CMBM ISRAEL CHARITY AUCTION
FEB 13-27 2025 // HEALING PTSD OF HOSTAGE FAMILIES & OUR IDF SOLDIERS
Bid today to help heal scars of October 7th and the enduring war
Please bid generously on these historic treasures connected to the builders and defenders of Israel, all sourced by our curators at Curio Auctions. Use your charitable giving to acquire heirlooms that will inspire your family’s relationship with the Jewish People for generations to come, while supporting CMBM Israel's nonprofit mission to rebuild lives post-October 7th.
THE ANGEL OF ISRAEL
SALVADOR DALI SIGNED BROOCH
1966, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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RESERVE: $360 (estimate $500-$600)
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Salvador Dali was born on May 11th 1904, in Figueras, Spain. He is considered the master of Surrealist art, influential for his explorations of subconscious imagery. His discovery of Sigmund Freud’s writings on the significance of the dreamworld heavily influenced him. He often depicted bizarre scenes in which commonplace objects are juxtaposed, deformed, or otherwise metamorphosed in irrational fashions.
Dali also spent much of his time designing theatre sets, interiors, and jewelry all while exhibiting his genius for flamboyant self-promotion in the United States, where he lived from 1940 to 1955. Dali painted many works with religious themes, but it was only late in his life that he became inspired by the story of Israel, Zionism, the Jewish People and visions of the Bible.
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This beautiful pin-backed metallic brooch in gold-tone was designed by Dali in honor of Israel's 18th Birthday. It depicts an angelic womanly figure holding a pear-shaped gemstone-set staff. The Hebrew lettering 'Israel' die-cut into her wings, with Dali's crowned signature and date engraved below.​
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2.5 x 2in; In Very Good Condition
LARGE HANNUKAH MENORAH
IDF CHIEF MILITARY RABBINATE
CIRCA 1967 SIX DAY WAR, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $900 (estimate $1000-$1100)
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The Military Rabbinate unit of the Israel Defense Forces was founded by the illustrious Rabbi Shlomo Goren in 1948 during the War of Independence. Rabbi Goren stayed as the IDF Chief Rabbi through the Six Day War until 1968. ​​​
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The Military Rabbinate works in cooperation with the IDF's Manpower Directorate. The Chief Military Rabbi, appointed by the Chief of Staff, is the highest religious authority in the IDF and advises the Chief of Staff on matters relating to religion. According to the law, a representative of the rabbinate must be present in each IDF unit. These representatives are in charge of all religious aspects according to the needs and traditions of the soldiers.​ The Military Rabbinate deals with the organization of all religious ceremonies, Torah and religious study groups, and ensures the proper functioning of synagogues and different places of prayer in the bases. Every soldier receives a Bible during his or her IDF swearing-in ceremony. The Military Rabbinate Orchestra performs at various national ceremonies.
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This very large Hannukah Menorah in aluminum is topped with a finial displaying the IDF's emblem, and the Hebrew "Chief Military Rabbinate" on the reverse. The ornate base displays the same text in raised Hebrew lettering.
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22 x 20in; In Good Condition
EXTRAORDINARY MOSSAD SPY
HAGANAH BOOK OF PSALMS
WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
1948, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $2200 (estimate $2500-$2800)
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French-German artist Charles Duvall was a darling of Cairo’s high society, a bohemian character who styled himself as 'Charduval'. He was a tall young man with a cigarette dangling permanently from his lips. He relocated from Paris to Cairo in 1950 after declaring his love for the land of the Nile. Local Egyptian art critics gushed about his work, which they felt was strongly influenced by Picasso, displaying a modern abstract style with Oriental themes. Charduval was honored with a November exhibition of his work at the national Cairo Museum of Modern Art, which even caught the attention of art lover and the King of Egypt, Farouk I. The Egyptian Minister of Culture was such a fan of his artistry that he bought two Charduval paintings for his personal collection.
It was an impressive debut for a young artist, made even more remarkable by Charduval’s real identity: the ‘artist’ was Mossad spymaster Shlomo Cohen-Abravanel, posing as a painter while running an Egyptian spy network for the Zionist State.
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Cohen-Abravanel operated networks of agents in Egypt and recruited new assets throughout the Arab world. He collected information about Nazi war criminals who had taken refuge in the Middle East, and he reported to his Mossad superiors on the initial attempts of German rocket scientists to sell their services to Arab armies.
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Shlomo Cohen-Abravanel was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1921, one of four sons. With the rise of the Nazi party his family moved to France and later Palestine in 1935 where he worked as a graphic artist and served in the Haganah. WWII’s end allowed Cohen-Abravanel to return to France in 1947 to study art, but the Haganah recruited him for Operation Aliyah B, based out of Marseilles. His first job for the the covert secret services was to use his artistic talents forging passports and travel visa documents used by Jewish refugees smuggled into Palestine in violation of anti-Jewish British Mandate immigration limitations.
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When Cohen-Abravanel returned to Israel after his stint as an undercover artist in Egypt in 1952, he established the Mossad unit to find and kill escaped Nazis. He was reportedly involved in the search and capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, a German SS officer and the focus of Operation Finale. Shlomo Cohen-Abravanel had obtained a crucial lead in the operation: the Eichmann family's address in Buenos Aires Argentina. Years later, Eichmann was hanged by Israel for his part in the Holocaust and extermination of Jews. In 1960, he was appointed the first commander of the "Amal" unit in the Mossad, a special unit established to combat manifestations of anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism around the world.
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He was said to be a major figure in the Middle East, Europe, and South America, ultimately serving as Mossad’s deputy chief. After taking a command role in Mossad, Cohen-Abravanel also designed the agency’s emblem. At its center is a seven-branch menorah and a seal that bore a legend: "For by subterfuge you will make war." This was later changed to: "Where there is no subterfuge - the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
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Shlomo Cohen-Abravanel died on July 4th 1981 at age 60. His cause of death wasn't publicly revealed. However, his name and talent lives on.
