The reservists are outraged
With the end of the War of Independence, in 1949, many IDF soldiers were released to their homes - only to be called up for reserve service shortly afterwards (called "reserves" at the time), as the IDF's needs at the time were very great.
In 1951, the public atmosphere began to change in relation to the reserve service.
If until then most of the conscripts had gone there with a sense of commitment and pride - a phenomenon of evasion has now developed for a variety of reasons.
In other cases, reservists showed up at the place and time they were called, but soon disappeared and returned home.
"I have already given mine over and over," a defector from the reserve service named Nachman Finkelstein told the Davar newspaper at the entrance to the Green House in Jaffa, which the IDF used as a military tribunal: During the war.
I am now being cared for by a woman and two children, and what have I received from the state?
One big gourd. "
The resentment also stemmed from the fact that the reserve servants received meager compensation from the state for the days of absence from work during the reserve service.
On November 26, 1951, the Minister of Labor, Golda Myerson (Meir), submitted a bill for first reading in the Knesset, in which compensation was offered to each reservist - regardless of his age, rank and marital status - of 650 pennies per day.
"From this amount, 130 pennies per day will be deducted for the economy fee during civil service in the reserves," the minister announced.
And yes, you read that right: in those days the state used to charge the reservists for the food they received during their days of service.
"Israel does not really interest American Jews"
The book "Jewish Cooking in America", which was a success in 1951,
At the end of November 1951, the newspaper "Maariv" published a comprehensive article, from which a disturbing picture emerged: the interest expressed by American Jewry in young Israel was much smaller than many in the country thought.
A little background: After the establishment of the state, many Israelis went to America, in an attempt to "conquer the world" through a patent, plan, idea or new product from their fevered minds.
Among these were quite a few who tried their luck in the field of publishing, which was perceived by them as particularly lucrative.
Most of the publishers were inexperienced and based their economic considerations on the fact that more than five million Jews lived in America at the time, "and even if the Gentiles did not buy from us - there will always be warm Jews and lovers of Israel as customers," as most explained.
Maariv reporter Joshua Justus, an interviewer, publishes such an inexperienced publisher, who preferred, due to his failure, to remain anonymous: "MK came to America after purchasing in Israel, with full money, a series of illustrations by Henrietta Szold (founder of Hadassah; d" S), and has now released a $ 8,000 commemorative album out of his own pocket.
"When I was interested in who he thought would buy the album, at a price of five dollars per copy, he replied that only Hadassah has 300,000 members, and even if only one in 50 buys a copy - you already have 6,000 copies. And that's just the beginning, because what are 6,000 Copies vs. the Potential of Five Million Jews Across America? '"
Justus examined the sales status of 100 books on various topics about Israel, which were published in those days in the United States, both by Israeli publishers only or in collaboration with Israelis and local publishers.
None of the books exceeded 5,000 copies in its sales, which illustrated the low level of interest of American Jews in reading materials from Israel.
At the end of his article, Justus reported that "the only book that was a great success was about Jewish cooking in America, and it sold more than 20,000 copies as soon as it left the printing press."
Tour of the "Ziratron" circus
Clowns in "Ziratron", 1951, Photo: Beno Rothenberg
A year and a half has passed since he established a cooperative of discharged and disabled soldiers of the "Ziratron", the first Hebrew circus.
During this time, the circus managed to please the audience and became a household name in the field of light entertainment in Israel.
During the 18 months since its inception, the Ziratron has presented six different art programs, featuring no less than 150 artists and acrobats from around the world, who came to Israel despite the Zizron's low salary and despite the biting austerity policies of the time.
Only three Jewish artists from abroad exhibited in the arena, which proved that merry-go-rounds and circus are not attractive to Jews, even though the three main stars of the arena were Israelis who played clown roles and were crowd favorites.
Every week, the management of the arena received requests from cities, moshavim, kibbutzim and army camps to come and perform with them, but the circus performances required a huge tent that contained a large arena and 2,500 seats.
This tent is permanently located at 105 Jabotinsky Street in Ramat Gan, near the police building.
