Auction 27

“These are the names of the newborns named after their fathers” – A register of Jewish children born between 1845 and 1848 and their birthdates in one of the German communities. Handwritten.

The list is presented in the format: father’s name, child’s name, “born under good fortune, ” day of the month, and year of birth. A total of approximately fifty names appear across five pages. Among the names listed are: Yitzhak Hirsch, Yosef Bruin, Reuven Rosenberg, Anshel Baralik, Pinchas Glass, Miriam Gutman, Yosef Bruin, and many others. Part of the list is in Hebrew, and the reverse side is in German.

[5] pages handwritten. Thick paper from the 18th century. Stains. Good condition.

Contract – A Legal Manuscript Concerning Inheritance Matters, Trade Agreements, and Religious Affairs Pertaining to the Jewish Community of Alt-Ofen (Hungary), December 20, 1798. The document is beautifully handwritten, with a wax seal attached by a thread binding the document ( to prevent the addition of pages after it was signed). Written in German.

This document addresses the economic arrangements concerning the Jews of Alt-Ofen. It includes regulations regarding “Religions Zeremonien” (religious ceremonies), which outline what is permitted and forbidden for Jews under the new arrangements. The document serves as a comprehensive summary of contracts and regulations signed in the three months preceding the signing. The term “Provisorat Cassa” appears multiple times in the document, referring to financial benefits for the Jewish community.

In ancient times, the settlement of Jews was prohibited in the entire area known as Alt-Ofen (Óbuda in Hungarian). In 1712, Duchess Zichi invited the Jews to settle there, subject to an agreement of patronage, freedom of religion, settlement and trade conditions. To this end, in the first decades of the 18th century, official contracts were issued on behalf of the duchess to regulate the new status of the Jewish settlers.

The arrangements with the first Jewish settlers led to a wave of immigration to Alt-Ofen, and in 1737 a synagogue was established there, and in a short time it had the largest Jewish community in Hungary! The rabbi of the community was Rabbi Moshe Mintz (died in 1831), who established a Beit Din Tzedek and a large yeshiva on the site, one of the grandest in European Jewish communities. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the community grew, and was finally destroyed in the holocaust of Hungarian Jews along with other Budapest communities.

[12] pages. 36 cm. Good – very good condition.

“HaShkafa” Newspaper Edited by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, Announcing for the First Time the Death of Theodor Herzl, in a Notice That Arrived in the Editorial Office Moments Before the Issue Went to Print. Tuesday, 22 Tammuz, 5664, July 5, 1904 – Two Days After Herzl’s Passing.

Coincidentally or not, the main article in this edition discusses the “Jewish State” and negotiations on Jewish settlement in East Africa. Later, in a notice published on the side of the page, it reads:
“Moments before finalizing the edition, two telegrams reached us, and the first page had already been printed. The first from Berlin, sent on Wednesday, July 4, at 10:40 in the morning, stated: ‘Herzl has died, Ben-Zion Ben-Yehuda.’ The second from the executive office in Vienna, sent on Wednesday, July 4, at 4:00 in the afternoon, stated: ‘Herzl has died. The time of burial will be announced. The church office.’ Thus, there is no doubt, Dr. Herzl has passed away! At this terrible moment, I have no words. This is a disaster, a tragedy we were not prepared for; this is a mourning for the entire nation, and we mourn with it. I have no words of comfort, neither for ourselves nor for his family. This is not the time to seek reasons for this death… We do not mourn the great deceased himself… but what will be the fate of Zionism? What will be the fate of the nation?…”

Another notice on the last page of the edition, under the title: “Before the Death, ” features a short article where Ben-Zion Ben-Yehuda tries to understand why Herzl’s death was not mentioned in other newspapers, quoting various reports about Herzl’s condition, as the realization of his death began to sink in: “And with my own eyes, I saw others weeping. This was the destruction in the midst of the flowing life around. To lose Herzl… it’s too much!…” At the bottom of the same article, it is written: “Jerusalem, the intended eulogy of the honorable Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Spector, Rabbi Shmuel Salant, for Dr. Herzl in the Great Synagogue of the Hurva, was thwarted due to the zealots who planned to cause disruptions during the eulogy. In all the synagogues of the Sephardi community in our city, the prayer ‘El Maleh Rachamim’ was recited on Shabbat for the repose of the soul of the late Dr. Herzl, of blessed memory.”

This is the first and rare issue of “HaShkafa” newspaper in which Herzl’s death was mentioned. In subsequent editions, published in the days following, all the headlines were dedicated to the passing of the herald of Zionism.

[10] pages. Complete edition. Spine reinforced with adhesive tape. Good condition.

Zionism and the future of Palestine; The fallacies and dangers of political Zionism – by Morris Jastrow, published by Macmillan Company, New York 1919 – First Edition. Extremely rare.

