Moe Weinschel, President Edward Janis, Vice-President Julius Turoff, Secretary Florence Schuman, Treasurer pro tem. The Board of Directors Edward Janis William Rosenblum Nathan Sobel Mel Wacks Sylvia H. Magnus Donna Sims J.J. Van Grover Moe Weinschel Lawrence Gentile Sr., Young Numismatist Coordinator The American Israel Numismatic Association is a cultural and educational organization dedicated to the study and collection of Israel's coinage, past and present, and all aspects of Judaic numismatics. It is a democratically organized, membership oriented group, chartered as a non-profit association under the laws of The State of New York. The primary purpose is the development of programs, publications, meetings and other activities which will bring news, history, social and related background to the study and collection of Judaic numismatics, and the advancement of the hobby. The Association sponsors major culturaljsocialjnumismatic events such as national and regional conventions, study tours to Israel, publication of books, and other activities which will be of benefit to the members. Local chapters exist in many areas. Write for further information. The Association publishes the SHEKEL six times a year. It is a journal and news magazine prepared for the enlightenment and education of the -membership and neither solicits nor accepts advertising. All articles published are the views and opinions of the authors and may or may not reflect the views and opinions of A.I.N.A. Membership fees: Annual $15.-, Life $200.-, Foreign $22.- junior $5.-. Club membership $15- Send all remittances, correspondence undelivered magazines, change of address and zip code with old address label to: A.I.N.A., 12555 Biscayne Blvd. #733 North Miami, Fla. 33181 Volume XXV No.6 (Cons. #132) November-December 1992 Editor EDWARD SCHUMAN 13245 Coronado Drive No. Miami, Fla. 33181 Tcdle o6 Conteflt,j President's Message By Moe Wei nschel. .... , ...................................... 2 Hanukka Commemorative Coin 1992-5753 .................. 3 Salute to the Heroic Dead By Menachem Begin .......................................... 4 How Profitable the Nation of Jews Are By Menasseh Ben Israel. .................................... 8 Eugen Landau By Sidney L. Olson ........................................... 12 El iyahu Krause By Yaron Reinhold ............................................. 14 Sizes of Banknotes By Shmul Aviezer ............................................. 16 Westerbork Concentration Camp Currency Designer Tells His Story By Werner U:iwenhardt.. .................................... 20 Vladimir jabotinsky- The jewish Winston Churchill By Co. john Henry Patterson ............................ 22 The Aleph Beth Page By Edward janis. .............................................. 28 A City Named Kaunas By Vincent Alones ........................................... 29 Full Hasmonean Chronology Sti II a Mystery By David Hendin .............................................. 32 Harriet Cohen and Her Music Prize By Peter S. Horvitz ......................................... 34 The Columbus - jewish Connection By Mel Macks. ................................................. 36 Go Tell It On The Mountain By Jerome Shestack ........................................... 38 Lazarus Silverman - Chicago Banker By Edward Schuman ......................................... 43 Club Bulletin By Donna j. Sims ............................................ .45 AINA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION .......................... .47 Photography by HENRY KRAMARZ @ 1992 by the American Israel Numismatic Association All Rights Reserved Printed by Little River Press, Miami, Florida Tne P/te6ident'6 Me66age /,..y Moe Wein6che/ A brief report on the September convention: We did not have as many tables filled as in previous years, but had almost as many dealers, since many are sharing table space due to economics. The attendance was good and dealers did business. The auctions were active and successful. Our Young Numismatists had the greatest attendance ever, thanks to terrific publicity in the N.Y. Times by Jed Stevenson. The kids were involved with exhibits and lessons in numismatics. After lunch, paid for from the Young Numismatists Fund, they participated in the Educational Forum and heard a wonderful talk by Julie Turoff on the Hudson-Fulton celebration in 1909 and of numismatics associated with this historic event. A.I.N.A. is a non-profit 501-C corporation and as such can receive donations that are tax