B"H Yom Yom from Day by Day in Jewish History by Rabbi Abraham P. Bloch z"l

[9 Kislev] Jews of Paris expelled (again) by Charles VI, 1394. (Rabbi Bloch z"l points out that English, French, and Spanish Jewry were expelled roughly at 100 year intervals - 1290, 1394, 1492.)

[November 18] Jewish community of Ferrara, Italy miraculously escaped disaster when a violent earthquake struck, 1571. Jerusalem's new reservoir was opened, 1958, ending a long history of water problems that made Jerusalem more vulnerable to siege.

[10 Kislev] 27,000 Jews of the Riga ghetto taken for execution, 1941. MBCS, 1976 (YHS).

[November 19] Emma Lazarus died, 1887. The SHLA"H arrived in Jerusalem, 1621.

[11 Kislev] 7000 Minsk Jews executed 1942. Yeshiva University received its charter, first American university under Jewish auspices, 1945.

[November 20] Anwar Sadat spoke to the Knesset, 1977. Earliest known Yiddish letter from America, 1785 (Yiddish in the United States became "faishonable" in the 1880's). First anti-semitic attack over radio in the U.S. by Father Caughlin, 1938. Jewish population of Israel reached one million, 1949. All Jewish wine was dumpedby Arabs and heavy fines imposed on the Jewish community of Jerusalem, 1521. The Arabs blamed the Jewish use of wine for a severe water shortage. (interesting that 478 years later - just the other day - -Arabs are still blaming the Jews for water problems.)

[12 Kislev] Yahrzeit of the Maharshal (Yam Shel Shlomo), 1573.

[November 21] First chassidic town in the U.S. (New Square) elects its mayor, 1961. An English missionary petitioned the Czar of Russia to restore the Jewish independence in the land of Israel, 1818. Ashdod port open for buisness, 1965.

[13 Kislev] Yahrzeit of Ravina, 499, co-author of Talmud Bavli. His death marks the end of the Talmudic period. Mass murder of Jews of Mogilev, 1761.

[November 22] U.N. General Assembly approved the right of the Palestenians to a sovereign state at the expense of Israel, 1974. Strasbourg prohibits circumcision and the wearing of beards, 1793. It ordered the burning of all books in Hebrew.

[14 Kislev] Birth of Reuven (which we read about in this week's sedra), 2192 from creation. Czar of Russia provides for the establishment of Jewish schools and seminaries, 1844. Nazi's place Jews of Poland outside the law and beyond protection of the courts, 1941. First plane of Operation Magic Carpet bringing YemeniteJews to Israel, 1948.

[November 23] Herzliya founded, 1924. Anti-Jewish riots in Bucharest claimed many Jewish lives, 1593.

[15 Kislev] A pagan altar was set up in the Beit Hamikdash, 167 B.C.E. Pulver Purim established by the Chayei Adam, 1804.

[November 24] "Life Certificates" were distributed to some Jews of the Vilna Ghetto, 1941.

[16 Kislev] Hermann Ahlwardt elected to the German Reichstag, 1892, marking the beginning of political anti-semitism in Germany.

[November 25] The Patria, a steamer carrying illegal immigrants sank in Haifa port, 200 dead, 1940. American forces retake New York from the British, 1783. Jews who had fled the British were able to return. Austrian soldiers killed many Jews in Prague, 1744. Charles IV issued protection for the Jews of Strasbourg, 1357.Two years later 1,000 Jews were burned and the remainder forcibly baptized - well-poisoning rumors proved greater than royal protection. Abudarham's Siddur first published in Lisbon, 1489.