Cohen-Abravanel apparently spent his spare time in the 1948 War of Independence between his undercover work for the Haganah, illustrating this unique edition of Tehillim. It is a miniature pocket-sized book of Psalms, and was issued to IDF soldiers of the 4th Kiryati Brigade fighting in the Jerusalem hills. A stamp on the inside cover is from the Religious Services unit of the early IDF. Psalms are traditionally read in times of great turmoil, and to this day are given to IDF soldiers as a Kabbalistic protective 'segulah'.
This rare first-edition published by Sinai in Tel Aviv, during war-torn Israel, is a complete set of all 150 Psalms in Hebrew. Crediting Shlomo Cohen as illustrator, this treasure is full of illustrations highlighting his Zionist pioneering ethos of Jewish self-defense, redemption, and Aliyah; including themes related to the Holocaust and WWII. The binding is in black buckram with a gilt Tower of David on the cover.​​​​​​​
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2.5 x 1.6in, In Good Condition with wear to binding
IDF POSTER INSPIRING INNOVATION
'YOUR ABILITY TO EMPOWER YOURSELF'
1950S, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $850 (estimate $1000-$1200)
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​This strikingly designed mid-century poster in the retro-modern style of its time was published by the Ministry of Defense. The poster's message is a call to action for soldiers to take the initiative to submit ideas on how to innovate the early IDF. With the early state encouraging its soldiers to think big, is it any wonder that only half a century later, Israel would be globally recognized as the 'Startup Nation'.
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Considered one of Israel's most influential graphic designers from the early years of the State, Asher Calderon truly left his mark on Israeli culture. Born in Bulgaria in 1929, he made Aliyah and studied at the famed Bezalel Art School in Jerusalem. Calderon was a prolific and passionate creator, known for his affinity for Judaism and the Bible, which was reflected in many of his works, including stained glass windows, the Passover Haggadah, wall hangings and postage stamps. He may be most remembered for having designed the Ten Shekel banknote featuring Prime Minister Golda Meir. His works have been exhibited all over Israel and around the globe.
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27.5 x 19.5in; In Very Good Condition
HAND-MADE IDF AIR FORCE VICTORY ALBUM
SIX DAY WAR ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS
1967, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $1100 (estimate $1500-$1700)
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This hand-made manuscript album commemorating Israel's memorable victory in the Six Day War was almost certainly created by an internal IAF graphic team soon after the war as a special gift to a high-ranking Israeli or foreign VIP. Rare and possibly unique, despite extensive research, we have located no other copies of this spectacular item.
The album is hand-bound with a light-blue embossed plastic cover decorated with an embedded IAF badge. Inside are 31 thick paper leaves, on 25 of which is pasted a large, high-quality, real black-and-white photograph beautifully captioned by hand.
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The album's two title pages, one with the IAF emblem and the 2 Samuel 1:23 Biblical verse "swifter than eagles, mightier than lions", are followed by a hand-drawn map of Israel's borders before the start of the war. The album continues with 15 pages, each bearing a photograph showing the results of the IAF's stunning victory in the aerial campaign in the Sinai Peninsula, the images showing bombed Egyptian airfields, airplanes, armor, weapons and convoys.
​​​​​​The next section is hand-titled 'Cairo and the Pyramids from the IAF's viewpoint' with four pages of aerial photographs taken by victorious IAF aircraft flying undisturbed over the Giza plateau, Great Pyramid, Sphinx and Egyptian capital. The final titled section is 'The IAF's partners in victory' with three pages of photographs of IDF armored, artillery and navy units. The album's four-page epilogue opens with a second hand-drawn map, this time showing Israel's new borders after the war, including the West Bank, the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula, and closes with a triumphant aerial photograph of the Old City of Jerusalem, its caption reading 'Jerusalem of Gold.'
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This rare album is a truly outstanding contemporary souvenir of Israel's greatest military success, arguably the most decisive victory in military history.
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9.5 x 13.5in; Photos range from 4.5 x 7in to 6 x 8in; In Very Good Condition
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WAR OF INDEPENDENCE LARGE MAP
1948 'TEN DAYS OF BATTLES'
MID 20TH CENTURY, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $900 (estimate $1100-$1200)
In the beginning of June 1948, the invading Arab forces started to lose their advantage, and their hope for a swift victory against a newly formed Israel dissipated. At the same time, Israeli forces were suffering heavy casualties. Therefore, both sides were relieved by the decision of the United Nations Security Council to call for a 28-day truce implemented on June 10th 1948.
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​When the fighting resumed on July 8th, the situation had radically changed. Heavy equipment, which was purchased before the establishment of the State of Israel but that entered the country only after the end of the British Mandate, was finally utilized by the recently battle tested IDF. The organization and operation of the army units were restructured. Israel took the initiative in the north. "Operation Dekel" resulted in gaining control of the lower Galilee including Nazareth, but "Operation Brosh" was only partially successful in reducing the Syrian bridgehead near Mishmar Ha-Yarden. At the central front, "Operation Danny" led to the capture of Lod and Ramle (including the essential airport) that were in the hands of the Jordanians' Arab Legion.
The second stage of the operation was meant to secure Latrun and Ramala to form a wider corridor to Jerusalem, but failed to do so. The attempt to capture the Old City of Jerusalem failed as well. Heavy fighting on all fronts did lead to significant changes to the battle lines. The Egyptians in the south managed again to close the main road to the Negev.
A fierce battle was waged in proximity of Kibbutz Negba, near the Hebron-coast road. An alternate route was opened, used at night for Jewish transportation between the north and south, with the Egyptians using the east - west route to cross it during the day.
The advantage was now in the hands of Israel, and the Arabs, through the British delegate to the Security Council, requested an unlimited truce. The truce went into effect after these fateful 10 days of battle, on July 18.
