65

65 YEARS AGO

October 13, 1952 The long-awaited English telephone directory, the first since the end of the Mandate, was put on sale. The 300-page volume would be welcomed not only by foreigners, from diplomatic missions to tourists, but probably also by a good many Israelis who had difficulty finding their way in the Hebrew edition, except that the system of transliteration might have caused only bewilderment and confusion. Few tourists would realize that they could only find Safad under “Cfat.” Not even the hallowed name of Bialik was spared and became “Byaliq.” “Lod Sde Tufa” for Lydda Airport was another puzzle, especially for tourists. The only English name that seemed to have been spared transliteration was Jerusalem, but Jaffa became “Yafo,” Tiberias “Tiberiya,” Beersheba was “Ber Seva” and Acre was “Ako.” There were other inconsistencies, such as “Daliyat El Karmel” and in the following line “Daliat El Ruha.” Some of the names like “Mgibla.” “Bntiv,” “Brur Hail,” or “Ntanya” had a certain affinity with the African “Ngami” or “Ndogo.

50 YEARS AGO

were buried in the Tomb of the Patriarchs at Hebron, or Rachel in Rachel’s Tomb near Bethlehem. Yadin told newsmen, “It’s only a tradition. I personally don’t believe it.” Dr. Warhaftig said in a press release that no scientists, Jewish or gentile, had ever questioned the authenticity of the two sites, and quoted ancient historians supporting the tradition.

About 100 Jews were arrested in Baghdad. For many of the Jews imprisoned during the High Holy Days season, it was a second confinement, after being arrested in June after the outbreak of the Six Day War. Iraqi Jews already had their bank accounts frozen; they were forbidden to leave the country and were denied the privilege of communicating with their families abroad.

The system of trickle irrigation using plastic pipes above ground had doubled crops in Arava settlements. Experts believed that the new system, which might revolutionize irrigation, could enable crops to be grown in the Arava, which could not be cultivated by conventional overhead sprinkler irrigation.

The Washington Post said in a report that Jerusalem censors guard Israel’s image. The report indicated that Israeli censors went beyond censorship of military and security details. They reported that “the censorship is supposed to deal only with matters which might affect the security of the state.”

-Daniel Kra