In his book, Jastrow critiques Political Zionism, which was gaining momentum following the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Jastrow argues that Political Zionism, with its goal of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine, is a dangerous and misguided idea, both for the Jewish people and for the non-Jewish populations living in Palestine. He expresses concerns about potential inter-communal conflict and warns that the establishment of a Jewish state might lead to disputes with the local Arab population, potentially damaging international relations and regional peace. Furthermore, he argues that Political Zionism could harm the status of Jews in the diaspora, particularly in the United States and Europe, by creating dual loyalties and provoking antisemitism.

Jastrow suggests that Jews should continue to work to improve their situation in the diaspora rather than attempting to establish a separate state, advocating for their integration into the countries where they live.

The book was written during a period when Political Zionism was gaining traction, especially after the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which promised the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Jastrow was among the critics of this movement, and the book reflects the concerns of many Jews, particularly in the United States, regarding its implications.

Morris Jastrow [1861-1921] was a Jewish-American scholar, orientalist, and one of the foremost researchers of the ancient Near East in the early 20th century. He was a professor of Semitic languages and the history of religions at the University of Pennsylvania. He was best known for his work in the field of Semitic languages and his research on the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia. Jastrow was part of a broader movement of Jews who opposed Political Zionism for various reasons, whether out of loyalty to their countries or out of concern that the idea of a Jewish state would harm the status of Jews worldwide.

Extremely rare. Only one copy is listed in the WorldCat global library catalog.

XIX, 159 pages. Very good condition.

Private Photo Album of Nahum Sokolow, President of the Zionist Organization, and His Family – His Wife Rivka and Other Family Members During His Visit to Eretz Israel in 1932. A rare and diverse collection of photographs in which Nahum Sokolow is seen alongside his wife and sons, aboard the ship on his way to Eretz Israel, visiting various sites in the Land of Israel, participating in Zionist conferences, and more. Rare.

Approximately 200 photographs are placed in the album’s pockets. The album includes numerous personal photographs of Sokolow with his family during visits to various cities in Europe on his way to Eretz Israel, at family dinners, in moments of rest and contemplation, and during his journey to and stay in Eretz Israel in the early 1930s. The album features images of Sokolow visiting the “American Colony” in jerusalem and other places, as well as photographs of him at his home in London towards the end of his life in 1935, among others. Notably, there are photographs of Sokolow alongside prominent Zionist figures – in one, Chaim Weizmann is seen giving a speech while Sokolow sits behind him; in another, Sokolow is sitting next to Weizmann at a Zionist conference, with Henrietta Szold likely speaking on his right. The album also contains other significant photographs, such as crowds gathering at the first Levant Fair, the first Maccabiah Games, and more.

Nahum T. Sokolow [1859-1936] was the fifth President of the World Zionist Organization, the father of modern Hebrew journalism, a member of the Zionist Executive Committee, a key figure in the political efforts with Britain that led to the Balfour Declaration, Honorary President of the Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency, and President of Keren Hayesod. He was also a translator (notably translating Herzl’s “Altneuland” into Hebrew) and a statesman who led the Zionist movement for nearly three decades.

Album size: 29×20 cm. Photographs size: Average 10×7 cm. Half-leather binding. Very good condition.

Four Early Books for Learning the Hebrew Language. Various publishers, years: 1895-1933.

Book for Learning the Hebrew Letters with Illustrations. A copy with an owner’s stamp from the Jewish community of Assen, “Nederlandsche-Israelitische Gemeente Assen, in northern Holland”. Assen was one of many Jewish communities scattered across the Netherlands before World War II. During the Holocaust, the Jewish community in Assen, like many others in the Netherlands, suffered greatly under Nazi occupation. The Jews of the city were deported to concentration and extermination camps, and many did not return. After the war, as in many other places in the Netherlands, very few Jews remained in Assen, and the Jewish community there never returned to its former size.

Hebrew, Learning Book by Dr. Moshe Goldman, Published by Sefatenu, Berlin-Charlottenburg / Tel Aviv, 1933. A book for learning the Hebrew language for German speakers. A special teaching method linking spoken Hebrew with literary Hebrew while expanding the student’s vocabulary. Instructions in German, and words in Hebrew.

Amun Pedagog, Hebrew Learning Book for Youth by Avraham Mapu, Warsaw 1895.

Shacharit, Hebrew Language Learning Book for the Second and Third Years by B. Hirsch and M. M. Tomerov, Published by Reznik, Menshel and their partner, 1925 (Tars”v). Part Two. Stories in vocalized Hebrew accompanied by grammar rules, examples of noun declension, verb conjugations, and more.

Overall condition: Good – very good.

Two Early Children’s Books:

Chanukah for Children, edited by Zvi Scharfstein, published by Shilo. Brooklyn, 1928 – Stories for children about the Chanukah holiday, accompanied by illustrations. Includes stories such as the Megillat Chanukah, Hannah and her seven sons, the oil jug, the dreidel, Chanukah candles, and more.

Thus Sings the Young World – Poems by Lea Goldberg and Katya Yaakov, set to the illustrations by Arpad Iszinger.