This map of Israel showing the movement of Jewish forces during this crucial period of the War of Independence and was published in the early years of the State by the Israel Defense Forces Chief Education Officer for the IDF General Staff Information Branch.​
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27 x 19.5in; In Excellent Condition
PRIME MINISTER GOLDA MEIR
SIGNED PHOTO TAKEN BY BORIS CARMI
MID 20TH CENTURY, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $1600 (estimate $1900-$2200)
In the pantheon of illustrious national leaders there exists an even more elite subgroup, female heads of state, among whom stands one Jewish woman: Golda Meir, the Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 to 1974. Pioneer, visionary, risk-taker, indefatigable fund-raiser, eloquent advocate, she was an activist of the first order, one of the founders of the Jewish State, a woman whose life story is as central to the mythos of modern Zionism as that of Theodor Herzl.
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Born Golda Myerson in 1898 Kiev, her passion for Zionism drove her to make Aliyah from Milwaukee to join a kibbutz in 1921. She became secretary of Histradut’s Women Workers Council, and during World War II, she held several key posts in the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency. Her courage took many forms. In May 1948, with five Arab armies massed on Israel’s borders, Meir disguised herself as a Muslim woman and crossed into Trans-Jordan for a secret meeting with King Abdullah, to try to persuade him to stay out of the war. In 1949, she was elected to the Knesset and became Minister of Labor before becoming Foreign Minister in 1956. When Ben-Gurion first made her a minister in his cabinet, the religious bloc objected to the idea of a woman ruling over men, though they finally acquiesced on the grounds that Deborah, the Biblical judge, had been acceptable to God.
Golda died on December 8, 1978, at age eighty, a titan of modern Zionism, a history-making national leader, one of the most accomplished women of the twentieth century.
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Photographer Boris Carmi’s contribution to the documentation of the early years of the State was recognized with lifetime achievement awards from the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. His works reside in numerous institutional and private collections in Israel and abroad. This iconic photo of his is even more valued as it is hand-signed in blue ink (on her wrist) by Golda, and stamped by Carmi's studio on the reverse.
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​9.75 x 8in; In Excellent Condition​
MENACHEM BEGIN SIGNED
ETZEL RECRUITING SOLDIERS
1940S, ERETZ YISRAEL
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RESERVE: $900 (estimate $1100-$1200)
"The choice is ours: To become a nation – or not to be. Volunteer for the Nation's Army".
The Irgun HaTzvai HaLeumi b'Eretz Yisrael (National Military Organization in the Land of Israel), and abbreviated as Etzel, was a Zionist paramilitary organization that operated in Mandatory Palestine between 1931 and 1948. The symbol of the organization, with the motto 'Rak Kach' (Only Thus), underneath a hand holding a rifle in the foreground of a map showing all of British Mandatory Palestine, implied that Irgun was the only way to liberate the entire Jewish Homeland. Ze'ev Jabotinsky, founder of Revisionist Zionism, commanded the organization until he died in 1940. The head of the Irgun High Command during the revolt against the British, was Menachem Begin. Although a clandestine illegal force, the British analysis noted that the Irgun's military discipline was as strict as any army in the world.
The Irgun operated a sophisticated recruitment and military-training regime. Those wishing to join had to find and make contact with a member, meaning only those who personally knew a member or were persistent could find their way in. Once contact had been established, a meeting was set up with the three-member selection committee at a safe house, where the recruit was interviewed in a darkened room, with the committee either positioned behind a screen, or with a flashlight shone into the recruit's eyes. The interviewers asked basic biographical questions designed to weed out romantic adventurers and those who had not seriously contemplated the potential sacrifices. Those selected attended a four-month series of indoctrination seminars in small groups, where they were taught the Irgun's ideology and the code of conduct it expected of its members. Of the Irgun's members, almost all were active part-time. They were expected to maintain their civilian jobs, dividing their time between their normal lives and underground activities.
Menachem Begin - underground commander, parliamentarian, Nobel Prize laureate, and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel was born 1913 in Poland. At the age of 16, he joined Betar, the nationalist youth movement associated with the Revisionist Zionists. becoming its head in 1931. He organized groups of Betar members who went to Palestine as illegal immigrants. On the outbreak of World War II, he was arrested by the Russian authorities and in 1940-41 was confined in concentration camps in Siberia. After his release, he joined the Polish army and was transferred to the Middle East.
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After arriving in Israel, he assumed command of the Etzel. In this leadership role, he directed Etzel’s operations against the British, including the famous King David Hotel bombing. The British Government offered a reward of £10,000 for information leading to his arrest, but he evaded capture by living with a Haredi disguise in Tel Aviv.
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After the establishment of the State of Israel, he founded the Herut Movement. On June 20th 1977, Menachem Begin, became the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel. In his role as leader of Israel, he made peace with Egypt and was the first Israeli awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978. Begin died on March 9th 1992.​
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This rare Etzel flyer recruiting Jewish soldiers from the height of WWII-era Mandatory Palestine is made even more important being double-signed in English and Hebrew by Menachem Begin.
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​4.5 x 4.25in; In Good Condition​
WWI JEWISH LEGION SOLDIERS
FIRST JUDEAN BATTALION
1921, ERETZ YISRAEL
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RESERVE: $400 (estimate $600-$800)
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The First Judean Battalion, founded in 1920, included soldiers who were transferred from existing Jewish Legion regiments who since 1917 had fought and participated in the Jewish units of the British army in WWI.
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This rare official group photograph shows twelve Jewish Legion Volunteers from the 'Rishon LeYehuda' First Judean Battalion from the years 1918-1921. The names on this photograph include Ya'acov Patt (later a senior member of the Haganah underground and Israeli Defense Ministry) and Shimon Kushnir (early Zionist activist and author).
