December 19, 1936 — Writer A.B. Yehoshua Is Born
A.B. Yehoshua attends the International Writers Festival at Mishkenot Sha’ananim in Jerusalem in May 2010. By Moshe Milner, Israeli Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Avraham B. Yehoshua, who becomes one of Israel’s most acclaimed writers, is born in Jerusalem, where his family goes back at least five generations. Influenced by such authors as Franz Kafka, William Faulkner and S.Y. Agnon, Yehoshua leads a new wave of Israeli writers with novels including “The Lover,” “Mr. Mani” and “The Late Divorce.” He wins the Bialik Prize, the Israel Prize and two National Jewish Book Awards.
December 20, 1936 — Toscanini Arrives in Palestine
Arturo Toscanini (left) is congratulated by violinist Bronislaw Huberman after the opening performance of the Palestine Philharmonic on Dec. 26, 1936. Courtesy of Felicja Music Center Library/Huberman Archive.
New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra conductor Arturo Toscanini, considered one of the virtuosos of the 20th century, arrives at the airport in Lod to conduct the opening performance of the Palestine Philharmonic six days later before a sold-out crowd of 3,000 people. Toscanini, a prominent critic of fascism and the Nazis, provides instant credibility for the orchestra and helps attract musicians.
December 21, 1968 — Musician and Writer Assaf Gavron Is Born
Assaf Gavron, shown in 2014, teaches creative writing to college students and leads a soccer team of Israeli writers. By Howard Romero, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Assaf Gavron, a writer and musician, is born in Arad to immigrants from England. After working as a newspaper food writer in the 1990s, he publishes his debut novel, “Ice,” in 1997. In addition to several other novels, his books include a short-story collection and a compilation of his newspaper columns. He is a singer-songwriter for the band The Foot and Mouth and is known for his Hebrew translations of books by Roth, Salinger and others.
December 22, 1948 — Britain Fears a Communist Israel
British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin in late 1948 expressed the fear that Israel would become a Communist state. U.S. Library of Congress.
A cable to the State Department from U.S. envoy Julius Holmes recounts the concerns about Israel expressed two days earlier by British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin. Because of immigrants from Communist-controlled countries and the socialist leanings of the provisional government’s leaders, Bevin worries that Israel will become a Communist state within five years and pose a threat to the Suez Canal.
December 23, 1907 — Stern Gang Founder Is Born
Avraham Stern, who used the underground name Yair, is seen in January 1942, the month before his death. National Photo Collection of Israel.
Avraham Stern, who becomes one of the most wanted members of the Jewish underground fighting British rule in Palestine, is born in Poland. He joins the Haganah in 1929, but he and a few others break away to form the more radical Irgun in 1931. After the Irgun suspends anti-British activities in 1940, he forms Lehi, also known as the Stern Gang, to keep up violent attacks. He is caught and killed in a raid in 1942.
December 24, 1969 — Missile Boats Are Smuggled out of France
French-built missile boats are tied up in Haifa a week after being smuggled out of Cherbourg. By Moshe Milner, Israeli Government Press Office, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Israel uses a fake shipping company as a front to purchase five military boats and sneaks them out of Cherbourg, France, defeating a French arms embargo enacted after the June 1967 war. Israel had ordered the naval craft from shipbuilder Felix Amiot before the Six-Day War, but French President Charles de Gaulle prevented their delivery when they were ready. The boats arrive in Haifa on Dec. 31.
December 25, 1925 — Tehiya Founder Geulah Cohen Is Born
Geulah Cohen speaks about an upcoming election during a press conference in Tel Aviv in 1988. By Vered Peer, National Library of Israel.
Politician and activist Geulah Cohen is born in Tel Aviv. In 1942 she signs up with the Irgun underground, then in 1943 jumps to the more radical Lehi. After independence, she works as a journalist until she is elected to the Knesset with Likud in 1973. She breaks from Likud in opposition to the peace treaty with Egypt in 1979 and forms the nationalist party Banai, which becomes Tehiya (“Revival”). She serves in the Knesset until 1992.
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.