Both books are in good condition.

Five Publications by The Jewish Historical Society of England – Transcripts of Lectures Given by Prominent Figures on the Fate and Future of the Jewish People Amidst the Rise of Anti-Semitism in Germany, and the National Challenges in Eretz Israel. London, 1930s.

The Battle for The Sabbath at Geneva – By Rabbi Dr. J.H. Hertz, Published by Humphrey Milford Oxford University Press. London, 1932. The lecture of the Chief Rabbi of England, Rabbi Joseph Hertz, on the “Holy War” for the Sabbath in Geneva. The battle, which effectively moved from Geneva to Paris, Washington, Frankfurt, and London, involved “almost every community in the world.” The issue at hand was the promotion of a “fixed” calendar by Vatican representatives and several countries, which proposed a new division of the year that would disrupt the seven-day weekly cycle. After receiving a letter from the initiators of the idea, Rabbi Hertz mobilized rabbinical institutions in America and launched an uncompromising fight against the initiative. In this lecture, he details the cross-continental struggle to preserve the existing calendar and its outcomes, accompanied by numerous photographs.

GREAT BRITAIN AND PALESTINE – The second Lucien Wolf Memorial Lecture delivered in the Great Hall of University College, London, by The Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert Samuel G.C.B, G.B.C., D.C.L. on Monday, November 25th, 1935, Sir Ronald Storrs, in the chair. A transcript of a lecture delivered by the British High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel, in 1935 at the Great Hall of University College, London, during an event in memory of Lucien Wolf, president of the Jewish Historical Society. The lecture focuses on the history of the British conquest during World War I. Samuel emphasizes Britain’s (seemingly) ongoing commitment to Zionist goals in accordance with the Balfour Declaration, which called for the establishment of a Jewish home in Eretz Israel. The Jewish Yishuv viewed this lecture as a collection of statements that did not align with Britain’s actions at that time. The lecture is illustrated with photographs from the event.

THE WORTH OF FREEDOM – The Third Lucien Wolf Memorial Lecture Delivered in the Great Hall of University College London on Monday, November 16th, 1936. This transcript covers the third Lucien Wolf Memorial Lecture, delivered in the Great Hall of University College London on November 16th, 1936. The lecture addresses the importance of freedom of speech, thought, and action during a time of rising fascism across the world.

The Jewish Past – By Philip Guedalla; Presidential address delivered before the Jewish Historical Society of England in the Botanical Theatre, University College, London, November 21st, 1938. A lecture by Philip Guedalla, delivered as a presidential address to the Jewish Historical Society of England, takes place at the Botanical Theatre, University College, London, on November 21st, 1938. It discusses the rising anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany and the enduring strength of the Jewish people to survive the hatred of nations.

The Jews in the Defence of Britain: Thirteenth to Nineteenth Centuries – A lecture by Cecil Roth. Delivered before the Jewish Historical Society of England, in the Hall of Magdalen College, Oxford, on Sunday, October 27th, 1940. A lecture by Cecil Roth explores the contributions of Jews to Britain’s defense from the 13th to the 19th centuries. It was delivered before the Jewish Historical Society of England in the Hall of Magdalen College, Oxford, on October 27th, 1940.

The Jewish Historical Society of England (JHSE) was founded in 1893 by several Anglo-Jewish scholars, including Lucien Wolf, who became the society’s first president. The early presidents of the JHSE included Hermann Adler, Michael Adler, Joseph Jacobs, Frederick David Mocatta, and Sir Isidore Spielman. Throughout the 1930s, the society held a long series of lectures addressing issues at the forefront of Jewish public life in Europe and Eretz Israel.

All booklets are complete and in very good overall condition.

An Answer to Ernest Bevin: Evidence Submitted to the Palestine Royal Commission (House of Lords, London, February 11, 1937) – A Response to Ernest Bevin by Vladimir Jabotinsky, Published by Bernard Ackerman, New York, 1946. “Mr. Bevin has turned the clock back ten years. The eloquent proof lies in the fact that the following evidence presented by Vladimir Jabotinsky in 1937 constitutes a complete answer to his words. It seems as though Mr. Jabotinsky wrote this composition just last week, and it reveals the lie of those who claimed that Britain sincerely sought to solve the Palestine problem.”

Jabotinsky’s courageous response to Ernest Bevin’s questions during the Royal Commission’s visit to Palestine in 1937 to discuss the Jewish-Arab problem. The editors reissued Jabotinsky’s response, written about ten years earlier, to demonstrate how he was right in the long term, as the nine years that passed since, which included the greatest war in human history, proved the accuracy of his predictions one by one. The booklet was published as a defiant voice against the British government, which had committed to act against the White Paper but at that time not only failed to do so but also took actions to stop Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel and to restrict the Jewish settlement.

“Mr. Bevin has turned the clock back ten years. The eloquent proof lies in the fact that the following evidence presented by Vladimir Jabotinsky in 1937 constitutes a complete answer to his words. It seems as though Mr. Jabotinsky wrote this composition just last week, and it reveals the lie of those who claimed that Britain sincerely sought to solve the Palestine problem” (from the introduction to the booklet).

