"Need more money from the US"
On August 31, 1951, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion sent a telegram to the United Jewish Fund (UJA) in the United States, which was distributed among Jewish communities across America, with a view to raising $ 50 million by the end of the year.
"I would like to express our appreciation to American Jewry for the help it has given us so far," Ben-Gurion wrote in his telegram.
"This aid created a partnership of destiny between the Zionists of America and the State of Israel, and enabled the immigration of many homeless Jews from all over the world. The Israeli on a solid basis. "
On September 7, 1950, the "Billion Conference" convened in Israel, with the participation of many of the leaders of the Zionist leadership in the United States, who undertook to "raise $ 1 billion for the benefit of the aliyah enterprise." In practice, donations of only $ 300 million were received.
"It seems as if American Jewry already sees the State of Israel as a fait accompli, without reference to the reality in which it actually stands on thin and weak legs," Ben-Gurion responded bitterly to his cabinet ministers.
In addition to donations, Ben-Gurion also asked for assistance from experts at the end of August 1951: "Israel is only three years old, and as such it needs helpers, counselors, therapists and experts in industry, science, agriculture, education and more."
The Prime Minister's Office established the "Section for the Order of Experts from Abroad" in New York, and Maariv author in America, Joshua Yostman, who submitted a series of articles on the subject, wrote: "There is enthusiasm from American Jews, experts in various fields, And maybe more.
One is due to the burning Zionist vision within him, the other is looking for adventure and thrills, the third is an Israeli bride. "
However, Justman concluded sarcastically: "But it seems that the Israeli bureaucracy in the New York section and the bureaucratic apparatus in the country are making every effort - and even succeeding - in getting the wind out of the enthusiasts' sails."
Raw material shortage: Frumin plant threatens closure
Advertisement for the Frumin biscuit factory in Jerusalem, 1951,
The Frumin biscuit factory was established in Jerusalem in 1925, and over the years has gained a reputation and popularity, and its products are marketed throughout the country.
The founder and owner of the factory, Leib Frumin, was known to the people as a "difficult man", who often confronted the workers, the Histadrut and the various government ministries - and almost always had his hand on the top.
Therefore, when he announced in early September 1951 the shutdown of his factory, 150 workers, with the intention of "closing the factory permanently within 30 days" - the cabinet ministers were appalled, as the threat of closure was linked to temporary shortages in government warehouses of many raw materials. , A blow from which factories suffered in various fields, including printing, footwear, soap production and more.
The manufacturers, for their part, constantly expressed their anger at the situation and gritted their teeth - but never went so far as to threaten the actual closure of their factory, and more forever.
The Minister of Agriculture, Pinchas Lavon, who in his capacity was also in charge of inventories, turned to Frumin and asked him to "fuck with a little patience."
Frumin replied that "patience is plentiful, but it will expire on the 31st day of the defensive strike, and on the following day 'Frumin' will be closed once and for all and his workers will be sent home."
Shortages in stock have characterized Israeli industry since the establishment of the state: the coffers were depleted, and the blanket was short.
Every few months, another sector suffered from a shortage of raw materials until the "reparations agreement" was signed between Israel and West Germany, which transferred to the Israeli government, as of March 18, 1953, huge sums received under the Holocaust Compensation Agreement.
Thanks to Prof. Gideon Greif for the assistance
Eilat already has a post office and a grocery store
Dakota planes at the Eilat airfield, 1951, Photo: David Eldan, GPO
On the eighth anniversary of Eilat's (two and a half years) from the day of its release in "Operation Fact" (March 10, 1949), two Dakota aircraft of the Air Force took off from Sde Dov in Tel Aviv in early September 1951.
The planes contained military personnel, government officials and also some journalists, who came out to be closely impressed by the pace of development of the southernmost and most remote settlement point in young Israel.
Much has happened in Eilat since the ink flag was raised, but two and a half years later, less than 200 people still lived in Eilat, mostly men, most of whom worked in the Engineering Corps and built various infrastructure required for the new settlement: water, sanitation, housing, electricity and more.
At that time, a grocery store, a post office, a small ice cream factory, a bakery and a checkpoint were already operating in Eilat - which was located in a hut on the beach.
