The NEWER Official Discussion Thread for the creation of Israel, the UN and the British Mandate

[Sixties Fan]

From left, Fred Stevenson, Michael Wimers, Wilf Canter, Leon Lightman, and Willy FisherORIGINAL PHOTOS COURTESY THE AUTHOR

Late on the night of Oct. 24, 1948, on the last night of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot and amid Israel’s War of Independence, a Douglas C-47 Dakota transport plane took off from Tel Aviv’s Sde Dov military airport. It was a routine supply mission to the besieged Negev community of Sdom, near the southern tip of the Dead Sea. Sdom, like many such settlements, was encircled by enemy forces and only accessible by air. Moments after takeoff, the right engine began to overheat and spit out flames. The pilot redirected for an emergency landing at the Tel Nof air base, but the engine exploded within sight of the airfield, breaking off a wing and sending the plane spiraling to the ground just before midnight. It exploded on impact, and all five of the passengers were killed, in one of the first fatal aerial transport accidents in Israel’s history. Still, it barely registered on the radar of a young Jewish state suffering daily casualties as it engaged in a bloody war. There was not even a reference to it in several newspapers over the following days.

There was nothing glorious about an overloaded, rickety plane long overdue for servicing that crashed while delivering flour, coffee, and soap to besieged Israelis when heroic military sacrifices were happening all around. But while the accident itself was hardly extraordinary, its circumstances offer a snapshot of Israel’s makeshift early days, and its victims shine a light on those long forgotten. Together they made up some of the ragtag outfit of unsung foreign volunteers who flocked to the Holy Land in 1948—thousands of idealistic WWII veterans without whom Israel likely would not have won its independence. But when the fighting subsided, and Israel finally came around to telling its story, there was simply no one around to tell of these impressive young men. Four of the five officers—the pilot Wilf Canter, his co-pilot Fred Stevenson, navigator Willy Fisher, and radio operator Leon Lightman—were overseas volunteers, without local family to lobby for their commemoration. The fifth, Michael Wimers, was a single Jewish German immigrant. For decades, the military itself had little biographical information on the disparate men whose varied backgrounds and life stories made up the palette of early Israel’s fight for survival.

But now, 70 years later, we can finally get a fuller picture of these previously anonymous fighters amid the historic times in which they lived, thanks to the dogged determination of a devoted air force official, an obsessive campaign of a bereaved woman, and, surprising as it is to me, my last-ditch efforts to convince my paternal grandfather, Mickey Heller, to tell me something—anything!—about his WWII experiences.

(full article online)

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/[sectionSlug]/articles/dakota-fighters-of-israels-war-of-independence

 

[Sixties Fan]

The true history of the fight for Tel Hai is less one of Jews and Arabs squaring off, and more one of an apparent misunderstanding in a period of high stress and generally heightened tensions that turned deadly and quickly escalated out of control.

Nevertheless, the event almost immediately became a rallying cry for the pre-state “Yishuv,” or Jewish proto-government in Palestine. It has remained a Zionist cultural touchstone for the past century. Each year the government continues to host annual ceremonies to mark the battle, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett this year discussing how the significance of the Battle of Tel Hai continues to resonate today.

Indeed, the purported, though disputed, final words of the battle’s hero, Joseph Trumpeldor — “No matter: It is good to die for our country” — still serve as a central element in the Zionist military ethos, and the eight people killed in the confrontation and in two preceding attacks are commemorated in the name of the nearby city of Kiryat Shmona (literally, Town of the Eight).

Yet for all of the lofty importance given to the battle and to the Jewish men and women who were killed in it, shockingly little is known about two of them, Jacob Tucker and William Scharff, two members of the British Jewish Legion who had joined the Jewish outfit from the United States and served in then-Palestine until their release a few days before the battle.

(full article online)

The hidden American history of one of Zionism’s foundational battles: Tel Hai

Two of those killed in the 1920 clash were veterans of the American 39th Jewish Battalion, Jacob Tucker and William Scharff, but for years their roles, and even names, were unknown

www.timesofisrael.com

 

[P F Tinmore]

Question.

Israel's declaration of independence.

Independent from what?

 

[Hollie]

It did, it just didn't use that term. The people who lived there got the territory. The people who lived there got the nationality. The people who lived there got the citizenship. The people who lived there got the sovereignty.

In article 22 of the LoN Covenant, the people who lived there were to be led to independence.

In the 1925 Palestine Citizenship Order, stated that the people who lived there would become Palestinian citizens.

In subsequent UN resolutions, the people who live there (the Palestinian people in Palestine) have the right to self determination, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

It is what I call the people of the place. Nowhere does anyone mention that the people from someplace else get anything.