​Founded by Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Yosef Trumpeldor, the Jewish Legion was the first modern Jewish-only military unit and first wholly-Jewish fighting force since the times of Bar Kochba. This historic battalion was disbanded by the British authorities in May 1921, temporarily thwarting Jabotinsky's vision of establishing an official Jewish army. This led the Yishuv to establish a clandestine armed force - the Haganah, which ultimately became the foundation of the Israel Defense Forces in the 1948 War of Independence.
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4.5 x 6.25in; In Excellent Condition
VLADIMIR ZE'EV JABOTINSKY
'ROYAL QUALITY OF OUR JEWISH RACE'
HISTORIC HANDWRITTEN SIGNED LETTER
MARCH 10 1924, PARIS FRANCE​
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RESERVE: $5600 (estimate $6000-$7000)
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Vladimir Ze'ev Jabotinsky was born in Odessa 1880. He was a visionary Zionist leader, prolific journalist, masterful orator, and man of letters who founded the Revisionist Movement, playing an important role in establishing the State of Israel.
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Jabotinsky began his career in 1898 as a foreign correspondent. By 1903, he began to expound Zionist views for the creation of a Jewish national home. His Zionist views tended to be uncompromising and political. During WWI, he was convinced that the Ottomans would fall and in that vacuum the Jews could settle the Land of Israel by demonstrating service to the Allies. He thus convinced the British to allow Jewish military participation, leading to the creation of the Jewish Legion.
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In 1920 Jabotinsky led a Jewish self-defense movement against the Arabs in Palestine, his ‘Iron Wall’. The British sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor, after provoking intense outcries, he was released from Acco Prison. After 1921, Jabotinsky served as a member of the Zionist Executive and was one of the founders of Keren Hayesod. In 1937, the Irgun Tzvai Leumi (Etzel) became the military arm of his movement, with him as its commander.
This handwritten double-sided letter signed ‘V. Jabotinsky’ was penned in French, and is laden with his political machinations for establishing a Jewish home in Israel. At a crucial time for the Zionist cause post WWI, the Jewish People were in a state of emergency. In 1924, with hyperinflation raging in Weimar Germany, Jabotinsky moved his family to Paris renting a dark flat on Rue de la Tombe-Issoire. He continued as the editor-in-chief of the Razsviet 'Dawn' newspaper. Jabotinsky’s home office was in the living room, which his son Eri recalled as being “full of papers, maps, dictionaries, and other books strewn over the chairs, and the floor.” Our letter is addressed from this private residence to a Zionist compatriot, possibly ‘S. Seror’ as stamped on the reverse.
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Highlights from the content of this historic treasure include:
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- 'Royal quality of our (Jewish) race'
- 'Never utter the words ‘too late'
- 'Favorable for the success of a political offensive'
- 'The spirit of (Max) Nordau'
- Reference to the 1924 US Immigration act limiting Jews
- Failure of Palestine High Commissioner Herbert Samuel
- Islamic turmoil after the Ottoman Caliphate collapsed
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10 x 8in; In Excellent Condition, Click here for a deeper dive
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WINSTON CHURCHILL 'JOIN THE ARMY!'
WWII RECRUITING JEWISH SOLDIERS
1942, ERETZ YISRAEL
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RESERVE: $700 (estimate $800-$900)
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The Jewish Brigade Group was the only military unit to serve in World War II in all the Allied forces, as an independent Jewish military formation. It was comprised mainly of Jews from Eretz Yisrael and had its own emblem. The establishment of the Brigade was the final outcome of prolonged efforts by the Zionist Movement to achieve recognized participation and representation of the Jewish People in the war against Nazi Germany.
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In 1940, the Jews of Palestine were permitted to enlist in Jewish companies attached to the British military's East Kent Regiment. These companies were formed into three infantry battalions of a newly-established “Palestine Regiment.” The battalions were moved to Cyrenaica and Egypt, but as in Palestine, they continued to be engaged primarily in guard duties. Chaim Weizmann and Moshe Sharett, head of the Jewish Agency Political Department, lobbied the British government to allow the Jewish soldiers to participate in the fighting and the right to display the Jewish flag.
In a letter to Weizmann in 1944, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated that his government was prepared “to discuss concrete proposals” in the matter of the formation of a Jewish Fighting Force. Churchill was much more receptive to the idea than his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain disapproved of an all-Jewish Brigade, fearing that it would give more legitimacy to the Jewish yearning for national independence. British policy since the White Paper of 1939 no longer favored partition and, therefore, symbols of Jewish independence were not encouraged. As more and more information came to light over the tragedy in Europe, however, the British bowed to Zionist demands for a Jewish military unit.
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After a period of training in Egypt, the brigade was moved to Italy, where it joined the Eighth Army and continued its training until the end of February 1945. It then took up positions on the Alfonsini sector of the front, where it soon engaged in the fighting, initiating two attacks (March 19–20 1945). Moving to another sector of the front, on the Senio River, the brigade found itself facing a German parachute division. The three battalions crossed the Senio on April 9, establishing a bridgehead which they broadened the following day. The brigade’s casualties consisted of 30 killed and 70 wounded; 21 of its men were awarded military distinctions and 78 were mentioned in dispatches.
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Skills gained in the Jewish Brigade, and in the British army in general, were put to use during Israel’s War of Independence. More than its military value, however, the Jewish Brigade served as a symbol of hope for renewed Jewish life in Eretz Israel. Our rare paper label published by Shoham Press and designed by Yishuv artist Lev Dikstein, shows a determined Winston Churchill inviting young Jews in Eretz Yisrael to take up the fight against the Nazis, 'Join The Army!' & Enlist 'Hitguyes" in Hebrew, to achieve victory "V".