exempt to the donor. The Young Numismatists Fund was established with a donation from Mel Wacks in memory of his parents. A YN exhibit award has been established by Harriet Marten in memory of her husband, Herbert Marten, a long time member of A.I.N.A. and the I.N.S. of L.I. You can become a benefactor also. Enjoy the knowledge of contributing to the education of the next generations as well as benefiting Israel Numismatics. Please remember A.I.N.A. when consulting your financial advisor or planning donations or bequests. On a note of current events: It is with great regret that we must accept the resignation of Sylvia Haffner Magnus as Treasurer of A.I.N.A., due to ill health. She will continue her interest in Israel Numismatics and in A.I.N.A. Florence Schuman will serve as Treasurer pro tern. Please note a new address on the bottom of the inside front cover. Use this for correspondence regarding membership and the SHEKEL. For all other correspondence, please use the New York address or telephone number. 1993 is an election year for A.I.N.A. There are three directors whose terms expire. In the next issue, a call for nominations will appear. Please think about running or nominating someone who will have our Association's interests at heart. We need people who can A lead, perform and be assets to A.I.N.A. Response to the Israel Tour has been most positive with many inquires received If Israel is in your travel plans why not consider the A.I.N.A. tour. Happy Chanukka to all. Shalom ~ 2 Hanakka Coin 1992-(5753) Co~~ The Sabbath Holy Day begins at dust on Friday evening when the mistress of the household kindles the Sabbath lights. It was probably usual, even in ancient times, to adorn the receptables used to hold the lights. When the rabbis laid down the spec­ ifications as to which substances may or may not be used for the wick and oil, the form o{;. Jamps used were no doubt of clay. Candlest.itks as we .know them today, came to the f'ore during the 17th century. The IGCMC, commencing with the past year, has issued their annual Hanukka coins depicting items of Judaica ceremonial art replacing the traditional Hanukka lamp designs. This year's coin features "Shabbat Candlesticks". The three branched candelabra which graces the coin's obverse is copied from a lamp in the Israel Museum collection. The modern candelabra on the reverse side resembles a multi-purpose cube and is the work of artist Zelig Segal. The coin is issued in 2 NIS Silver Proof and l NIS Silver B. U. Both coins, as well as the Kiddish Cup Hanukka coins issued last year are available from A.I.N.A. 3 Sa..1'1..1te to the Heroic Dead. by Mer:ta..ch.em Begir:t Twelve captured Freedom Fighters for Israel were tried by British Military Courts and condemmed to death. Avshalom Habib, Meir · Nakar and Yaakov Weiss were the last three lrgun fighters, hanged on the gallows. The first anniversary of these martyrs deaths (August 1948) occurred just a few months after the Declaration of the State of Israel. Menachem Begin, commander of the lrgun Zvai Leumi during the rebellion against the British occupying forces, emerged from years of underground activity into the open. Together with hundreds of Irgun soldiers, he took part in a pilgrimage to the graves of the martyrs m Safed and delivered the following address. Monachom Bolgin, disguised •• Robbl Suuover durlneJ under9round perlod. "We have come to you from all corners of the land and stand before you with trepidation, resignation and holiness. We are here to inform you that the wicked arm which plucked you from among us is broken and that the British oppressive rule has been removed from our homeland. The hangmen who led you to the gallows have been driven out. The land has been rid of the British army of occupation. The basis has been laid for Jewish independence in the land. The State of Israel has risen and tens of thousands of Jewish soldiers stand ready to beat back the enemy, destroy the foe and realize the national hope of independence for the entire homeland. Valiant soldiers - gather today from Jerusalem, the Eternal City, from Negba, from the north, from tumultuous Tel Aviv, from Nathanya, from Haifa, the city of the future, and from aJI sections of the homeland; valiant soldiers - your brothers in arms and battle, stormers of the Acre prison, and liberated Acre prisoners whom you freed and protected with your bodies and for whom you gave souls in purity - all of us have come here today to bring you tidings of your victory. Your work has been rewarded! Your