All the same bogus cut and paste nonsense you have used repeatedly.

 

[Sixties Fan]

Research over the years into what did happen in the village that Friday for sure has provided a fuller and more comprehensive insight into the events of that day when fighters of the Irgun and Stern Group, the two pre-state undergrounds that attacked the village, with the approval of Jerusalem Hagana commander David Shaltiel. There are memoirs of the participants, their commanders and, as well, those of their detractors – of the Hagana and Palmah. Yet, for many years there was no credible counter-retelling to offset the claims of a “massacre.”

The Zionist Organization of America’s 1998 pamphlet for the first time published Hebrew material previously unavailable in English. Uri Milstein published The Birth of a Palestinian Nation: The Myth of the Deir Yassin Massacre. The “best” that Benny Morris could do in his 2005 study was to conclude there had been no massacre but a “haphazard slaughter of one or more families and of small batches of prisoners of war and the execution of individuals.”

Most of all, what was lacking was a genuine insight into reliable Arab sources.

The first breakthrough came in 1987 with Bir Zeit academics Sharif Kan’ane and Nihad Zeitawi’s study. Instead of 245–254 killed, as claimed until then, the fatalities dropped to 107, based only on interviews with the survivors, but not with documentation. Thanks to the BBC’s television series shown in 1998, central Arab figures revealed more of the truth of the episode in English.


Hazen Nusseibeh, who edited news for the Palestine Broadcasting Service’s Arabic division in 1948, retold his conversation with Hussein Khalidi, the secretary of the Arab Higher Committee. He had asked Khalidi on the Saturday following the fighting how to cover the story, and the reply was “We must make the most of this.” That “most” was a press release stating that “at Deir Yasin children were murdered, pregnant women were raped. All sorts of atrocities.”


WE HAVE now The Massacre That Never Was, Prof. Eliezer Tauber’s book, which, incidentally, itself has a back story in that no academic press would agree to publish it, as, seemingly, it goes against the accepted narrative.


There are three main elements to the narrative of Deir Yasin as well as several minor ones.


The first is the term “massacre,” as the AP communiqué of April 11 termed the events, or as the Deir Yassin Remembered website has it, the villagers “had been systematically murdered.” Is it justified, and what was its role in the flight of Palestine’s Arabs?


The second is the downplaying of Deir Yasin’s own history within the context of the terrorist campaign of Palestine’s Arabs against their Jewish neighbors.


The third is the defamation campaign waged by the Mapai elite against the Revisionist dissidents, against the backdrop of their responsibility for massacres.

(full article online)

Did the Deir Yasin massacre actually happen? New book investigates

Was there a massacre or a battle, with many fewer killed civilians than portrayed?

www.jpost.com

 

[rylah]

Morocco and the cause of Zionism

Rabbi Yehudah Bivas - Binyamin Herzl link to Rabbi Hayyim Ben-Attar
and the role of Moroccan Jewry in initiating the Zionist revolution

| Lesson series by Rabbi Mosheh Elharar

What You see here is the picture of Rabbi Yehudah Bibas Z"l, the grandson of Rabbi Hayyim Ben-Attar HaKadosh, who had only daughters.

Some take in the nonsense, maybe intentionally that he had neither sons nor daughters, this is incorrect. For example here is the book about Rabbi Meir Yehudah Getz, and on the 1st page of the book (after all the forewards), the 1st line: "HaRav Meir Yehudah Getz, born 15 Av 5684 (1924), to his parents HaRav Tzemah Getz and Rabbanit Simhah Mas'oudah Getz, descendants of Rabbi Hayyim Ben-Attar, author of the renowned commentary 'Or HaHayyim' HaKadosh".

Here in the book is not written how he's specifically linked to Or HaHayyim HaKadosh. I have asked a great friend of mine, Dr. Shlomah Sheish, who lives in the village of El'azar in Gush 'Atzion, who was also a regular doctor, surgeon, obstetrician, expert in pediatrics, then an expert in Chinese and various other treatment methods he brought to the country. Dr. Shlomah Sheish is a student of HaRav Getz, the Rabbi of the Kotel (Western Wall), I've asked him about the link to the descendants of HaKaDosh Rabbi Hayyim Ben-Attar? He says he has always heard from him that he was 7th generation, son after son from the daughter Rabbi Hayiim Ben-Attar. His daughter Rahel, he's the 7th generation, descendant of Rabbi 'Or HaHayyim' HaKadosh.