The Tel Aviv Municipality, which saw with envy how the Ziratron donates 120,000 pounds a year to the Ramat Gan municipal coffers as an amusement tax, offered to establish a permanent residence for the Ziratron, and until it was built, it provided a temporary structure that could be disassembled and assembled.
Over the years, the arena throne weakened, until it disbanded in 1959.
A year later, in 1960, construction began on the cinema in Tel Aviv - which was intended to be the residence of the arena, but was eventually used as a cinema.
Revealed: British destroyers secure an Israeli ship
At the end of November 1951, a press release was published in the press for several months, stating that "last May a British ship brought wheat from Australia to the port of Tel Aviv, and since the Egyptian authorities refused to allow it to cross the Suez Canal, it was accompanied by four British destroyers." The high school, until arriving in Tel Aviv. "
Traffic regulation: "It is forbidden to cross a road diagonally"
Among the many laws and regulations enacted immediately after the establishment of the state was also a set of regulations that dealt with the duties of the pedestrian - within the framework of traffic laws.
Regulation 12 of the file states that "a pedestrian crossing from one sidewalk to another must be made in a straight line, even where there is no crossing. A violator of the regulation is liable to a penalty of up to six months imprisonment or a fine of £ 100."
A woman named Hannah Goldberg from Haifa, who went shopping at the grocery store and crossed the road diagonally, was run over by a passing car.
The speeding driver claimed in his defense that Goldberg, who was rushed to the hospital, acted in violation of the law, and when crossing the road diagonally confused her.
The judge acquitted the rapist and sentenced Goldberg to three months in prison - which will begin as soon as she recovers from her injury.
The famous pilot of the "Best Pilot" tender dies
The late Gilboa and the poster for the best pilots, 2016, Photo: Efrat Eshel
In 1960, Moshe Hadar, who was then the editor of the Air Force magazine, coined the slogan "the best pilots", which was intended to increase volunteering for the pilot course.
In early 1962, the Shamir Brothers Studio designed the poster "The Best of Pilots", and the pilot chosen to star in the poster was Saturn Gilboa (Grotes).
Gilboa survived a certain death a few weeks before the announcement was made, when another training plane hit his plane during a training flight.
The accident smashed the wing of Gilboa's plane, and only miraculously did he manage to blow himself up and fall safely.
This week he passed away in Hod Hasharon, at the age of 87.
The missing / events that were
Hanukkah operation of the GDNA
Beginning in 1949, the National Headquarters of the GDNA (Youth Battalions) organized an operation that lasted throughout the holiday, in which GDNAs carried torches from eight points throughout the country: Degania, Yehiam, Tirat Zvi, Eilat, Negba, Modi'in and two military bases. Of the Navy and of the Air Force.
About 2,000 GDNAs participated in the operation, who reached Mount Herzl at the end of the route and were received there by the Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff.
After a few years, the GDNA stopped the tradition of organizing the operation.
The grocery store / items since
Cast lead spinning top
Photo: Nostalgia Online Archive,
During the year the children would collect empty tubes of "ivory" toothpaste, provided by the Histadrut HMO, and before Hanukkah they would "make" spinning tops at school.
The empty tubes were heated until they became liquid, which was carefully poured into a small mold made by the craft teacher.
After the liquid had dried and the spinning top had solidified, it was extracted from the mold with light blows, and then the remaining material from the spinning top was sanded with fine sandpaper.
Praise for the infrastructure works in Israel
Teddy Brauner, GPO,
In November 1951, Prof. Peter Willheit, a world-renowned American expert in the field of infrastructure work, visited Israel.
The guest was invited by the Minister of Transportation, David Pinkas, to give his opinion on the breakthrough works that were being carried out in those days around the country.
For three weeks, Willheit examined the works, leaving his conclusions in a detailed report. "In Israel, complex and complex engineering works are now being carried out," he concluded.
In the photo: Workers going to work on the Be'er Sheva-Sodom road, 1951
Ads that were:
Do you have pictures or souvenirs from the first days of the country? Write to us: Yor@ShimurIsrael.Org
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you find an error in the article, we will be happy for you to share it with us and we will correct it