In his response to the Commission (presented here in a question-and-answer format exactly as Jabotinsky delivered it), he emphasized the existential danger facing the Jewish people in the Diaspora, which was more severe than ever before. Only after World War II (after Jabotinsky had already passed away) did it become clear how prescient he was and how correct his words were. (This was not the only time he foresaw the future. In October 1932, Jabotinsky warned that “the situation in Germany may improve… but it will be bad for the Jews.”) In the course of the discussion, Jabotinsky deliberately used the term “Jewish state, ” stressed the connection between the suffering of the Jewish people and their dispersion in the Diaspora, pointed out certain expressions used by Balfour in his Declaration in the context of Jewish independence, explained that the Zionist movement did not intend to bring Great Britain into a conflict with global Islam, and emphasized the importance of a fighting military force to protect the Jews of the Land of Israel in the future State of Israel, as in any civilized country. He also corrected Mr. Bevin on inaccuracies regarding clauses in the Balfour Declaration and in the interpretation of global terms dealing with the essence of the definitions of “nation” and “state, ” among other things. It is important to note that when the 1939 White Paper was published, which limited Jewish immigration to 75,000 people, Jabotinsky instructed his movement to increase the pace of the illegal immigration it was conducting, “Aliyah Bet.” Throughout this period, Jabotinsky feared a terrible catastrophe about to befall the Jews in Europe:
“Sometimes I fear that it is already later than the eleventh hour; perhaps the clock has already struck twelve, meaning midnight, meaning—the end… Humanity sits and awaits the Angel of Death. And among this humanity, we are, the Jews.”

Ernest Bevin (March 9, 1881 – April 14, 1951) a British politician, one of the leaders of the Labour Party, and a minister during and after World War II. He is known in the history of the struggle for the establishment of the State of Israel as the one who led British policy to prevent free Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel after World War II and as the person who brought the question of the future of the Land of Israel to the United Nations General Assembly after the end of the British Mandate. During that period, he was considered “enemy number one” of the Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel.

32 pages. Softcover. Light stains on the cover. Good condition.

A large and important collection of official documents dealing with land sales in Eretz Israel in the early 1940s.

Among them: Forms from the Land Affairs Administration Department of the Government of Palestine, a property transfer form to the Africa-Israel Company – February 21, 1946, records of plots and parcels of Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet LeYisrael – KKL) land purchasers in the Moshavah of Migdal in 1949, 17 land registration sheets according to the Land Ordinance of the Government of Palestine with hundreds of names of land purchasers in Eretz Israel and detailed descriptions of the lands purchased by them, four large outline maps (average: 60×35 cm) of areas in Ashdot Ya’akov – stamped with the ink seal of PICA (Palestine Jewish Colonization Association), a lease agreement between the Jewish Colonization Association and the “lessee” – Ashdot Ya’akov – signed by representatives from both sides, as well as dozens of signatures on a declaration from the Ashdot Ya’akov group expressing their agreement to the lease contract between PICA and Ashdot Ya’akov – February 1942, and additional documents related to the lands of Ashdot Ya’akov, documents related to the land purchase in Migdal by David Rapoport from Brooklyn, additional documents related to a land auction in the Moshavah of Migdal in August 1947, and more.

Approximately 50 documents. Good condition.

Non-traditional Haggadah with Illustrations, Printed by Stencil. Kibbutz Dafna, 1941 [תש”א]. Original Texts on the Jewish People’s Struggle to Escape the Suffering of Exile. All Pages are Double (Connected at the Edges to Add Thickness). Rare.

The Haggadah opens with original spring songs, including “Tzo’ed VeTzo’ed HaKotzer BeLo Et, ” “Vayehi Miketz Yamim Rabim, ” “Im Yesh Et Nafshecha Lada’at, ” “Ra’inu Amalenu Ke’Amal HaNemalim, ” and others like “Kumu To’ei Midbar” and “Pesach Am Shomer.” Following these is a passage titled “From the Exile to My Brothers in Zion, ” which expresses hope for salvation from exile in Zion, and then “Al Saf Shel Emunah Gedolah, ” an original text that describes the tragedies of the Jewish people in exile and the burning faith in redemption: “Amid rivers of blood and destruction, through waves of hatred and serpentine fury, the boat of Israel was tossed and reached this point. The wrath, hatred, and despair sought to push our souls to the abyss, but we saved them from annihilation and cast the anchor by the shores of this land. We ascended from the dark depths, both within and around us, to sanctify creation and redemptive labor. Around us, the fire of the Jewish people continues to burn among the nations… and we called to our brothers struggling with bitter despair and death in the dark depths: Ascend to life and rise!… Each one will save his brother from destruction on this day…”

Among the illustrations in the Haggadah is one depicting slavery in Egypt, combining an image of a watchtower from a concentration camp.