Dr Shleish told me, now I call the Gaon HaRav Yisrael Avihay, the chair of the Kabalist Yeshivah 'Beit El' in the ancient city of Jerusalem, he took the chair after HaRav Getz who was the chair of the Yeshivah prior to him, and he confirmed, especially on the day of his Hillulah. And HaRav says 'look at his gravestone, it's not as at the beginning of the book, it says HaRav Meir Yehudah Getz' he says, 'incorrect, look at his gravestone - HaRav Meir Yehudah Nahum Hayyim Getz, why Hayyim? Hayyim is after the name of 'Or HaHayyim' HaKadosh Rabbi Hayyim Ben-Attar, he's 7th generation to Or HaHayyim HaKadosh.

And Rabbi Yehudah Bivas, the son of HaRav Shmuel Bivas, passed away 120 years ago, and he following his grandfather saw the horrific troubles done to his grandfather 'Or HaHayyim' HaKadosh, so he left and ran away from Sali to Gibraltar and established there a Yeshivah in Gibraltar.

This started from his father, HaRav Shmuel Bivas then passed to his son, who later was in Livorno and went around Europe, why? Following his grandfather, who said what? The moment trouble rises abroad to leave everything.

The Torah portion 'Balak' is on the week of the passing of 'Or HaHayyim HaKadosh, let's see what he writes. Bil'am wants to curse Israel that they don't merit a kingdom, that the kingdom doesn't last long for the nation of Israel. Anf of course the sages say in Gmarah, that the blessings of Bil'am are what he wanted to curse Israel. What does he bless Israel with, yet reluctantly -

"What I see for them is not yet,
What I behold will not be soon:
A star rises from Jacob,
A scepter comes forth from Israel;"

- BaMidbar 24​

Meaning, "A star rises from Jacob", says Or HaHayyim HaKadosh, that the redemption of the nation of Israel can be as a big star, as in suddenly appearing in the heavens, which is a sped-up miraculous redemption, like the exodus of Egypt, everything this manner is redemption sped-up. This is when the nation of Israel merits ideal unity and love, no despise or neglect, ideal respect for each other, the redemption is sped-up, up as a star that rises in the heavens suddenly and miraculously.

But the manner of redemption can be different, sped-up how?
"A scepter (also tribe) comes forth from Israel", meaning, Or HaHayyim HakaDosh says, "that one tribe rises from Israel in a normal worldly way, through the nature". Through the nature, means the need to go reach the UN, and reach the world nations, get their agreement, and the need for war, need for the establishment of military and state and great devotion to Torah.

Rabbi 'Amram Abourabiyah who had a great devotion to Torah, used to say to his sons and grandsons who are all themselves devoted to Torah, but this is not enough, to establish the kingdom, says Or HaHayyim HaKadosh - everything through nature.

To establish the kingdom in Israel, there is a need also for science, need for wisdom, of course, Torah has to lead everything, therefore the Rabbi's father advised him on what to do, he told him to study, and he became one of the greatest atomic physicists in the world, all by the support of the father HaRav 'Amram Abourabiyah, the way of Rabbi Or HaHayyim Ben-Attar, who says it's all through the nature.

And following Or HaHayyim HaKadosh, following Rabbi Yehudah Bivas, who came to Yaffo, he was 50 years before Herzl and had an influence by leaving a detailed political plan. And HaRav Yehudah Elkal'ey who quotes him in his books, in Zemlin Yugoslavia.

Professor Zeev Vilnaee says this as well, HaRav Yehudah Bivas together with HaRav David Ben-Shim'on came to Yaffo -and they are the pioneers of the establishment of Eretz Yisrael, before the 1st and the 2nd Aliyah and the rest. They prepared the infrastructure for all the future Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael.

This is Rabbi Yehudah Bivas the grandson of Rabbi Hayyim Ben-Attar, following the grandfather. And HaRav David Yehudah Shim'on who came from Rabat, he writes the book 'Sha'ar HeHatzer' (the gate of the court'). The student of Rabbi Yehudah Bivas is Rabbi Aharon Shloush, who builds the 1st house in Yaffo and all of Tel Aviv, villages, and cities today in Gush Dan region started from Rabbi Yehudah Bivas.

His students, Rabbi Avraham Shloush, and Rabbi Aharon Shloush had purchased 800 dunams. How does Rabbi David Ben Shim'on start the book 'Sha'ar HeHatzer'? "Everyone must buy land in Eretz Yisrael if they want a part in the world to come".