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3 x 1.5in; In Good Condition
SIX DAY WAR SINAI CAMPAIGN MAP
EGYPTIAN SUEZ CANAL ZONE
MID 20TH CENTURY, JERUSALEM ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $500 (estimate $600-$700)
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Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser had been the undisputed leader of the Arab world since 1956. The Israelis did not call Nasser's bluff when in 1967 he threw out Sinai's UN peacekeepers and sent in more troops. So he doubled the stakes. On 22 May 1967, Nasser banned Israeli shipping from the Straits of Tiran, the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, blockading of the port of Eilat. At an airbase in the Sinai desert Nasser announced: "If Israel wishes to threaten war, we tell her, you are welcome." He held a news conference with foreign journalists in Cairo on 28 May 1967, in which he linked the crisis in the Sinai and the Straits of Tiran with Israel's "aggression" towards the Palestinians. Nasser was gambling for high stakes. International attempts to defuse the crisis had failed.
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If they could fight on their own terms, Israel's generals were confident they would score an overwhelming victory. The day after Nasser closed the Straits, Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol ordered a full mobilization. In 48 hours, 250,000 men could be put into the field. In a couple of days, most Israeli men under the age of 50 were in some sort of military uniform. The government stockpiled coffins; rabbis consecrated parks as emergency cemeteries; tens of thousands of pints of blood were donated.
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By 7:40am on June 5 1967, IDF Commander in Chief Ezer Weizman could hardly stand the suspense in the Air Force command center. The Israeli war plan depended on a surprise attack, called Operation Focus, which would destroy the Arab air forces on the ground, starting with Egypt. They had trained for it for years and the first wave of attacks was about to go in. Unlike the Egyptians and the other Arab armies, the Israelis had done their homework. They had flown hundreds of reconnaissance missions over the years to build up an accurate picture of every airbase in Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Pilots had a target book, giving the details of their layouts, call signs and defenses. From radio intercepts they even built up voice-recognition files of the main Arab commanders.
It was a huge success. Field Marshal Amer and the Egyptian top brass were meeting at Bir Tamada, an airbase in Sinai. They were just starting the meeting when the first Israeli jets started their bomb runs. One of the generals was so surprised by the attack that the first thing that flashed through his mind was a coup or some other kind of Egyptian betrayal. Israeli ground forces had pushed into the Sinai desert, and were moving forward rapidly in three broad thrusts. The Egyptians fought bravely from fixed positions but unlike the Israelis had not been trained to improvise, or to be flexible or speedy.​​
​​In the five days that followed, Israel routed the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Israel captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai desert from Egypt; the Golan Heights from Syria; and the West Bank and East Jerusalem, from Jordan. For the first time in almost two millennia the Jewish holy places in Jerusalem were under the control of Jews. This is the miracle of the Six Day War.
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19.5 x 9.25in; In Good Condition with original folds
WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
PALMACH HAREL BRIGADE INSIGNIA+
HAGANAH SOLDIER RECRUITMENT CARD
1948, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $800 (estimate $950-$1050)
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The Palmach, acronym for 'Plugot Mahatz' (Strike Force), was the elite fighting force of the pre-State Hagana. The Harel Brigade was established on April 16th 1948 as an elite Palmach division. It was composed of three battalions, Sha'ar Hagai - known as the First Battalion; Ha-Portzim - known as the Second Battalion; and the Giv'ati 54th Battalion. Its name Harel, meaning Mountain of God, is taken from Mount Zion in Jerusalem. acronym for Its insignia is comprised of a sword and two wheat stalks.
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This infantry unit was headed by Yitzhak Rabin, its first commander. He was later replaced by Joseph Tabenkin. During the early phase of the 1948 War of Independence, the Palmach transformed into Israel's main tactical combat units. The Harel Brigade came to command all units in the corridor to Jerusalem and surrounding hills, guarding against attacks by the local Arab forces in order to allow passage of supply convoys.
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Upon its establishment, the brigade commenced with Operation Harel, between the 16th and 21st of April 1948. On April 22nd, the brigade was assigned to Operation Yevusi with the goal of taking control of the northern ridges overlooking Jerusalem, and then advancing to the city's southern neighborhoods. During this risky operation, the brigade sustained thirty-three lost in combat in the battle for Nebi Samuel and nineteen killed in the Katamon neighborhood. In Operation Maccabi during the first half of May 1948, the Harel Brigade opened the road to Jerusalem until Sha'ar Hagai. On May 17th to 19th, a Harel force took Mount Zion and finally entered the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem.
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This quite rare cloth insignia from the 1948 War of Independence hung proudly on the shoulder of Yitzchak Beliner, with his Palmach stamped recruitment card in his pocket.
4.75 x 2in; In Good Condition​​
* AUCTION HIGHLIGHT *​
EXODUS, FIRST ENGLISH PRINTING IN ISRAEL
AUTOGRAPHED BY THE LEADERS OF ISRAEL
PRIME MINISTER DAVID BEN-GURION, GOLDA MEIR,
PRESIDENT YITZHAK BEN-ZVI, ABBA EBAN & MORE
AUTHOR LEON URIS SIGNED INSERT
1959, JERUSALEM ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $75,000 (estimate $100,000-$120,000)
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An entire​ generation of Jews were shaped, and their Zionism born, thanks to Leon Uris's epic novel, Exodus.
This book, and popular film starring Paul Newman, even played a crucial role in changing American political attitudes towards Israel. For so many, Exodus taught that the founding of Israel was a continuation of the themes of World War II — the next stage of the fight for good against evil. First published in 1958, 10 years after David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the birth of the State of Israel, Exodus fictionalized many of the historic events surrounding the formation of the new nation — Holocaust narratives, independence battles, sensual encounters in Tiberias — and the total package ended up shaping not just generations of global perceptions of Israel, but their foreign policy too.
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After its publication, Exodus immediately rose to the top of The New York Times bestseller list, where it stayed for a year. The publisher claimed that the advance paperback order was the largest in history. Exodus became Israel's most prolific and impactful ambassador.
