FROM OUR ARCHIVES

65 YEARS AGO

December 14, 1952

The Rehavia Synagogue with its seating capacity of some 250 proved much too small for the congregation at the Shabbat morning service on the first day of Hanukka as it was enhanced by the attendance of the new president, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. His seat was specially adorned with tapestry, and above the plate inscribed in the memory of Menahem Ussishkin, who used to pray there, a new shining brass plate announced that it was henceforth the seat of the president of the state. After the parasha had been read, the second scroll was opened and the president was called to the Hanukka portion. One could almost feel how the whole congregation held its breath, conscious of the striking coincidence that the passages recited were those which were traditionally called Parashat Hanesi’im, the “Chapter of the Presidents.” Ben-Zvi then read, fluently as usual, the magnificent passages from Zechariah, and emotion filled his voice when he came to the words “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” After the end of the service, the president and his family left to spontaneous calls of “Long live the president!”

50 YEARS AGO

December 14, 1967

Nazareth was making a big effort to keep its place under the Christmas tree against competition from Bethlehem, which, in 1967, was inside the country’s border for the first time. Nazareth mayor Mussa Kteily noted that Nazareth was “the town of Jesus,” and in Hebrew, Christianity was named after the town (Natzrut). He stressed that Nazareth was preparing a very merry Christmas and wanted “to see our Jewish brethren with us on the holiday so that our joy will be complete.” He formally invited all the country’s residents to come to the city for the holiday, and assured them that they would be very welcome guests. Labor minister Yigal Allon would attend the traditional midnight mass at the new Basilica of the Annunciation. The OC Northern Command agreed to lend searchlights to illuminate the surrounding hills. While the mayor expected that there would be fewer foreign tourists that year, in view of the competition from Bethlehem, he expected more guests, as travel restrictions from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip had been lifted for the occasion.

25 YEARS AGO

December 14, 1992

The haredi daily Hamodia reported that Jerusalem synagogues had been hit by a coat-theft plague. “Worshipers who went after prayers to take their coats were shocked to find that a wicked hand had made the coats disappear.” A spokeswoman for the Jerusalem police said the police had not heard of any such plague. “But we are not usually informed about such things by the haredim,” she said. One haredi source asked about the “plague” said it was a seasonal occurrence. “This is nothing new,” he said. “Every year about this time winter overcoats are stolen from synagogues.” A number of synagogue managers said they suspected the coats were being stolen by the homeless who often slept in the synagogues. Hamodia called upon the public to be careful where they left their coats.