As I've taught in the lesson about Ya'akov Avinu A"H, "and purchased the parcel of the field" (Beresheet 33), Ya'akov Avinu the first thing in Eretz Yisrael, purchases a parcel of land - there's trouble, leave the exile, purchase a dunam of land in Eretz Yisrael, and the parcel of the field in Eretz Yisrael brings the person to his part in the world to come, this is Torah portion 'Vayishlah' in the Zohar, and this how the book 'Sha'ar HeHatzer' starts, in which 613 differences between Eretz Yisrael and abroad.

And I'm wondering how some wise students in our generation try to be pedantic about certain traditions but not this great thing - that the time has come, the nation of Israel must return to the land of Israel, build it, and we need Torah in devotion, and army and state and all the rest. How does one leave the teaching of all these sages and all who followed Or HaHayyim HaKadosh.

We should know about Rabbi 'Amram Abourabiyah, what he wrote and taught daily - Or HaHayyim HaKadosh was his table book, and he translated it into action. I've given separate lessons on how he merited in his holy spirit to envision all the redemption of the nation of Israel. He wrote 5 months before it happened, how the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces liberate Jerusalem - and we, with the help of HaShem, in the merit of these sages, that we learn from their ways, learn their teaching to merit the full redemption quickly in our days amen!

The forgotten vision of Rabbi Bibas

I first encountered Bibas’s name in another excellent 1997 volume – Restoring the Jews to their Homeland: Nineteen Centuries in the Quest for Zion by Joseph Adler.

www.jpost.com

 

[sergiobramasole]

Nothing like deciding that the Arabs called themselves Palestinians pre 1964, and that all the Jews were new immigrants to the area.

Nice rewriting of history.

Jews were a majority in Jerusalem decades before the Balfour Declaration.

 

[sergiobramasole]

This guy is all wet.

Jordan was intended to be a separate entity as per article 25 of the Mandate document.

There was not to be any transfer of territory to a so called Jewish state. The "Jewish national home" was Palestinian citizenship for Jews who immigrated to Palestine along with all the other people who already lived there.

The San Remo Conference allotted all territory on both banks of the Jordan river to the Jewish National Home. Britain unilaterally tore a huge chunk of it to set up shop for the Hashemites driven out of Mecca and Medina by the Saudis. Article 5 of the 1922 League of Nations expressly forbade land transfer to foreign rule. Jews declaring sovereignty in 1948 were within their inalienable right to claim full jurisdiction over all land from the river to the sea, stemming from the League of Nations' stare decisis. To declare Jerusalem a corpus separatum was arbitrary and unlawful. Jewish land belongs to Jews.

 

[rylah]

Itamar Ben-Yehudah | The Revival Of Hebrew Vision

Born in Jerusalem in 1885, to Eli'azer Ben-Yehudah "the redeemer of the Hebrew language" and Dvorah, daughter of Shlomah Naftali Hirz Yunes, student of the wise and man of Haskalah.

At birth the decision of his parents, at which insisted his father, to speak to every Jew only in Hebrew thus forcing them to revive the language, and raise their child as the 'first Hebrew child' keeping him away from any other sounds. With that, many saw that with pity predicting he would be intellectually challenged. all his life. However with years, found social life among his peers and close to his family, as well as his sister Ymimah who grew as well speaking only Hebrew.

On the 22nd of Elul 1851his mother passed away and on the 8th of Nisan 1802 his aunt Hemda, his mother's sister, immigrated to Israel, married his father, and continued the education and upbringing of the two children in Hebrew.

He learned the basic knowledge of TaNaCh and Hebrew literature from his parents in Hebrew and later in French. and at the age of 17, he went to study at the Alliance's teachers' seminary in Paris. Thre was among the regulars of Nordau's home and other bold Zionist figures, getting impressed by the intellectual free spirit of the French press. Later returned not wanting to study abroad any longer.
At the same time his father was already comprising the Major Hebrew Dictionary , and knowing that it was a great work for the rest of his life he instructed his son to continue his enterprise and therefore sent him to study Semitic languages at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the University of Berlin.

In 1906 he went with his sister Ymimah, and with the help of A. Sh. Yehudah, a Jerusalemite, Ymimah was accepted into the teacher's seminary, despite little knowledge of German, however, quickly advanced. Later they learned other languages, English, Spanish, Italian and Arabic.

In Berlin he got to know Bonnefon, the French journalist who offered him work. Later he was given much of Bonnefon's work becoming a political writer for the major French publications. After returning to Jerusalem in 1908, assisted his father in the publication of the newspapers "HaZvi", and "HaOr", in which he wrote the main political articles, in a wide context and lively style in an attempt to bring the reader closer to the various difficult world events. In order to accurately describe the modern world events he had to renew and come up with new renewed and completely new terms, which though didn't always comply with the rules of Hebrew etymology, however at the time fulfilled the journalistic and day-to-day needs, becoming common.

