Singer Zohar Argov Kills Himself
“The King” of Mizrahi music, Zohar Argov, fatally hangs himself in jail after being accused of attempted rape.
Arabs Stage National Equality Strike
June 24, 1987 Arabs across Israel hold an Equality Day strike, organized by the National Committee of Local Arab Council Heads, to demand an end to all discrimination against Israel’s 700,000 Arabs, who at the…
Tennis Player Shahar Pe’er Is Born
Shahar Pe’er, the highest ranked professional tennis player in Israel’s history, is born in Jerusalem.
Israeli Supermodel Bar Refaeli Is Born in Hod Hasharon
Known internationally for her beauty and business savvy, Bar Refaeli has lead modeling campaigns for major brands such as Gap and Samsung, and has one of the most recognizable faces in the fashion industry.
Operation Moses Begins to Bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel
November 21, 1984 Israel launches Operation Moses, the first of several covert missions to bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel. The collaboration among the Mossad, the CIA and Sudanese State Security uses more than 30 aircraft…
11th Knesset Election Results in National Unity Government
When neither party receives a majority of the votes in the eleventh Israeli Knesset elections, the Labor and Likud parties form a coalition government.
Artist Marcel Janco Passes Away
Romanian born artist Marcel Janco, one of the founders of the Dada art movement who made Aliyah in 1941, passes away at the age of 89.
Doctors Begin 4-Month Strike
March 2, 1983 One of Israel’s largest and longest labor actions begins when the Israel Medical Association launches a strike to protest the government’s refusal to grant doctors a substantial pay raise after nearly 11…
Israelis Protest Sabra and Shatila Massacre
September 25, 1982 An estimated 400,000 protesters in Tel Aviv demonstrate anger at the massacre in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon and demand an investigation into Israel’s role and responsibility. Organized by…
First International Festival of Jewish Theater Convenes
The First International Conference and Festival of Jewish Theater opens in Tel Aviv. The festival coincides with the beginning of the first war in Lebanon and is almost canceled because many Israeli participants were called up for reserve duty.
Jewish Underground Bombs Palestinian Officials
June 2, 1980 HaMakhteret HaYehudit (the Jewish Underground), a terrorist group formed by members of the Orthodox Gush Emunim movement, launches its first round of car-bomb attacks on West Bank Palestinian officials. Bassam Shakaa, the…
Actress Hanna Rovina Dies
February 3, 1980 Acclaimed actress Hanna Rovina dies in Ra’anana at age 91. Her body lies in state the next day at the Habima Theatre, and she is eulogized by Shimon Finkel as “the high…
Opera Star Edis De Philippe Dies
July 5, 1979 Israel National Opera Company founder Edis De Philippe dies at age 67 after brain surgery. A New York native, De Philippe studied music, ballet and half a dozen languages before committing to…
Israel’s “Hallelujah” Wins Eurovision Song Contest
The 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, an annual competition between member countries of the European Broadcasting Union, is held in Jerusalem.
Singer Idan Raichel Is Born
September 12, 1977 Singer, composer and producer Idan Raichel is born in Kfar Saba, Israel. His music incorporates Israeli, Middle Eastern, Ethiopian and other international sounds. Lacking family musical roots, he takes up the accordion…
Maccabi Tel Aviv Wins Its First European Basketball Championship
Maccabi Tel Aviv defeats Mobilgirgi Varese 78-77 to win its first Euro-League basketball championship.
Tennis Star Jonathan Erlich Is Born in Argentina
Professional tennis player Jonathan Erlich, known as Yoni, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 5, 1977.
Miriam Ben-Porat Is Appointed Supreme Court Justice
Judges Miriam Ben-Porat and Shimon Asher are appointed to Israel’s Supreme Court by President Ephraim Katzir. Ben-Porat is the first woman to serve as a judge in Israel’s highest court.
World Chess Olympiad Opens in Haifa
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the president of the International Chess Federation, Max Euwe, open the 22nd men’s and seventh women’s Chess Olympiad in Haifa despite opposition from many FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) member nations and a boycott led by the favored Soviet Union.
Music Star Udi Davidi Is Born
April 25, 1975 Singer-songwriter-musician Ehud “Udi” Davidi is born. He grows up in Kedumim, a settlement established in the northern West Bank by the Gush Emunim movement, and is active in the Bnei Akiva youth…
Paralympic Gold Medalist Keren Leibovitch Is Born
Competitive swimmer Keren Leibovitch is born in Hod Ha’sharon, near Tel-Aviv. Considered Israel’s greatest Paralympian, Leibovitch wins four gold medals, two silver medals, and a bronze medal in Paralympic swimming competitions in 2000 and 2004.
Conductor Otto Klemperer Dies
July 6, 1973 Otto Klemperer, a legendary German Jewish conductor and composer, dies at 88 at home in Zurich. Born in 1885 in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland), Klemperer began playing music at age 4….
Poet Avraham Shlonsky Dies
Avraham Shlonsky, renowned Israeli poet, editor, and translator, passes away in Tel Aviv at the age of 73.
Israeli Olympic Team Is Massacred in Munich
During the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, eleven members of the Israeli Olympic team are killed after being taken hostage by Black September, a Palestinian terrorist organization affiliated with Yasser Arafat’s Fatah and the left-wing terrorist group The Red Army.
