1947, the writer describes: “After the two nights that passed in Jerusalem, Shabbat night and Motzei Shabbat, when tens of thousands of bullets were shot towards the all the Jewish areas of the city, I got up early … to visit the places that were the primary targets of the bullets of the police and soldiers. The primary target was again the homes near the police dormitory in the hospital of the English Mission. The view of the horrifying sight of the destruction caused to these homes and the miracle that nobody’s life was taken … testimonies were collected from dozens of people…”
Another interesting event took place on the 23rd of Cheshvan 1947: “A delegation on behalf of the Jewish residents of the Old City came to point out the danger threatening them with the opening of an Arab cafe near the entrance of the Jewish Quarter on the side of Zion Gate. When I asked Weingarten about this, he said that he believes that no license was ever given for the opening of this cafe …”
Entry from Erev Yom Kippur, 9th of Tishrei 1947: “After we received information regarding the desecration of the synagogue by the army during their search, R’ Nattan and I went to check if the information was correct. We reached the location…all the synagogue benches, the tables, chairs and pillows were upside down. All of the books, mishnayot, Zohar, gemaras were scattered on the floor. the holy ark was open and the Torah scrolls were open …”
Entry from the 5th of Cheshvan 1947: “Visit to the places damaged as a result of the explosion of mines placed on the promotional flags of the Irgun … in one place, near Ben Yehuda, security forces used explosives to take down the flag …” and more.
“Mishmar Ha’am” was a volunteer group dedicated to preserving order in the big cities – Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In some cities [such as Jerusalem], this organization was founded before the State of Israel was established. Men who served in this unit were above draft age, or young men who were not drafted for military service due to health problems. Pre-State, the units primarily focused on maintaining law and order during the shelling, as described at length in this diary.
Most of the diary features handwritten entries from the first months of the year of 1947-8 – from Tishrei to Tevet. Starting in the month of Shevat, there are just scattered short notes regarding events.
17 cm. Leather binding with gilt text תש”ח.
Fine-very fine condition.
HaShluchot – Issue 5 of the Jewish Brigade. For the forces in Persia and Iraq. June, 1945.
Complete issue, 12 pages, printed by stencil, original staple, 34 cm.
This company was established in 1942 and was sent to Basra. Its personnel was later scattered among the ports and train stations in Iraq and Persia along the southern supply lines of the Allies to the USSR. This small company was stationed in a non-Jewish area. Its founders hoped that their placement would encourage communication with the Jews in the Soviet Union. However, they were disappointed. The soldiers were successful in opening lines of communication with the Jews of Iran and Iraq.
This is the last issue, published during the final stages of the war. It summarizes the activities of the Jewish soldiers in the war campaign and includes first-hand historic testimony about life in the Jewish communities in Iraq and original Hebrew songs such as בלדה על מחמוד.
Rare booklet, not listed by the National Library.
Aging stains, small tears at its edges. Fine condition.
[2] leaves, 25×17.5 cm, signatures and stamps. Share certificate at the value of one Israeli Lira for the company Nir: A cooperative society for the settlement of Hebrew workers from 30 September 1947. Filing holes, very fine condition.
[1] Deposit Certificate for the sum of 33 Turkish Pounds with 4% interest, from the Beirut branch of the Anglo-Palestine Bank. Filled out by hand, signatures and stamps, French postage stamps, 25*25 cm. Beirut, 1927. Folding signs. [2] Memorial Notebook. Booklets which were published on the occasion of ten years of the company’s activity. One in Hebrew and the second in English. Historical photographs of branches of the bank over the world, the founders and directors, and a map of the land of Israel. Jaffa and London, 1913. 43, [2] pages: Illustrations, maps; 23 cm. Very fine condition.
Booklet. Leket Shirim L’Yaldei Golah, Shay Mi’Chayalim Ivri’im . Jewish Unit 178, Italy, 1944.’
[105] leaves, 15 cm. Illustrations on the the jacket and inside.
Rare booklet of songs prepared by the Unit 178 Transportation Unit of the British Army while they were at the front. Includes Jewish national songs with illustrations. Stencil. This copy has a handwritten song on its back by Lechi commander Yair Stern: “Unknown Soldier.” it was given by someone named Yosef to Aryeh Grossman. Transportation Unit 178 was the first Jewish unit to merit a Jewish-Israeli commander, Major Aharon N. Wesley, in this time period, spring-summer 1944.