Out of admiration for his father, in his eyes, a unique historic figure which not every generation merits thought of the family's following use of the Ben-Yehudah surname sort of 'desecration'. In his opinion it was unique to the 'redeemer of the Hebrew language' and no one else, therefore called himself Itarmar Ben-E'by, and only in acronyms (E"by - E. Ben-Yehudah) mentioned his relationship with his father.

Before going to study abroad, used to write in his father's ideological publication "Hashkafh", with excitement about the revival happening in the country. Then in Berlin came into contact with various major Jewish figures in literature and science working there, writing about it in "Hashkafah" at length. This way he visited the 6th Zionist congress in Bazel, in 1903 (the 'Uganda congress') meeting Herzl with whom he spoke French (not yet fluent in German) of which he reported in "Hashkafah" under the pseudonyms 'Ben-Zion Ben Yehudah, B.Y" B"Z Ben-Yehudah, Ben Eby the "Dreamer" etc.

He was free not only from the exile-feeling of inferiority but also the ties of the tradition of thousands of years sanctified in the nation, seeking to create a free culturally Hebrew nation, seeing the ideals of western enlightenment at the height of ideals - to which he dedicated his writing. Both in style and constant linguistic updates, Jerusalemites found it difficult to digest, however getting drawn to the renewal and pathos without adopting it.

Since the Turkish constitution was given, wanted to see in it the Eastern revival in the spirit of the West, seeking hope for Jews and the many nations of the East establishing likely cultural cooperation among neighbors. However the sparks of hope didn't remove the centuries-old rot remaining underneath, and writing in sharp criticism of the situation was arrested by the Turkish authorities and put in jail. After his release continued the activity for the Jewish-Hebrew idea.

On Passover eve of 1901 married Leah Bat Rahamim Shlomah Abushdid (Ben Avraham, of the pioneers of North Africa, leaders of the Ma'arvi community, laying the foundation for the Hekdesh near Yaffo Gate, the sister of Dr. Avraham Abushdid).

During WW1 he and his fathers were thorns in the eyes of the Ottomans, at the advice of friends went to the US, and stayed until the end of the war. In the US, recruited support for the Hebrew revival speaking among major international leaders, and those subjugated in Europe, to seek national revival and liberation following coming world changes, due to the end of the war, with the victory of the allies. In 1917 took part in the international conference, during the 'liberty bell' ceremony carrying the flag of Zion as the representative of the Hebrew nation. Later was sent to the Sevres conference, however, was opposed by the Zionist leaders. In any way, he kept functioning as the communicator in London, between the Zionist Federation and Arab delegates, at the period as well as the secretary of Hayim Weizman.

After returning from abroad, for some time wrote in 'Ha'Aretz' as the main redactor, but couldn't get along with the framework of the Russian Zionists and spirit. Later participated in founding the 'Solel', among whom the natives were main workers, and establishment of 'DerHaYom' as the main redactor until 1929, and since -1924 edited the 'Palestine Weekly', and contributed to Times and Daily Mail. Under his influence, lord Northcliff sent modern printing equipment for the developing Hebrew press. As well-founded the 'Bareed al-Youm' in Arabic, investing a lot of effort to bring journalism to a level with its Western counterparts, following similar complicated technological changes. Similarly edited the comic 'Hemer-Gemel', the first of its kind in Hebrew, which was also published in French newspapers. Participated in the foundation of the 'Bnei-Binyamin' Federation as Vice-President.

Despite recruiting support for "Independent Judea" around the world, fighting his public speeches against Arab incitement and violence, nonetheless British, made a lot of enemies among fellow Jews when suggesting a canton Swiss-style establishment, drawing accusations of treason. However he didn't give up on the idea, and while working as a librarian for a while in Netanyah, tried to Latinise the Hebrew literature in the 'Weekly Palestine' which drew attention neither from the new locals nor new immigrants, virtually ignored.

Was active in support of the 'sea conquest, seeing the result of his writings in the establishment of the Tel Aviv port and development of the Hebrew sea fare.

In Tel Aviv established the Hebrew-Italian club, and had a friendly visit with Mussolini during the visit to Italy, representing eagerly the idea of Israeli hope for liberty and friendly partnership among the Middeteranean nations.

With similar excitement attempted to motivate a 'religious renewal', as a modern feeling, turning towards major religious leaders, who didn't see the need at the. Managed the Sephardic Federation, as the father of his Sephardic daughters on their mother's side, and as a Hebrew of status above diaspora differences.