Most of the residents of Eilat in September 1951 lived in tents and several huts near the beach, as Naomi Volkansky, a resident of Eilat, told Anita Engel, a reporter for the newspaper "Al Hamishmar": ".
When asked how the two rolled from the north of the country to Eilat, Naomi answered: "We volunteer at Shahal (Pioneer Service for Israel, a project initiated by Ben-Gurion in 1950; DS), and we wanted to participate in the establishment of a new settlement in Israel." "They said I was crazy - exactly what they told me 27 years ago, when I left Russia and immigrated to Israel."
Thanks to historian Shmulik Tagar
New: Buses from France
Bus "Disaster", 1951, Photo: Egged Archive
On September 1, 1951, Michael Barr, the Supervisor of Road Transport, held a press conference on the arrival of the first two buses made by the French "Chason", which were purchased in a reciprocal transaction between Israel and France.
In the deal, the French purchased vehicles made by the Israeli car railway factory "Kaiser Fraser", which opened near the town of Nesher at the beginning of the year, in exchange for an Israeli purchase of 300 buses made by the Shason factory.
At the end of the press conference, the first two buses that arrived in Israel stood in the doorway, taking the participants on a short introductory trip.
The next day the journalists wrote that "disaster is a new line for public transport", but the truth was revealed within a few months of operation, when it became clear that the disaster is a bottomless pit of mishaps, and the widespread talk among drivers was: "disaster is disaster".
Success in growing tobacco
In early September 1951, the Ministry of Agriculture reported success in the first year of growing Virginia tobacco in Israel: 550 dunams planted the previous year, most near Ramla, yielded a crop of 100 tons of tobacco, saving the country $ 170,000 in foreign currency.
"Next year," it was reported, "we intend to increase the area of selected tobacco to 2,000 dunams."
In 1951, cigarette production in the country reached 180 million units, and it is estimated that "within three to four years most of the cigarettes made in the country will be the finest Virginia tobacco."
The policeman was attacked in the sewer
A policeman who was summoned in early September 1951 to the yard of Sofia Naamani's home in the Florentine neighborhood of Tel Aviv, due to complaints about a riot, found himself in the middle of a hand-to-hand brawl between Naamani and her neighbor.
While trying to interrogate the quarrels as to the cause of the quarrel, Naamani went to her house, came back furious and agitated with a bucket of sewage in her hand - and poured its contents over the stunned policeman's head.
When the two arrived for a court hearing, the judge dismissed them over the brawl, but sentenced Naamani to three days in prison and a fine of ten pounds, for "assaulting a police officer while on duty."
The Disappearing / Back to School
Health Association
Photo: From the collections of the Nostalgia Online website,
In most schools of those times there was an association whose purpose was to employ students who would take care of the cleanliness and hygiene of their classmates.
The role of the association members was to assist the nurse in checking the cleanliness of the nails and hair, making sure that the shoes were brushed properly and more.
These students were proud to belong to the association, fulfilled their role in faith, and willingly wore the symbol that testified to their exalted role - the Star of David symbol with the letters "AB" inside.
The grocery store / study items that used to be
a pencil extender
Photo: Nitza Wolfenson, Haifa,
The lives of children in the age of the iPad are very comfortable, and it is doubtful that they were ever required to hold a writing pencil in their hands.
But in those days the thin graphite rod in the wooden pencil would break while writing, and each child had to sharpen it again and again, with each sharpening slightly shortening the overall length of the pencil.
When the pencil was cut very sharply due to sharpening and became only a "pencil tail", it was not thrown in the trash, but was inserted in its back into a "pencil extender" - an action that allowed it to be squeezed out for a few more hours of writing.
A leather satchel that "passes from generation to generation"
Photo: From the collections of the Nostalgia Online website,
Unlike the fluffy backpacks now offered to students, with adjustable straps, an orthopedic structure and a host of patents - the school bag of those times was uniform for boys and girls.
It was made of leather that smelled even years after it was bought, with two or three partitions on the inside and metal "corners" that kept the sash frame from wearing out.
This was an important advantage, as the satchel (like the one in the photo) was required to be used by all generations of children in the family.
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