Dafna is a kibbutz located in the Hula Valley, not far from the Israel-Lebanon border, about 7 kilometers northeast of Kiryat Shmona. The founders of the kibbutz were immigrants from Lithuania, Germany, and Poland who organized into a group within the United Kibbutz Movement and initially settled in Givat Michael near Ness Ziona in 1932. Seven years later, when the group numbered almost 250 people, they prepared to move to their current location in northern Hula Valley. On May 3, 1939, the kibbutz was established as part of the Tower and Stockade campaign and was the first of the Ussishkin Fortresses. Initially called “Ussishkin Fortress A, ” it was later renamed “Dafna, ” after the ancient city that existed in the region during the Hellenistic period.

26 pages. Spine reinforced with glue. Clean and beautiful pages. Good condition.

Passover Haggadah for Kindergarten Children, Stencil Duplicated. Hand-Colored Illustrations. Israel, C. 1950s.

The Haggadah includes various spring and Passover songs such as “Shirei Aviv, ” “Aviv Higi’a Pesach Ba, ” “Domem Shata Teiva Ketana, ” “Avadim Hayinu, ” “Makat Mitzrayim, ” “Ma Nishtana, ” and “Ma Ohev Eliyahu HaNavi.” An interesting page features the traditional walnut game: “Let’s play with walnuts because Passover is here… If you guessed correctly and found, take my walnuts; if you didn’t guess, your walnuts will pass to me.” At the end of the Haggadah, there are two pages dedicated to setting up the Seder table, with blank spaces for handwriting, filled in pencil by an Israeli child.

[12] leaves. The left-side page cuts are uneven (without loss). Good condition.

Haggadah L’Chag Ha’Atzmaut – Haggadah for Independence Day by Dr. Yehuda HaCohen Meirov. Tel Aviv [1949] – First Edition. The Story of the Miraculous Events that Led to Israel’s Independence and the Establishment of the State of Israel in the Format of the Passover Haggadah. Printed by “Yefet” Tel Aviv. Extremely Rare.

At the beginning of the Haggadah, there is a picture of Binyamin Ze’ev Herzl, along with portraits of the leaders of Zionism, including Max Nordau, David Wolffsohn, Chaim Weizmann, and others, as well as an image of immigrants arriving in the Land of Israel. After a few passages of thanksgiving, the Haggadah opens with the question: “V’chi Yishalchah Bincha Machar” – And when your son asks you tomorrow, what were the reasons that led to the establishment of the state, thanks to whom and what brought about this wondrous transformation in our days and in our eyes?” To this, the revered David Ben-Gurion answers: “The people of Israel did not arise through one miracle but through many miracles.” The text then proceeds to recount the miraculous chain of events – the numerical superiority of the Arabs over the Jews at the outbreak of the War of Independence, the siege of Jerusalem, and the hunger, despite which the Jewish people managed to stand and ultimately triumph in the war.

The Haggadah lists the miracles one by one, starting with “The first miracle…” and continuing through “The ninth miracle.” These miracles include the internal conflicts among the Arabs, the panicked flight of Arabs from the land, the cancellation of the Partition Plan, the Soviet government’s vote in favor of establishing a Jewish state in the United Nations, the recognition of a Jewish state by nations as compensation for the Holocaust, the revitalization of the desolate land, the absorption of immigration, and the victory of the few over the many in the War of Independence. All of these stand in contrast to the gloomy predictions of the Hebrew press in the 19th century, which barely gave any hope for the return of the Jews to their land (including citations from the Hebrew press of the 19th century). The “Halleluyah” section is linked to the date of the first Zionist Congress, which took place on Rosh Chodesh Elul 1897.

The Haggadah concludes with the line: “Even if we were all wise, all understanding, (“אפילו כולנו חכמים, כולנו נבונים) all knowing the chain of events, it is a commandment for us to tell and retell the establishment of the State of Israel and how this great miracle took place.”

The first edition was published without a mention of the year. According to the National Library’s records, this Haggadah was published in 1949 with the second title page printed on page 9, as seen in the Haggadah before us. (In 1955, a second edition was published with the year noted, and the title page was printed on page 7).

48 pages. Ink inscription on the cover and some hand-painted blue coloring on the lower part of the cover. Light stains on the cover. Condition: Good – Very Good.

“Petashegen Megillat Ostracon…” – A satirical Esther Scroll written in Jaffa – A parody on class differences and economic disparities in Israeli society, and on the differences in views between the right and the left. The author of the scroll: Avraham Yitzhak from Emek Dotan… The scroll was published in Hamam Jaffa, 1985. Rare.