Due to the conditions at the time, and the alienating attitude was forced to accept the proposition to be employed for the efforts of the US community. With a saddened heart left in 1930, with his family, hoping to return but didn't manage. Passed away in East Orange, New Jersey, on the eve of Passover. Buried in the Bnei-Zion cemetery there, until his remains were transferred by the US community to Haifa, then Netanyah (Tel Aviv was under blockade), eventually ascending to Jerusalem, where he was buried next to his father on the Mount of Olives.

1305 | Encyclopedia of the Founders and Builders of Israel

A biographical dictionary or encyclopedia of 19th and 20th century Israelis

www.tidhar.tourolib.org

 

[rylah]

Morocco and the cause of Zionism

Rabbi Calfon Mosheh HaCohen | North African Zionism
Early Zionist leader and 'Global Village' visionary

Rabbi Calfon Mosheh HaCohen (1874-1950) was the chief rabbi of Djerba, of the greatest scholars of Tunisia. Wrote numerous books, among them on the topics of Hebrew law, education, morality, sermons, and responsa.

An enthusiastic supporter of Zionism, all his life activity was to return to Eretz Yisrael.
Wrote a cosmopolitan vision, professing world peace and the establishment of an organization similar to the UN in Jerusalem. Passed away in Jerbah on the eve of moving to Israel, and in 2005 his bones were buried in Jerusalem.

The family of Rabbi HaCohen was from the attributed family Cohen Abri"sh, according to tradition descendants of 'Ezra HaSofer. His grand-grandfather Rabbi Shaul HaCohen was the head of court in the small quarter on the island of Djerba. His grandfather from the father's side is Rabbi Moseh HaCohen, the author of the book "Pnei Mosheh", after whom he was named. His father, Rabbi Shalom, authored the books "Nahar Shalom", "Hefetz Yakar", and "Hayyim Shalom", who was the head of court in Jirjis near Djerba.

Born in 1874 to Rabbi Shalom Vetraci, on the island of Djerba in south Tunisia. During childhood, his family knew years of prosperity and wealth and was known for generous support for scholars and the poor of Jerbah. During their teenage years, the family's situation worsened and he had to help the housing economy, for which among other things he used to proofread and copy books. Studied with his father and with Rabbi Yosef Barabi, later the Chief Rabbi of Djerba.

When his father was called to lead the community of Jirjis, Rabbi Calfon Mosheh HaCohen was asked to be the Shohet. At 17, learned Shhitah from Rabbi Binyamin Hadad, and served as a Shohet and examiner. Following the hard working conditions, during the summer days under the sun, became ill with fever and his vision was injured. Despite that, initially didn't want to stop his work to support the house, but after many entreaties returned to Djerba to continue his study.

In 1895 Rabbi HaCohen married Msi'adah, a cousin on his mother's side, and the couple had 3 sons and 4 daughters. One of the sons, Rabbi Shushan HaCohen, after making Aliyah, was appointed the Rabbi of the village of Eitan in Israel.

When he was 25 was asked to accept membership in the Beit Din (Hebrew court) of Jerbah, but rejected arguing he didn't want to receive any goods from the public. Despite his rejection, over the years various propositions kept reaching him, to serve in various Rabbinic positions, sometimes with promises of major respected rewards, but he always rejected.

In 1917, at 43 years, was eventually appointed as a member of the Beit Din in Jerbah, however then as well rejected the offer to head the court, rather only as of the 3rd judge, and only at certain hours of the day. In practice, the conditions didn't fulfill, and all-day he was busy with almost all of Jerbah's cour carried on his shoulders. Several times considered leaving the position due to his health conditions and the load of work.

His leadership stood out at critical times when the Nazi invaders into Djerbah demanded 50kg of gold from the Jewish community. This was on Sabbath and he drove with them all over the Jewish neighborhoods, obliging every Jew to bring all the gold in possession.

At 75 Rabbi Calfon fell fataly ill. After a short improvement, he passed on Sabbath, 7th of June 1950. On the day of his burial, the surrounding towns were almost emptied of Jews, and the main marketplace in Jerbah (owned mostly by Jews) was closed. Tens of thousands, among whom were Tunisian and French governors took part in the funeral.

Was buried in Djerbah, but in 2005, 55 years after his passing, his bones were brought from Tunisia to Israel, and buried on the mountain of Menuhot in Jerusalem, by Rabbi Shalom Msas.

In the funeral procession that lasted 3 days, took part tens of thousands from Israel, Tunisia, and France, among them Rabbi Mordechai Elyahu and Rabbi 'Ovadiah Yosef.

Named after him, are various synagogues, schools, as well as streets in the cities of Netivot, Ashkelon, and a street in Jerusalem.

