The Week of July 27

"The past is never dead. It's not even past" – William Faulkner

The Expulsion from Spain Reaches its End, July 31, 1492

On July 31, 1492, the ultimatum given to the Jews of Spain under the "Alhambra Decree" expired – to convert to Christianity or leave the kingdom. This day, the eve of Tisha B'Av of that year, symbolizes the end of a magnificent Jewish community that had flourished for centuries and left an indelible mark on Jewish and world culture. Tens of thousands of Jews were forced to abandon their homes and property and go into exile.

Image: The Alhambra Decree, 1492

Thought: Spain thought it was purifying itself, but in reality, it only exported its Golden Age to the world.

For further reading: Alhambra Decree

The Battle of the Nile, August 1-2, 1798

In Abu Qir Bay, off the coast of Egypt, the British Royal Navy under the command of Admiral Horatio Nelson almost completely destroyed the French fleet. This decisive victory trapped Napoleon Bonaparte's army in Egypt, eliminated his ambitions to conquer the Land of Israel and the East, and established Britain's naval dominance in the region for many years to come.

Image: The Battle of the Nile, August 1, 1798, 10 PM. Painting by Thomas Luny

Thought: Napoleon discovered a fact that every empire, every power, and every wielder of force eventually discovers, usually too late, after creating too much suffering and chaos: the limits of power.

For further reading: Battle of the Nile

"In God We Trust", July 30, 1956

The U.S. Congress passed a law, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it, establishing "In God We Trust" as the official national motto of the United States. The move, which took place at the height of the Cold War, was intended to distinguish the U.S. from the state atheism of the Soviet Union.

Image: The inscription "In God We Trust" on the reverse side of a U.S. 20-dollar bill.

Thought: The mistake of legislating faith: its erasure will never be interpreted as a technical correction, but as a declaration of heresy.

For further reading: In God We Trust

Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel, July 30, 1980

The Knesset passes the "Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel," legally anchoring the status of a complete and united Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. The law, initiated by Member of Knesset Geulah Cohen, sparked an international storm and led to the relocation of many embassies from the city.

Image: The vote to approve the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel in the Knesset plenum in Jerusalem. In the picture: Shimon Peres (top left), Simcha Erlich (bottom left), Prime Minister Menachem Begin (center), and Yigael Yadin (right) vote in favor of the law, July 30, 1980.

Thought: What makes a city a capital – a political declaration, international recognition, or the feeling of its people that this is their capital?

For further reading: Jerusalem Law

The Fast of Tisha B'Av, August 2, 2025

The fast of Tisha B'Av is observed as a national day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples and for other disasters that have befallen the Jewish people throughout history. On this day, which marks the peak of the "Bein HaMetzarim" period (The Three Weeks), prayers and lamentations are held in synagogues, and the discourse on the meaning of the destruction and mutual responsibility in our time is renewed.

Image: The Arch of Titus relief, commemorating the Roman triumphal procession after suppressing the Great Revolt and looting the Temple vessels.

Thought: The fact that has become a cliché: internal strife is the great disaster that brings destruction.

For further reading: Tisha B'Av