“Blessed are those present, eagerly awaiting to hear some humorous words… In these days, the king made a Purim feast for all the rulers of Mer’Sh (Ministerial Council) in Tel Aviv – Jaffa, from the greatest to the least, for seven days… A Jewish man was in Shushan the capital, and his name was Mordechai son of Yair… a left-wing man who was exiled from Jerusalem with the exiles to the coastal plain…”

Haman’s decree is described as an attempt by Haman to force all Jews into early retirement, and Esther’s response is to file a petition with the High Court of Justice (Bagatz) to keep them in their jobs: “ונשלח ספרים ביד הרצים אל כל המדינות להשמיד להרוג לאבד ולפטר ולהוציא לפנסיה מוקדמת בגן העדן את כל היהודים…ותאמר אסתר: אם על המלך טוב ואם מצאתי חן בעיני המלך אגישה בג”צי ותינתן לי נפשי בשאלתי ועמי בעתירתי…” – “And letters were sent by couriers to all the provinces to destroy, kill, annihilate, and lay off and send to early retirement in the Garden of Eden all the Jews… And Esther said: ‘If it pleases the king and if I have found favor in the king’s sight, I will submit a petition to Bagatz, and let my life be given me at my request and my people at my petition…”. Haman’s sentence is depicted as the abolition of all days of strikes and sanctions – “ובשושן הבירה הרגו היהודים ואיבד חמש מאות ימי עבודה בשביתתא ובעיצומתא וסנקציונתא, ואת מס הכנסתא וערך מוספתא והיטל השבחתא ושבח מקרקעתא… וכל שאר שרי אוצרתא ובעלי ראש באטאטה צוררי הנעבעכים הרגו…”- “And in Shushan the capital, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred workdays through strikes, sanctions, and restrictions, and also income tax, VAT, appreciation tax, and land appreciation tax… And all the other treasury ministers and high-ranking officials, the enemies of the unfortunate ones, were killed…”.
The scroll ends with the “Song of Hatikvah.”

The second part of the scroll is written in ancient cuneiform script over three and a half pages.

Length: 135 cm. Height: 24 cm. Very good condition.

“We Declare to the Entire World: There Shall Be No ‘Partition’ in Our Land – Our Homeland, It Is Entirely Ours from the Covenant of the pieces to Eternity!” – A Rare Poster Issued by the Movement for the Unity of Israel in the Land of Israel, the Day After November 29, 1947, the Day the UN General Assembly Decided to End the British Mandate and Establish Two Independent States in the Land of Israel – a Jewish State and an Arab State (Partition Plan). 17th of Kislev, November 30, 1947.

This poster was issued by the National Center of the Religious Movement “Ahdut Yisrael in the Land of Israel” immediately upon hearing the news of the UN’s decision to partition the Land of Israel on November 29, and it was distributed the following day, November 30. At the top of the poster, the announcer blesses, “Blessed is our G-d!” for “after 1,878 years of exile, slavery, and humiliation, a door has been opened for us to redemption, freedom, and independence in our homeland.” However, it immediately tempers this by stating that the joy of the masses over the UN’s decision is mixed with the sorrow of the partitioning of the homeland. The poster declares:
“There shall be no ‘partition’ in our land – our homeland. It is entirely ours from the Covenant Between the pieces to eternity!” and adds:
“If there is any right in the world for a people to its land and its integrity, it is our right to this land in its entirety and its historical borders…” The poster also criticizes the existing leadership and calls for it to be replaced by a united national leadership worthy of the name. The bottom of the poster includes the date and place: “Tel Aviv, 17th of Kislev 1947.”

Size: 50×35 cm. Slight tears along the fold lines. Good condition.

“With All Their Heart and Soul (A Warrior’s Discourse Beyond Time)” – Diary of Moshe Matri, a Haganah fighter – Handwritten notes on the actions of the Haganah fighters defending Haifa from Arab terrorism during the height of the battles in the War of Independence – April 1948.

A vivid description of the battles fought by Haganah fighters in the War of Independence on the Haifa front, in the handwriting of Moshe Matri, who participated in the battles. Moshe Matri, a member of the Haganah, provides a first-hand, detailed account of the Haganah’s fight against the Arab sniper unit positioned near Haifa on the eve of Passover as part of the “Breakthrough Unit” (“In our consciousness, a few things: here is that decisive moment our commanders promised would come, the moment when we will destroy the sniper positions and the fighters who indiscriminately killed women, elderly, and children…”). He also describes the Haganah’s collaboration on the battlefield with “Task Force B” and with the Carmel Hish forces, the Arab shell that wounded the Rear Command officer, the conquest of the “Hadrat Kodesh” synagogue area, the battle for the capture of “Beit Kuri” (“Those who did not know this house will not understand how we fought the snipers for many hours as they changed positions on the upper floor”), transporting the wounded during the battles (“According to the Haganah’s tradition, no wounded should be left behind in the field”), the clearing of the “Beit Hadassah” clinic of the last Arabs found there, the search for the body of a fighter killed by an Iraqi patrol under fire, the Haganah’s struggle against the “hellfire” brought upon them by the Iraqis, and a stirring description of the heroic rescue of a Haganah fighter trapped in barbed wire set by the British near the police station under Iraqi sniper fire, and more. Matri also reflects on his heavy feelings regarding “the battlefront that demanded such a heavy toll in human lives” and more.