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Exodus begins by invoking the words of God as spoken to Moses, exhorting him to lead the Jewish People to Israel. But its action starts in 1947 Cyprus, where child survivors of the Holocaust are held behind barbed wire, prevented from entering Mandatory Palestine by the British. There, our hero, underground Israeli military leader Ari Ben Canaan, meets his heroine, Kitty Freeman. Together, they reach Mandatory Palestine by ship, called The Exodus, filled with Holocaust Survivors. They develop new agricultural methods and turn the desert green; rout the British; declare Israel a Jewish State; and fight the Arabs. They fall in love, but never as deeply with each other as they do with the Land of Israel.
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The genius of Exodus was Uris’ realization that the best way to market a new nation is not through a speech, editorial, radio broadcast, map, or a soaring anthem, but rather through a story. He wrote the Bible of modern Zionism.
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But this copy of Exodus isn't just a well kept hardback first printing of the English edition in Israel by Steimatzky. It is an exceedingly rare tome that holds something far more scarce. The inside leaves contain one of the most incredible collections of handwritten autographs by the founders and leaders of Israel at the time. Our curators are unaware of another single document in private hands that compares.
When Roland Michener, the then official representative of Queen Elizabeth II in Canada, was on a 1959 state visit to Israel, he bought himself a copy of the newly printed Exodus. And like so many of his peers in global leadership positions of power, became inspired. Traveling now with his treasured copy of Exodus in tow to government meetings, being hosted by various Israeli leaders, he politely requested them to all sign. He unwittingly created one of the most iconic treasures of modern Zionism.
Autographs include:
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- Prime/Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion
- President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
- First Lady Rachel Ben-Zvi
- Foreign Minister Golda Meir
- U.N. Ambassador Abba Eban
- Knesset Speaker Nahum Nir​
- Ambassador Zvi Loker
- Canadian Ambassador Margaret Meagher
- Various acquaintances & travel companions​
- Exodus author, Leon Uris (card insert)
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8.5 x 6in; 626 pages, original dust jacket. In Excellent Condition
BEN-GURION HONORING IDF SOLDIERS
YOM HAZIKARON & YOM HA'ATZMAUT
HISTORIC ARCHIVAL PHOTO & SIGNATURE
1957 & 1958, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $650 (estimate $750-$850)
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All Israelis understand the seemingly unbelievable and immediate passage between sorrow and celebration, as portrayed in the pairing of Yom HaZikaron (Israel's Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel's Independence Day). The idea behind this is that the day before celebrating our independence, we are reminded of the price and sacrifice made by so many in order to keep us free.
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If you've never been in Israel during those two days, nothing can possibly explain the experience and the kind of emotions that it evokes. After a full day of grief and remembrance, something that is very much relevant from a personal standpoint to literally every Israeli, we go rather abruptly to a truly joyous celebration of our freedom and achievements during Israel's Independence Day.
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion signed this Yom HaZikaron commemoration beautifully printed large format envelope by the Ministry of Defense in honor of the fallen IDF soldiers from the 1956 Sinai Campaign against Egypt.​ Yom HaZikaron is the Israeli day of national remembrance to commemorate all the soldiers and citizens who lost their lives during the struggle to defend the State of Israel. Yom HaZikaron, which follows the Jewish calendar cycle, begins with a siren at 8pm in the evening. As soon as the siren is heard, Israelis stop whatever they are doing, wherever they are, and stand firm to honor those they have lost. People driving on highways even stop their cars in the middle of the road to get out and stand in solemn remembrance. An entire office will stop working and a family having dinner together will stop eating in order to spend a minute in respectful silence.​​
This iconic original photograph is of Yom HaAtzmaut on April 25 1958, on Israel's 10th Birthday, with Prime Minister Ben-Gurion in Jerusalem addressing a jubilant crowd of IDF soldiers. These historic artifacts would make for an incredible framed pairing.
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Photo 6 x 8in, Signature 6.5 x 9.5in; Both In Excellent Condition
1948 WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
HAGANAH STEN GUN MANUAL
JULY 22 1948, ISRAEL​
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RESERVE: $550 (estimate $650-$750)
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The Haganah worked hard to create its own copy of a British Mk 2 Sten machine-carbine in its struggle to establish a Jewish State in the 1948 War of Independence. The Sten gun's simple design and construction made it an ideal weapon for clandestine underground manufacture.
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The Sten was a blowback-operated submachine gun firing from an open bolt with a fixed firing pin on the face of the bolt. This means the bolt remains to the rear when the weapon is cocked and on pulling the trigger the bolt moves forward from spring pressure, stripping the round from the magazine, chambering it and firing the weapon all in the same movement. Sten is an acronym, derived from the names of the weapon's British chief designers: Major Reginald V. Shepherd and Harold J. Turpin, and "En" for the Enfield factory. Around four million Stens in various versions were made in the 1940s.​
This 54-page small arms training manual, originally compiled by the Haganah in 1946, was reprinted in the heat of the ongoing war, merely months after Ben-Gurion declared the birth of Israel. The small publication instructs Jewish soldiers how to assemble, maintain and of course use this weapon that became indispensably crucial to Israel winning against the far larger enemy forces.
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6.5 x 4.75 in; In Good Condition
EXCEPTIONALLY RARE MOSSAD SPY MEDAL
ELITE KIDON ASSASSINATION UNIT
MID 20TH CENTURY, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $700 (estimate $1000-$1200)
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This exceedingly rare Mossad bronze medal was granted to members of the Israeli spy organization's elite and extremely secretive 'Kidon' assassination unit. The design shows the barrel of a pistol seen head-on in front of a flaming torch, the tip of a spear, and a Bible quote from Joshua 8:18, "Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand."
The medal's blank back implies that it is a 'conferment medal' of the type given as a token of honor to commemorate a specific covert operation in which the recipient participated. The back would be engraved with the recipient's name and a brief text.