Due to the establishment of the 'Alliance' schools in Tunisia, objected with his cousin Rabbi Mordechai Amyas HaCohen against many, including Rabbi Yisrael Zayton, the Chief Rabbi of Tunisia, preferring to keep traditional Torah education. After the school was established, most Djerba residents listened to Rabbi Calfon, and didn't send their children to study there.

Despite opposing modernization in the Alliance schools, Rabbi Calfon was an enthusiastic supporter of the Zionist movement, despite knowing its central figures were far from tradition, he wrote -

"In our days, many of our brothers of the house of Israel though didn't grow up on the knees of Judaism, Torah, and commandments, and their judgment is as of abducted children among the nations. However, in their heart awakened a nationalist emotion, for the love of existence of the Israeli nation, and its persistence to be a separate nation from the nations of the world." - from the pamphlet "Geulat Mosheh" in his book "Zchut Mosheh".

Referring to Binyamin Zeev Herzl he wrote -

"In our days, an exalted man has risen among us, a man of character with a clear mind and sharp ideas, Binyamin Zeev Herzl is his name...came up with a wonderful idea, fo everyone to gather under the shade of the Zionist community and be called Zionists...and knocked on the gates of kings and counts - to take from them a clear ruling, for Eretz Yisrael to be for us as before".

In 1919 was among the founders of the Zionist movement "Ateret Zion" in Djerba, which acted in coordination with KKL and Keren HaYesod, to strengthen the Hebrew language, and her members were constantly updated about news from the land of Israel, through Hebrew newspapers like "HaLevanon", "HaMagid", "HaTzfirah" and "HaHavatzelet".

In his lesson during Shabat of Torah portion "Naso", 12th of Sivan, several days after the San Remo conference and confirmation of the Balfour Declaration by the League of Nations said that this was "the beginning of the redemption". He wrote and edited the lesson at the end of Shabat, and published it as the "The Fifth Sermon For The Beginning Of Redemption" in his book "Matte Mosheh", writing the following - "from now on there is no doubt this is the beginning of the redemption, and every man of Israel should thank thousands of time to G-d for the redemption and salvation, for G-d has commanded his nation and brought us from bondage to redemption".

Rabbi Calfon explained that getting familiar with Eretz Yisrael will significantly increase Aliyah, and in a vision, he wrote in the 1920s, suggested organizing visits of young Jews from around the world to Eretz Yisrael with the funding of the Zionist movement. A similar idea was fulfilled with the establishment of the "Taglit" organization in the year 2000.

Rabbi Calfon supported 'Aliyah and made sure the community members support the immigrants. He also called for purchasing parcels of land in the country and worked for the revival of the Hebrew language. With the establishment of the state of Israel, ruled for the Israeli Independence Day to be celebrated on the island of Djerba for entire 3 days.

In the year 1897, when at 24, tried for the first time to make 'Aliyah with the help of a friend from Tripoli, with whom he befriended during visits to cure his eyes. However, after the journey had already been organized, his father heard of this and wanted to talk him out of it, arguing that according to his counting the Mashiah comes in the year 1916 and he would wait till then. In order not to sadden his father Rabbi Mosheh Calfon HaCohen listened to his father and gave up on the opportunity to make 'Aliyah, an opportunity he regretted all his days.

In preparation for the 'Aliyah bought a parcel of land in the Beit HaCerem neighborhood in Jerusalem, and in his late days, while his health was precarious, decided to try making 'Aliyah once again. In the year 1949, he acquired a permit for 'Aliyah, and his son Shushan went to Tunis to order the documents. However, due to illness, his 'Aliyah was postponed as his health condition deteriorated, which didn't improve till his passing.

In his early writings, before the state of Israel was established, he judged detailed practical governmental ideas, not only in reference to the Zionist idea but also clearly cosmopolitan ideas.

Following the Russia-Japan war breaking out in 1904, Rabbi Calfon came to the conclusion, that Torah of Israel is not complete with only the liberation of Israel, but seeks to build a whole corrected world for all humanity. He formulated a wide cosmopolitan vision, which are mechanisms and institutions which will establish world peace. Due to his suspicion that his word won't be accepted, due to his status and the status of the relatively sideline country in which he lived, Rabbi Calfon archived the vision. An Arabic newspaper reached him 15 years later, revealing before him to his surprise similar political ideas to which he wrote about in 1905. Since then decided it was his duty to publish his ideas publically.

In the early 20s of the 20th century, Rabbi Calfon gave speeches in which he focused on the need to deal with international law, and formulated in detail a practical proposition for the establishment of a world government and the establishment of international law. He advanced mechanisms for solving international conflicts and formulated a political-state program including many goals.

