August 9, 1982 — Terrorists Attack Jewish Deli in Paris
Two Palestinian terrorists, believed to be part of the Abu Nidal organization, attack a Jewish deli in Paris, Chez Jo Goldenberg, with grenades and machine guns. Six people are killed, and 22 others are wounded. The attack is one of dozens carried out by the group in the 1980s and 1990s. An Abu Nidal attempt to assassinate Israel’s ambassador to London is one cause of the First Lebanon War, which is ongoing during the Paris attack.
August 10, 1979 — Bank of Israel Founder Dies
Economist David Horowitz, the founder of the Bank of Israel, dies at 80. He was born in Galicia in what was the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He immigrated to Palestine in 1920. He became a labor leader and was the first director-general of the Israeli Ministry of Finance. He lobbied for the creation of a central bank, and when it happened in 1954, he was named its first governor, a post he held until 1971.
August 11, 1929 — Jewish Agency Globalizes Representation
The 16th Zionist Congress ratifies the creation of a broadly representative Jewish Agency for Palestine on a vote of 231-4 with four abstentions. The Palestine Mandate in 1922 called for such an agency, and the World Zionist Organization filled that role. But WZO President Chaim Weizmann wanted an agency reflecting the views of all Jews, including non-Zionists. It took seven years to negotiate the arrangements.
August 12, 1991 — Nasser Friend Yeruham Cohen Dies
Yeruham Cohen, who befriended Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser, dies at 75. Born into a Yemeni family in Tel Aviv, Cohen was fluent in Arabic. He was an intelligence aide to Gen. Yigal Allon, and when Allon negotiated a truce with a surrounded Egyptian army in the Negev in 1948, Cohen became friendly with Nasser, an aide to the Egyptian commander. They supposedly kept in contact for years, even as Nasser rose to rule Egypt.
August 13, 1995 — Barak is Named Head of High Court
Aharon Barak, a Supreme Court justice since 1978, is appointed to serve as the court’s president, a position he holds until 2006. As Israel’s chief justice, he expands the court’s power, especially in reviewing government and military actions and in protecting civil liberties. A landmark decision in 1995 prioritizes Israel’s Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty and Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation in the absence of a constitution.
August 14, 1910 — Writer Nathan Alterman is Born
Nathan Alterman, a poet, journalist, translator, author and playwright, is born in Warsaw. He moves to Tel Aviv with his family in 1925. He publishes his first book of poetry, “Stars Outside,” in 1938. His second book, 1941’s “The Joy of the Poor,” features a ghost’s perspective and is considered his masterpiece. One of his poems, “The Silver Platter,” is a standard reading on Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day.
August 15, 2005 — Gaza Withdrawal Begins
Soldiers and police begin carrying out Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan for Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip, as approved by the Knesset in February. After the Aug. 14 deadline for settlers to leave, evacuation orders give residents 48 hours to depart. Sharon says, “The extent of pain that I feel at this act is equal only to the measure of resolved recognition that it was something that had to be done.”
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.