​​​​​​Popularly known as the Mossad, the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations is the national intelligence agency of the State of Israel. The Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations and counter-terrorism. Its director answers directly and only to the Prime Minister.
The mysterious Kidon (Hebrew for bayonet or tip of the spear) unit is considered the most secretive of Mossad's various departments and sub-units, carving out a reputation as one of the world’s most formidable groups specializing in targeted assassinations. Over the years, Kidon has executed numerous missions that have significantly impacted Israel’s geopolitical landscape, perhaps the most famous of which was Operation Wrath of God in the 1970s, which targeted the terrorists responsible for the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Kidon is a very small unit consisting of no more than a few dozen agents. Thus this medal is extremely scarce and probably exists in no more than a small number of examples.
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2.4in Diameter; In Excellent Condition
PRIME MINISTER SHIMON PERES
HAND-SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
FEBRUARY 3 1977, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $360 (estimate $450-$550)
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Shimon Peres spent his life giving to Israel. Peres served as the ninth President of Israel, and the twice Prime Minister of Israel. As Israel's Minister of Defense he was responsible for the mission to rescue hostages in the 1976 famed "Operation Entebbe. At the time of his retirement in 2014, he was the world's oldest head of state and was considered the last link to Israel's founding generation. Peres engineered the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty, and won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize. In 1996, he founded the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation, which has the aim of promoting lasting peace and advancement in the Middle East.
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7.5 x 5.25 in; In Good Condition
GENERAL MOSHE DAYAN
'SINAI CAMPAIGN DIARY' SIGNED
NOVEMBER 11 1956, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $550 (estimate $650-$750)​
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On October 30, 1956, Israeli paratroopers penetrated deep into the Sinai Peninsula. In this book, General Moshe Dayan, who masterminded the invasion and commanded the Israeli troops in the field, gives his fascinating personal account of the campaign and examines the events leading up it.
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Moshe Dayan was one of the most memorable figures worldwide of new State of Israel, having both a striking figure with his characteristic eye-patch and serving as commander of the Jerusalem front in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, and Defense Minister during the Six Day War.
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Published by Am HaSefer in Tel Aviv, this beautifully designed hardcover 215 page book in Hebrew is also inscribed, dated and signed by Dayan himself.
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8.5 x 5.75in; In Good Condition​
JEWISH BRIGADE MEDAL & DOCUMENTS
WWII VOLUNTEER SOLDIER + DOG-TAGS
1940-1948, ERETZ YISRAEL
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RESERVE: $1500 (estimate $2000-$2500)
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An important and rare group of items related to the WWII military service of Josef Schreck, a Jew living in Eretz Yisrael who volunteered to fight as a member of the Jewish Brigade, the first and only Jewish formation to fight in World War II under a Jewish flag.
​In the early years of WWII the British wartime manpower requirements and the strategic need to defend the Middle East induced the British to permit the formation of 15 Palestinian Jewish battalions which were incorporated into the British army in September 1940. In July 1944 the British government consented to the establishment of a Jewish unit consisting of hand-picked Jewish and non-Jewish senior officers, including more than 5,000 Jewish volunteers from the Land of Israel. The Jewish Brigade fought against the Germans in Italy from March 1945 until the end of the war in May 1945, playing a vital role in efforts to help Jews escape Europe for Palestine. Jewish units also fought with the Allies in North Africa, Italy and Greece. Britain disbanded the Jewish Brigade in the summer of 1946, but using the military experience garnered during the war its members formed the backbone of the Eretz Yisrael paramilitary underground movements under the British Mandate and later of the nascent IDF.
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This rare and important group of items all belonged to Josef Schreck, a Polish Jew who in 1940 as a resident of Palestine volunteered for the Jewish Brigade. The group includes Schreck's British Army:
- Dog-tags impressed with his name and army ID number PAL/15501 (the PAL prefix indicating Jewish Brigade membership)
-Form titled 'Notice to be Given to a Person at the Time of His Offering to Join the Jewish Brigade', dated Nov. 1940.
- Soldier's Service Book from Nov. 1940
- Discharge Book: Locally Enlisted Troops from March 1946.
- General Service Medal with the Palestine 1945-48 bar, granted to British Army soldiers who served in Palestine in the latter years of the war, inscribed "PAL/15501 P[riva]te Josef Schreck Pal[estine] Reg[iment]", with its original delivery box addressed to Schreck from the British Army's Combined Record Office in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Also included are Schreck's Government of Palestine Identity Card with photograph, dated April 1946, a Civilian Employee's Certificate of Conduct and Ability from Feb. 1948, and an official form in Polish of Jan 1948, related to his search after the war for his missing parents Natan and Rivka (née Danziger) of Radom, Poland. According to Yad Vashem's Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names, Natan and Rivka Szrek, of Radom, Poland, were murdered in the Holocaust.
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Various sizes; In Very Good to Fair Condition as expected with age
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PRESIDENTS CHAIM WEIZMANN & HARRY TRUMAN
GIFTING A TORAH, HISTORIC ARCHIVAL PHOTO
MAY 25 1948, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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RESERVE: $250 (estimate $400-$500)
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This original historic photograph was housed for decades in the archives of the Associated Press in London. It captures a touching moment in Zionist history, when Chaim Weizmann, who just became Israel's first President, met then U.S. President Harry Truman at the White House while Israel's War of Independence was raging. Weizmann spent most of his adult life giving to the cause of Israel. Weizmann had met with Truman months earlier, hoping to sway America's favor in supporting the Zionist dream. President Truman was enormously impressed with Weizmann, and promised him that if the Jews proclaimed a state when the British left Palestine on May 14, he would recognize it immediately. A week after Israel was established, Weizmann gifted the American people a Torah scroll as a gesture of gratitude for that support. The Torah had originally been gifted by eminent New York Rabbi Louis Finkelstein to his son for his bar mitzvah, but was then entrusted to Weizmann for this holy diplomatic purpose. The Truman Torah, as it is now called, resides at the Truman Library in Missouri.