Rabbi Calfon called for the establishment in Jerusalem of an international committee and an international court to examine the conduct of the countries according to the wellbeing of all humanity, to include representatives from all countries which together decide in international conflicts and prevent the use of force and violence. This idea, which was realized later with the establishment of the UN, included several additional ideas, among which, an International army to treat countries not willing to follow the counsel of the nations, a council to act for education to tolerance in a moral way, the idea for the establishment of a central world bank, which partial income will be leveraged to the poor of the countries, and an international currency for trade, which value is equal in all countries. The latter idea was realized as well, with the invention of the BitCoin, a couple of decades later.

Rabbi Calfon explained that the establishment of the major center of the international committee should be in Jerusalem, 'for there is great hope for all nations - we Jews, the Christians and Ishmaelites'.

With the strengthening of the movement for the return to Zion and the Belfour Declaration, the revival of the Hebrew language and the improvement of the conditions for Jews in developed countries Rabbi Calfon saw the beginning of the redemption age.

Rabbi Calfon saw technological development as a means for the world to become a global village, requiring the world countries to come to the help of countries in distress as part of mutual guarantee and world peace. The last term was also a religious obligation, and technological development symbolized in his view the basis for a higher spiritual level.

Among his books, more than 50 writings have been published dealing with all aspects of Judaism.

"הרב כלפון היה מנהיג ציוני שעודד סדר עולמי כלל אנושי"

מרכז דהאן למורשת קהילות ישראל עורך כנס המתמקד ביצירתם, פועלם והשפעתם שלחכמי תוניסיה בעת החדשה לרגל 70 שנים לפטירתו של אחד מגדולי רבני ג@@@רבה

www.maariv.co.il

 

[P F Tinmore]

The San Remo Conference allotted all territory on both banks of the Jordan river to the Jewish National Home. Britain unilaterally tore a huge chunk of it to set up shop for the Hashemites driven out of Mecca and Medina by the Saudis. Article 5 of the 1922 League of Nations expressly forbade land transfer to foreign rule. Jews declaring sovereignty in 1948 were within their inalienable right to claim full jurisdiction over all land from the river to the sea, stemming from the League of Nations' stare decisis. To declare Jerusalem a corpus separatum was arbitrary and unlawful. Jewish land belongs to Jews.

Britain unilaterally tore a huge chunk of it to set up shop for the Hashemites driven out of Mecca and Medina by the Saudis.

Not true.The division was planned before the Mandate document was written.

Jews declaring sovereignty in 1948 were within their inalienable right to claim full jurisdiction over all land from the river to the sea,

Do you have a link for that? I didn't think so.

 

[Sixties Fan]

Not true.The division was planned before the Mandate document was written.

Do you have a link for that? I didn't think so.

Can we see your links?

I don't think so.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Can we see your links?

I don't think so.

The pre planned division was written into the document. It wasn't something they decided to do later.

ART. 25.

In the territories lying between the Jordan and the eastern boundary of Palestine as ultimately determined, the Mandatory shall be entitled, with the consent of the Council of the League of Nations, to postpone or withhold application of such provisions of this mandate as he may consider inapplicable to the existing local conditions, and to make such provision for the administration of the territories as he may consider suitable to those conditions, provided that no action shall be taken which is inconsistent with the provisions of Articles 15, 16 and 18.

The Avalon Project : The Palestine Mandate

 

[sergiobramasole]

Not true.The division was planned before the Mandate document was written.

Do you have a link for that? I didn't think

The San Remo Conference established a stare decisis (legal precedent); the subsequent !922 League of Nations Mandate to facilitate self-rule for Jews on both banks of the Jordan River stemmed from it. Moreover, the Golan Heights too were allotted to Jews. Look it up.

 

[sergiobramasole]

Can we see your links?

I don't think so.

Here you go. The San Remo Conference

 

[sergiobramasole]

Here you go. The San Remo Conference

 

[sergiobramasole]

View attachment 642703

 

[sergiobramasole]

View attachment 642703

April 18, 1920 San Remo Conference

The San Remo Conference outlined the Peace Treaty with Turkey by dividing the former Ottoman Empire. “The mandatory (e.g. Great Britain) will be responsible for putting into effect the declaration …

cojs.org

 

[rylah]

Morocco and the cause of Zionism

 

[rylah]

"Local nationalism"...

Those greedy Arab imperialists
demanding an exclusive domination
over the entire Middle East and North Africa?

Tell us why they don't deserve a humiliating defeat by a minority.