sacrifice has not been in vain! Your blood has not been spilled for naught! You have not laid down your young lives needlessly. You have been victorious, for the cruel enemy who snapped your necks on the gallows and who wished to break our people was himself stopped by you and your fighting brethren. Your brethren from all ends of the land report to you that your dream has been realized! A Jewish army and a Jewish government is now ours! There is hope in our generation for the liberation of the entire homeland. No longer do we stand alone in the front of battle, nor is it only our fighting sons who have taken up the struggle; the 4 entire people carries high the flag of freedom - the same flag which you raised in the open and also in the Underground, in the death cell and also on the gallows. It is the same flag which you refused to relinquish until the last gasp of your holy, pure breath. You are not alone, our holy and pure brethren who shine as the brightness of the firmament, you are not alone in these mountains of Galilee. You decreed the fate of the oppressor's rule by storming the Bastile. At your side lie the four who went to the gallows with a song of faith and freedom, and not far from here lies your brother - the first of our national martyrs, the first who sang and fulfilled the command Lamut o fichbosh et Ha-har (to "die or take the mountain"). Not far from here rest the fallen stormers of Acre and those who died before they could be liberated; and nearby fie the heroes of Galilee who fel/ in the recent war and those of olden times. None of them gave up until the fast drop of blood. And you converse amongst yourselves during the night, you who died heroes' deaths in our time and the ten martyrs of old - you who have fallen in Galilee in our time and you who died of old. There is conversation among you, the greatest conversation of its kind ever heard in the world. A golden chain finks you all. At night your souls commune with one another concerning Galilee and the entire land, concerning our eternal people which has been beset by so many enemies and has been able to withstand them because it never forsook its faith. It is not the voice of lamentation and bitter weeping which is heard when you speak to each other, but joy breaks forth from the heavens above and gladness and delight are heard in the world. By virtue of this faith there arose heroes whose like has not been seen among our people since the days of Rabbi Akiba and Bar Kochba. By virtue of this faith we renewed the ancient days of our land. From the depths of Jewish sorrow and anguish there arose those who stormed the enemy's fortresses and beat him back, those who went to the gaflows singing a song to the very end. It is therefore no longer the voice of lamentation and bitter weeping which is heard but rather that of joy, gladness and delight, both from your own holy and pure souls and those of our fathers. For we neither shamed our fathers nor forsook their way when we embarked on our march towards freedom. And if many fel/ by the way, others have taken their places and carry high the flag of the war of liberation, so that we are able to report to you that the vision for which you have fallen and sanctified the name of God has been fully realized. For the land on both sides of the Jordan is ours. It was and will be ours and our people will dwell in it forever. Ye mountains of Galilee that have received the bodies of the heroic dead of Israel for seventy generations, let there be dew and rain upon you! We have liberated you forever. Because of this sacred blood, the crown of Hermon will be ours. 5 l J'vienachem Begin State J'viedal Avraham ••Yair•• Stern State J'viedal 6 Members and soldiers of Irgun Zvai Leumi: Attention! At the graves of our national martyrs let us all take the oath to Jerusalem which as yet has not been fully liberated and to whose liberation they dedicated their lives and their death "If I forget thee, 0 Jerusalem, Jet my right hand forget its cunning. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my' chiefest joy"" ,-,:--;----~---·l .. t I ! 2 8 15 l i ----~------------------ ------ " J The IGCMC has issued two significant I. Zeev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky, who inspired medals. Menachem Begin, lrgun the Jewish revolt. 2. David Raziel, who ·Commander and a Prime Minister of launched the war for Israel's liberation. Israel, is commemorated with a State 3. Menachem Beigin, under whose leader· Medal. The second medal memorializes ship the lrgun freed Palestine from the British yoke. 4. Shlomo Ben Yosef, the Avraham "Yair" Stern, founder of the first Jewish patriot to be hanged by the Freedom Fighters of Israel, and the British. 