Tear on the bottom of the front jacket, not affecting text. Stains. Fine condition.
Rare booklet with the ‘Third Maccabiah Sports Program,’ published by the Maccabee World Federation, the organizing committee, Jerusalem, October, 1937. The booklet was published about the Maccabiah which was to be held in the spring of 1938, but the program was not implemented due to the events in the Land of Israel and the British opposition due to the concern about the Arab reaction, and in fact prevented its happening.
Booklet with a full list of the third Maccabiah which was to be held in the spring of 1938. The plan was to hold a larger-scale maccabiah than those which had preceded it, in terms of both the number of participants and expanding the types of sports. The booklet contains a full list of the various types of sports and the necessary exercises.
The second Maccabiah was held in 1935. Many participants in that Maccabiah were immigrants who arrived under the guise of athletes, thereby circumventing the British immigration restrictions [such as athletes who arrived from Rumania and established the Maccabee Netanya team]. For this reason – in order to allow many immigrants as possible to come to the Land while the clouds of war were already hovering over Europe – the organizers intended to hold the next maccabiah in 1938. However, as noted, the events in the Land and the British opposition due to their concern about Arab reaction prevented its being held, and it was actually held 15 years later in 1950, with no maccabiah at all held during the 1940s.
Rare publication which does not appear in the National Library.
14 [1] pages. Some stains. Fine condition.
Booklet published to mark the opening of the port to travellers on the 22nd of Adar 1, 1932, after two years of enthusiastic pioneering work, beginning with the unloading of bags of cement on the sand dunes on the shore through the opening ceremony in the presence of Haim Weizmann and the High Commissioner. The booklet includes many photos that depict the process of establishing the port, including the building of the breakwater, pier, storage areas and motorboat for passengers – the first manufactured in Palestine, and the mass celebration on opening day. In addition, it includes a detailed review of the various stages of building the port, a short list of dates significant in its development, and many advertisments and greetings from public and private bodies in honor of the opening ceremonies of the first Jewish port. Binding designed by Shamir, Hebrew and English. Light fold in the corner of the binding, remains of glue on the top section. Fine condition.
* A letter sent by a man named Chagai Lev on September 1 1946 from the detention camp cambal- Asamara.
In the letter, the detainee recounts a change of authority in the camp between the British and the Sudanese: “Something occurred in the camp today which caused everyone great aggravation. Suddenly, with advanced notice of three hours, the British rule was replaced with our old Sudanese rule. A week ago, street fights broke out in the city of Asmara between children and the Sudanese army in which one Sudanese was killed. In revenge – vehicles with armed Sudanese entered the city streets and carried out a carnage. Four children were murdered. Sixteen children and ten Italians were injured… Now the British forces have been sent to protect the city and we have been given the band of murderers as our “guards”…”. In the center of the letter is a rectangular cut-out of one line done by the British censor who checked the letters before they were sent to Israel. The writer also requests that his family send him Jewish newspapers in various languages to the camp. [1] leaf. 16×20 cm. Folding marks. Fine condition.
* An additional letter from the same person when he was in the military hospital in Khartoum for a medical examination, dated 11 June 1945. “Forgive me for the delay and the haste in the letter. I have just got off the train after a tiring journey of a day and a night through a 700 km. desert…”. [1] leaf, 12×20 cm. Folding marks. Fine condition.
The original envelope in which the letters were sent is enclosed [both have Palestinian stamps, one envelope is torn in the middle].
Fine condition.
Issue of Haaretz newspaper from November 30, 1947, reporting on the United Nation’s decision to establish a Jewish State.
Headline: [in Hebrew] “It has been decided to establish a Jewish State, 33 nations voted in favor of the partition plan, 13 opposed it, 10 abstained and one was absent.”
The top of the leaf features pictures of Herzl and Chaim Weizmann together with a map of the partition plan. The newspaper articles discuss the UN’s decisions and the factors that generated this decision.
[2] leaves. 57 cm. Stains. Fold marks. Marginal tears.
Moderate-fine condition.
