Israel's History - a Picture a Day - The U.S. Navy Saved the Jews of the Holy Land 100 Years Ago

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U.S. Navy receipt for emergency aid supplies destined for the Jews of Palestine from the Joint Distribution Committee 100 years ago, February 21, 1916. According to the JDC file, the supplies included matzot for Passover. (JDC Archives)

The U.S. Navy Saved the Jews of the Holy Land 100 Years Ago Posted: 10 Feb 2016  We have written previously how the United States Government rallied to save the Jews of the Holy Land from famine and expulsion by the Turkish army during World War I.  But we are now adding an important historic document from that episode showing the vital involvement of American Jewry and the United States Navy exactly 100 years ago. At the start of the war, Jewish men were forcibly conscripted into the Turkish Army, a devastating locust plague ravaged the land in 1915, Turkish troops were looting supplies in preparation for their attack on the Suez Canal, charitable funds from European Jewish communities for the Jews of Palestine were cut off, and plans were being drawn up by the Turks to expel the Jews from the land.  The United States Ambassador to Turkey, Henry Morgenthau, warned American Jewish leaders of the danger to the Jews of the Holy Land and appealed to them for funds.  The forced conscription and looting of  Jerusalem homes. (1914, Ottoman Imperial Archives) The American government had not yet entered the war and U.S. aid could still get through. But to ensure that the money and supplies would not be stolen by rapacious Turkish officials, the U.S. secretary of state approved the use of American warships for the deliveries. Thirteen U.S. ships were used for the deliveries and for providing passage to Jews expelled from the land by the Turks. More information and photographs on this historic episode will appear in the forthcoming book, American Interests in the Holy Land, Revealed in Early Photographs by Lenny Ben-David.

WWI - The Ottoman-German Attack on the Suez Canal -- 1915

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WWI - The Ottoman-German Attack on the Suez Canal -- 1915 Posted: 23 Mar 2015  The opening shot of World War I in the Middle East was fired along the Suez Canal when the German-led Ottoman army attacked British positions along the Suez Canal in January 1915.  The Canal was essential for keeping the ties open between Britain and its colonies, such as India.  In fact, Indian troops were stationed along the Canal when the attack began. Over the next three years, the war would rage across the Sinai Peninsula, north to Gaza and Be'er Sheva, through Jerusalem and the Dead Sea area, and to Amman and Damascus. The Ottoman Imperial Archives provides German illustrations and photograph of the Ottoman attack.  The photographs also show Turkish mobilization in Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva and the Sinai. German painting of Bedouin fighters against English troops at the Suez Canal (Ottoman Imperial Archives) Turkish Camel Corps in Be'er Sheva (Ottoman Imperial Archives, 1915) German commander of the Suez attack, Gen. Kress von Kressenstein (Library of Congress) Turkish troops leaving Jerusalem, passing through the Jaffa Gate (Ottoman Imperial Archives, 1914) Druze prince from Lebanon mobilized for the battle at the Suez Canal (Ottoman Imperial Archives) Illustration of Turkish guns firing at British planes over the Suez Canal (Ottoman Imperial Archives) German captions: From the battle of our Turkish allies on the Suez Canal,  Turkish encampment in the Egyptian desert. (Ottoman Imperial Archives) Turkish artillery on the march to the Suez Canal (Ottoman Imperial Archives) British and Indian troops in Suez Canal trenches (Q15566, Imperial War Museum - UK) Click on pictures to enlarge, click on caption to view the original pictures.

World War I and the Jews

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Announcing a new feature: WW100 -- World War I and the Jews of Palestine, Commemorating the Centenary since the Outbreak of the War to End all Wars Posted: 28 Jun 2014  We will present over the next year special features commemorating the centenary of World War I, showing the major battles that shook Palestine, the Jewish population of the Holy Land, and the Jewish soldiers who fought -- on both sides.  Below are sample pictures: Turks prepare to attack the Suez Canal Austrian Jewish soldiers at the Kotel Jewish students and teachers after the capture of Rishon LeZion by New Zealand soldiers

The Jews of Palestine after the British Pushed out the Turks and Germans in 1917-1918

The Jews of Palestine after the British Pushed out the Turks and Germans in 1917-1918

Posted: 27 Feb 2014 

Turkish troops in the Jezreel Valley preparing to move against the British at the Suez Canal in 1914 (Library of Congress)



Recruiting poster for Jewish soldiers, 1918 (Library of Congress)

World War I, the "war to end all wars," included major battles in the Middle East that raged from the Suez Canal to Damascus.  The orders of battle and the casualties on both sides compared in scope to the better-known war on the Western Front in Europe.  Israel Daily Picture has featured in the past manyphotographs taken on both sides of the Eastern Front by the American Colony Photographic Department.

We have also featured photos and essays on the Jewish soldiers from Britain, Australia, the United States and Canada in the Jewish Legion.

Understandably, the British Imperial War Museums contain thousands of photographs from battles around the world, and we have featured several of the pictures from the IWM, as well as from the Australian and New Zealand Army sites.

Israeli tour guides, Tamar HaYardeni and Yishai Solomon, recently pointed us to the numerous photographs of the Jewish inhabitants of Palestine who the British soldiers met and photographed.

Recruits for the 40th (Palestine) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in Jerusalem,  1,000 were recruited. Summer 1918. (Imperial War Museums)

Within months of capturing Jerusalem in December 1917, the British Army launched a recruitment drive in Palestine itself.  The IWM photos here show recruits from Jerusalem and Jaffa on their way to an army training camp in mid-1918.

It appears that many of the recruits were Jewish -- Orthodox men in Jerusalem and secular men in Jaffa.

Recruits in Jerusalem, 1918 (Imperial War Museums)

Assembling recruits for the 40th (Palestinian) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, at Jaffa, before their departure to  Helmieh for training. Summer 1918 (Imperial War Museums)