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8 x 6in; In Fine Condition​
THEODOR HERZL PORTRAIT
50TH MEMORIAL PRINTING
JULY 1954, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $180 ($220-$280)
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This striking iconic image of Dr. Binyamin Ze'ev Theodor Herzl in the prime of his youth, was printed by Maariv to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his untimely passing in 1904. As the cover of an eight page special edition, the printing overviews Herzl's life and the history of the Zionist movement.
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Herzl was an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist, lawyer, writer, playwright and political activist who was the father of modern political Zionism. Herzl formed the Zionist Organization and promoted Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel in an effort to form a Jewish state.
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After the 1897 First Zionist Congress in Basel, Herzl had written in his diary:
'At Basel I founded the Jewish state. If I were to say this today, I would be greeted by universal laughter. In five years, perhaps, and certainly in 50, everyone will see it.'
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While the Jewish state was the product of many complex historic forces, including two world wars and the labors of Herzl’s many followers, it was he who organized the political force of Jewry that was able to take advantage of the accidents of history. Through the strength of his personality, he aroused the enthusiasm of the Jewish masses and gained the respect of many statesmen of his time.
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16.5 x 11.5in; In Worn but Framably Cool Condition
PRIME MINISTER MENACHEM BEGIN
CAMP DAVID PEACE NEGOTIATIONS
PRESIDENTS CARTER & SADAT
SEPTEMBER 1978, U.S.A.
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RESERVE: $380 ($450-$550)
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The Camp David Accords, signed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1978, established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt in March 1979. The former enemies, Sadat and Begin, both received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts.
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Although Begin had been a fierce underground military leader, he is also quoted as saying, “War is avoidable; Peace is inevitable.” This historic photo from the height of the peace negotiations is signed in Hebrew by Begin.
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7 x 4.75in; In Excellent Condition​​
MAJOR GENERAL YOSSI BEN-HANAN
PERSONAL COLLECTION
SIX DAY WAR LIFE MAGAZINE
JUNE 23 1967, U.S.A.
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RESERVE: $1800 ($2000-$2200)
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This iconic special edition Life magazine is from Major General Yossi Ben-Hanan's personal collection, donated to our charity auction to support the holy mission at hand. Along with this piece of Israeli history comes a letter from the Ben-Hanan family verifying its provenance.
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The Six Day War garnered widespread coverage in global media, but it was this one photograph, titled ‘Israeli Soldier Cools Off in the Suez Canal’, that became a symbol of Israel's vitality and ultimate victory. The messy-haired young IDF soldier with a beaming smile and Kalashnikov assault rifle captured the public's admiration and heart strings. The star power of the photo is thanks to a then 22 year old Yossi Ben-Hanan, who as a lieutenant serving as the operations officer of the 7th Armored Brigade, simply wanted to wash off the heat of battle in the Suez Canal. Of course the waters were extra sweet as Israel had just captured it from the Egyptians. Yossi's muddy face exuded combat, but his broad smile told a story of joy in victory. Six years later, he was awarded the Medal of Courage for stopping the advance of Syrian troops on the Golan Heights in the Yom Kippur War.
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13.75 x 10.5in; In Very Good Condition​​
PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN
YOM YERUSHALAYIM HAND-SIGNED
MAY 31 1992, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $250 ($350-$450)
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One of the most iconic images of the 1967 Six Day War is of IDF Chief of General Staff Yitzhak Rabin, Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, and Central Command Chief Uzi Narkiss, entering Jerusalem's Old City, defiantly walking towards the Western Wall. Taken by photographer Ilan Bruner just four hours after the Temple Mount was conquered, this commemorative image is hand-signed by then Prime Minster Yitzhak Rabin for the 25th anniversary of the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem, today know as Yom Yerushalayim.
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7 x 4.25in; In Excellent Condition​​
ISRAEL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES
MAZALOT WALL CALENDAR
MID-20TH CENTURY, ISRAEL
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RESERVE: $1200 ($1450-$1650)
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Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is Israel's major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for military usage, primarily for the IDF. IAI is state-owned by the government of Israel.
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During the fifties and sixties, the IDF's Air Force relied on France for its combat aircraft. When after the Six Day War, France did not deliver the 50 Dassault Mirage 5Js Israel had ordered and paid for, Israel decided to develop its own combat aircraft. The first such attempt resulted in the Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir (Lion Cub), a multi-role fighter developed from the Mirage 5, of which a total of 212 were produced. To replace the Kfir, Israel developed the Lavi (Young Lion).
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This incredibly rare and beautiful large format wall calendar was created for the IAI. It features elements representing the Jewish zodiac 'mazalot', surrounded by swirling IAI-made missile and planes, and was designed by Israeli artists Eli Sarfati and Victor Lelouch.
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13 x 12in; Engraved Brass on Wood, In Good Condition
EARLY HAND-CRAFTED FLAG
STATE OF ISRAEL
MID-20TH CENTURY
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RESERVE: $360 (estimate $700-$800)
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We love seeing these retired old flags honored in style when framed prominently on the wall. Nothing compares to the pride one feels when knowing that the star and stripes of Israel’s blue and white flag had a long life fluttering in the breeze. More than a state, Israel is a people, a faith and a light unto the nations. In less than a century, Israel’s flag has become an iconic representation of the painful past, prodigious present and fantastic future of the Jewish People - at home and abroad.
This hand-crafted flag in linen, sewn during the earliest days of the creation of the state, pays homage to the sacrifices of Israel’s founding Zionists. These pioneers secured the miracle of modern statehood for generations to come. This flag reminds us all that the Jewish People, wherever they may be, are united by the idea and ideals for which Israel so staunchly stands.
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55 x 42in; In Good Condition with minor wear​