5. Dov Gruner. b. Eliezer Kashani. 50th anniversary of his murderous 7. Eliahu Hakim. 8. Eliahu Bet Tzuri. 9. execution by the British in 1942 (see Yachiel Dresner (Dov Rosenbaum}. 10. article the SHEKEL Vol. XXV No. 5). Mordecai Alkashi. II. Moshe Barazani and These as well as all issues of the Meir Feinstein ( 12) who took their own lives to escape the British gallows. 13. Meir IGCMC are available for purchase by Nakar. 14. Yaakov Weiss. 15. Avshalon mail from the AINA new issues office Habib. P.O. Box 836, Oakland Gardens, N. Y: 11364 7 Hovv Profitable the Nation of jevvs Are by JV\enasseh Ben Israel Menasseh (alsoManasseh) ben Israel (c.1604-1657) was a Dutch rabbi of Marrano parentage. He energetically sought to persuade the English to permit the return of the Jews to their country, from which they were expelled in 1290. He went to London in 1655 and presented this petition to Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of Great Britain. Although his mission was ostensibly unsuccessful, it did prepare the way for the resettlement of the Jews in England. Source: "To His Highnesse the Lord Proctector of the Common­ wealth of England, Scotland and Ireland,". Lucien Wolf (London: Mac­ millan & Co .. 1901). Original orthography and emphrases are retained. Three things, if it please your Highnesse, Moreover, it cannot be denyed, but that there are that make a strange Natio11 well­ necessity stirrs up il miln's ability and indus­ beloved amongst the Natives of a land where try;. and thilt it givt.•s him great incitement, by they dwell: (as the defect of those three things all means to trie the favour of Provide.nce. make them hiltefull) viz. Profit, they mily Besides, seeing it is no wisedome for them receive from them; Fidelity tht.•y hold towilnis to endeavour the gJining of Lands and other their Princes; and the Noble11es and purity of immovable goods, and so to imprison their their blood. Now when I shall have milde possessions ht.•re, where their persons ilrc good, thilt illl lllc!>c three things ilre found in subject to so milny CilSUillitics, bilnishnwnts the. jewish Nation, I shall certainly persuade and peregrinations; they are forced to use your Highnesse, that with a favorable eye mcrchilndizing untill !hilt time, when they (Monarchy being changed into a Republicq), shilll rl'lunw to their own Country, thilt then you shall be pleased to receive again the as God hillh promised by the Prophet Nation of the Jews, who in time past lived in Zachary, Their !>hall be foulld 110 more alllflllar­ that Island: but, I know not by what false dwllt a/1/CliiSSI llw11 i11 the House of the Lord. Informations, were cruelly handled and From that very thing we have said, there banished. riseth an infallible Profit, commodity and Profit is a most powerfull motive, and gain to all those Princes in whose Lands they which illlthe World preft.•rres befort.• illl olht.•r dwell above all other strange Nations what­ things: and therefore we shall handle that soever, as experience by divers Rcaso11s doth point first. con firnw. It is a thing confirmed, that merchandizing I. The jews, have no opportunity to live in is, as it were, the proper profession of the their own Country, to till the Lands or other Nation of the jews. I ilttribute this in the first like employments, give themselves wholy place, to the particulilr Providence and mercy unto marchandizing, and for contriving new of God towMds his people: for hilving Inventions, no Ni!tion almost going beyond banished them from their own Country, yet them. And so 'tis observed, thilt wheresoever not from his Protection, he hilth given them, they go to dwell, there presently the Trilficq as it were, il nilturilll instinct, by which they begins to florish. Which may be seen in divers might not only gilin whilt is necessilry for plilces, espcciillly in Lighorne, which hilving their need, but that they should illsothrive in been but il very ignoble ilnd inconsiderilblt• Riches and possessions; whereby they City, is ill this time, by the greilt concourse of should not onely become gracious to their people, one of the most filmous places of Princes <Jnd Lords, but thilt they should be. Trafique of whole It illy .... invited by others to come Jnd dwell in their II. The Niltiun of the Jews is dispersed Lands. throughout the whole World, it being a chas- 8