Moshe Matri was a senior commander in the Haganah and one of the commanders in the defensive battles against the Arabs in the War of Independence in 1948. After the establishment of the state, he served as the head of the Civil Division in the IDF Planning Directorate and spent much of his life documenting the struggle for the independence of the Jewish people in their land. Among the books he authored is “Twenty Years of Shield and Sword in Haifa” – 1988, and others.

24 handwritten pages by Matri. Light stains. Good condition.

“Yediot Hadashot” (Neuste Nachrichten – Jedioth Chadashoth), “Special Edition for the Day of the Declaration of the State of Israel, ” Edited by Dr. I. Lilienfeld. Tel Aviv, Sunday, 7 Iyar 5708, May 16, 1948. Hebrew and German. A Nice Copy.

The headline of the edition declares: “Long Live the State of Israel! The White Paper Laws Have Been Abolished! Free Immigration Has Begun!” The issue includes the text of the “Declaration of Independence, ” a “Proclamation” from the Provisional State Council, a notice “To All Residents of the State of Israel” from the Provisional Government, a photograph of Ben-Gurion reading the Declaration of Independence at the festive session where the state was declared, the headline: “The United States Recognized the Jewish State, ” reports on the ongoing battles in Jerusalem and across the country – “Egypt and Transjordan Have Invaded the Land, ” and various articles. On the back of the issue, a parallel headline in German reads: “Die Medinat Jisrael Proklamiery!”

8 pages. Fold mark across the issue, restored. Restored tear at the top of the back page. Good condition.

Issue “HaMashkif” – Newspaper of the Revisionist Movement in Eretz Israel, dated Sunday, May 16, 1948 – entitled: “The State of Israel was established”. (The announcement took place on Friday, May 14, and the newspapers announced it two days later on Sunday)

On the title page are pictures of Herzl and Jabotinsky, the full version of the Declaration of Independence and “The Commander-in-Chief of the National Military Organization”, according to which “Etzel abandons the underground within the borders of the independent Hebrew state”. The upper part above reads: “The United States government has accepted the fact of existence of the State of Israel, our armies are repelling Egyptian invasions … battles for the liberation of Jerusalem … the first immigrants arrived in the State of Israel.”

“HaMashkif” – saw himself first and foremost as protecting the integrity of the homeland and this fact was expressed in the map of the Land of Israel, which appeared on the title page of the newspaper, and encircled both sides of the Jordan. Published in consecutive years: 1938-1949.

[4] pages. Complete sheet. 55X40.5 cm. Stains, folding marks. Good condition.

Issue No. 1 of “Iton Rishmi” (Official Gazette) Published by the State of Israel (Provisional Government). Printed by “HaPoel HaTzair” Press, Tel Aviv, 5 Iyar 5708 – May 14, 1948.

“Iton Rishmi” was the original name of “Reshumot” – the official newspaper of record for the State of Israel, where all laws and regulations of the State of Israel were first published. This is the first issue, printed on the day of the establishment of the state, containing the Declaration of Independence, which Ben-Gurion read before the People’s Council just hours earlier. Alongside the declaration, the first legal document of the State of Israel is printed – the “Proclamation of the Provisional State Council, ” which Ben-Gurion read immediately after the declaration, defining for the first time the powers of the Provisional State Council as the legislative authority; the abolition of the 1939 “White Paper” regulations; and the establishment of Mandatory law as the basis for Israel’s legal system.

See also the following item.

3, [1] pages. 33 cm. Light creases. Good condition.

Issue No. 1 of “Iton Rishmi” Published by the State of Israel (Provisional Government). Printed by “HaPoel HaTzair” Press, Tel Aviv, 5 Iyar 5708 – May 14, 1948. A Rare Stencil-Printed Edition, Likely Preceding the Wider Circulation Edition of “Iton Rishmi.”

“Iton Rishmi” was the original name of “Reshumot, ” the official newspaper of record for the State of Israel, where all laws and regulations of the state were first published. This is the first issue, printed on the day of the state’s establishment, containing the Declaration of Independence read by Ben-Gurion before the People’s Council just hours earlier. Alongside the declaration, the first legal document of the State of Israel is printed – the “Proclamation of the Provisional State Council, ” which Ben-Gurion read immediately after the declaration. This document defined for the first time the powers of the Provisional State Council as the legislative authority, abolished the 1939 White Paper regulations, and established Mandatory law as the basis for Israel’s legal system.

See also the previous item.

3 pages, stapled. 33 cm. Good condition.

