She’s considered Jerusalem’s first Jewish head nurse, a trailblazer who introduced professional nursing practices many of which are still in use today. But what prompted a young woman from Germany to leave everything behind for the dusty, underdeveloped hills of the Land of Israel? This is the story of a woman for whom nursing was a calling—a way of life. Her legacy still shapes nursing in Israel to this day.
Around the World in 15 Years: The First Israeli Woman to Travel the Globe
Schlomit Flaum left behind no family, no one to preserve her memory. Yet she did leave something extraordinary—a groundbreaking book, the first Hebrew-language travelogue written by a woman from the Land of Israel, during an era when women rarely ventured beyond their homes. Her memoir reveals a turbulent, fascinating life marked by profound loneliness, and recounts remarkable encounters with individuals who shaped the course of history.
Athaliah Reigns Over the Land: The Bloody Story of the First Jewish Queen
She was the first queen of Judah, yet few know her story. And those who do often view her with contempt. Was our first queen truly a murderer of infants, or was she a strong woman unjustly vilified by history?
Dan Hadani, a 100-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor, Still Remembers
Dunek Zloczewski lost everything he had in the Holocaust: his daily routine, his entire family, and his faith in humanity. Along the way, he survived Auschwitz, Mengele’s selections, harsh labor, and a death march. He built a new life for himself in Israel as Dan Hadani – a photographer and journalist with an important role in documenting the country’s history. For decades, he repressed his memories of the Holocaust and only began telling the story of that part of his life at the age of 92.
The Boy Whose Life Was Saved by Hannah Senesh
One of the heart-wrenching facts about Hannah Senesh, the paratrooper-poetess who died so tragically at the age of 23, is that she wasn’t able carry out her mission. She received military training and was sent to Yugoslavia in an effort to save Jews from the Nazis – but she was ultimately caught at the border, imprisoned, and executed. Was her death in vain? The story of one little boy and his mother reveals something of Hannah’s unique personality, as well as those she did manage to save, despite everything.
Remembering Clinton Bailey, Friend of Ben-Gurion and the Bedouin
The prolific researcher, who passed away on January 5, dedicated his life to building bridges between Jews and the Bedouin community
So What’s the Plan, Jerusalem?
Countless urban plans have been drawn up for Jerusalem over the years, but the Holy City, and history itself, always seemed to have plans of their own…
The Guardian Angel of Jerusalem’s Children: Dr. Helena Kagan
How many people can credit themselves with establishing and developing an entire medical field? In the early 20th century, pediatric medicine practically didn’t exist in the Land of Israel. Enter Helena Kagan. With her rare combination of professionalism, hard work, and dedication, she built up the field of children’s medicine in the Holy Land from scratch. This is the story Israel’s first pediatrician.
More Than a Thousand Words: Hannah Senesh’s Photographs
Hannah Senesh had a poetic view of the world, as reflected in her own words – her poems, diaries and other writings. But the young paratrooper also left behind another, less well-known viewpoint, as documented through the lens of her camera.
The Balilius Affair: What Was Jerusalem’s Main Synagogue?
In the late 1920s, a fierce debate erupted between the Ashkenazim and Sephardim in Jerusalem over which synagogue should be considered the main Jewish house of worship in the city. This controversy escalated to an international legal battle that lasted many years.