Dvar HaMefaked HaElyon – “The Message of the Commander-in-Chief of the Irgun” – Menachem Begin’s “Declaration of Independence” Speech – Jerusalem, 6 Iyar 5708 – “The first day of our liberation from the yoke of British enslavement – Blessed is He who has sustained us and enabled us to reach this time. The State of Israel has been established, and it was established ‘only thus’: with blood, fire, a mighty hand, and an outstretched arm, with suffering and sacrifices, otherwise it could not have been established…”

This is the address of the Commander-in-Chief of the National Military Organization [Menachem Begin] to the people in Zion, broadcast on 6 Iyar 5708, May 15, 1948, on “Kol HaHerut, ” the Irgun’s radio station. Published by the National Military Organization in Eretz Israel – Jerusalem District, [1948]. This is a printed version of the speech delivered by Menachem Begin a day after the declaration of the State of Israel. In this speech, which serves as a form of “Declaration of Independence, ” Begin discussed the dissolution of the underground movement, the necessity for a strong and trained army – “Even after we win this campaign – and we will win it – supreme efforts will be needed to maintain our independence, to liberate our homeland…” He also spoke of the return to Zion and outlined the ideological foundations of the party he was about to establish – the Herut Movement.

8 pages, 23 cm. Stains. Good condition.

A magnificent artistic creation for the Bar Mitzvah of the boy Moshe, son of Aryeh Ilan, with a reference to the young State of Israel in the year 5709 (1949). Illustrations and inscriptions in black, silver, and gold ink on bristol board. Israel, 1949.

An artistic creation in the form of an open book with blessings, verses, and well-wishes for the Bar Mitzvah boy Moshe, son of Aryeh Ilan, who came of age in the second year of the State of Israel in Rehovot. On the title page: “For eternal memory, the great festival day of the Bar Mitzvah, the seventh day of Passover 1949, State of Israel, Rehovot” and “From slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, Jerusalem rebuilt forever, may it be [soon in our days, Amen].” In the “book’s” opening, there is an illustration of a Star of David and a “Mazel Tov” blessing, along with verses from the giving of the Torah. On the opposite page, there is a photograph of the Bar Mitzvah boy adorned with flowers and a Star of David, and the Bar Mitzvah blessing incorporates a mention of the young State of Israel: “To the Bar Mitzvah boy, R’ Moshe, son of Aryeh Ilan, from today, you are a faithful servant of Hashem to observe the Torah of Moshe, all His commandments and the commandment of tefillin. From today, the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is upon your arm, engraved on your heart. From today, you join all the sacred elements of the nation within the sanctuary of the State of Israel in Eretz Israel… May you see sons to your sons, and may the branches of the Ilan (tree) grow and flourish, and may we merit the coming of the righteous redeemer soon in our days, Amen, in the State of Israel.” At the bottom of the page is the name of the “faithful friend, Avraham Yitzchak Lipkowitz, the time of freedom, 1949, Rehovot, State of Israel.”

44×32 cm. Light stains. Good condition.

Yiftach – Battalion Journal of the Palmach Brigade – A special booklet marking the anniversary of the “Yiftach” Brigade of the Palmach, which was disbanded shortly before due to the establishment of the IDF and the dissolution of the Palmach. 1949.

At the beginning of the booklet, Y. Tabankin apologizes for the fact that the booklet was supposed to accompany the Yiftach Brigade on its celebration day – marking one year since its establishment, but before the year ended, an IDF order was issued to disband the Palmach units and integrate them into the IDF. In fact, this is the only booklet that extensively reviews the activities of the battalion. Following that, a letter from “Mula” appears, in which he writes: “I am forced to leave the brigade and move to another new role” and bids farewell to the unit in favor of his service in the IDF.

The booklet includes the history of the brigade from its founding day, its special activities during the War of Independence, particularly in the liberation of the Galilee and the heroic operation to liberate Safed, its part in “Operation Danny” for the liberation of Lod and Ramla, “Operation Yoav, ” and more. On one of the pages of the booklet, there is a “map of operations” – a colored map documenting the unit’s activity areas in Eretz Israel. Additionally, there is a table of the training cores of brigade veterans in various cities and kibbutzim, memorial pages in memory of the fallen soldiers, and more.

129 [1] pages. The title page is apparently missing. There is a continuous tear at the bottom part of the pages without affecting the text. Good-moderate condition.

“Mashiach” by Dr. T. Lewenstein – An article examining the return of the Jewish people to their land as part of the process of “Yemot HaMashiach.” Published by Judischer Volksschriftenverlag, Zurich, 1953.

A rare publication released upon the passing of Dr. Lewenstein in Zurich, who agreed to have some of his articles published in the last year of his life. In his article on the belief in the coming of the Messiah, he attacks Reform Judaism, which dismissed this belief with ridicule, and demonstrates through countless sources from the Prophets, the Sages (Chazal), and the early Jewish scholars (Rishonim) how the belief in the coming of the Messiah is one of the fundamental principles of Judaism. He then addresses the question of whether the establishment of the State of Israel is a stage in the “Yemot HaMashiach” and whether the ingathering of exiles in these years is the fulfillment of the vision of the Prophets. He concludes that even if we see “signs” of what the Prophets intended for the Messianic era, “the final end” has not yet arrived, and it is this for which we still yearn.

32 pages. Condition: Very good.