This newspaper, like the Affair itself, resonates to this day as a reminder of the relentless fight against antisemitism and the strength required to combat it.

1894 – The Dreyfus Affair reveals the dark currents of antisemitism in Europe. Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French artillery officer, was falsely accused and convicted of high treason—driven entirely by antisemitic prejudice. The trials, stretching until 1906, captured the world’s attention. Dreyfus was ultimately exonerated and awarded the Legion of Honor, yet antisemitic tensions in France persisted. Just two years later, in 1908, Dreyfus survived an assassination attempt.

On June 4, 1908, during the burial ceremony of Émile Zola in Paris, Louis Gregori, a journalist and outspoken antisemite, attempted to murder Dreyfus. Gregori declared his aim to prevent the honoring of “two traitors”—Dreyfus and Zola—and to reignite the Dreyfus controversy. Luckily Dreyfus escaped with only a minor injury to his hand (Gregori was acquitted in a rushed trial).

The Newspaper-

The Chicago American devoted an entire issue to this episode. Its front page featured a striking image of Dreyfus and a dramatic illustration of the attack, with the headline: “Dreyfus Shot During Zola’s Burial—The Man Who Brought About His Exoneration.” Inside, a detailed timeline of Dreyfus’s life culminated in “June 4, 1908: Shot by Gregori.” The paper reported that the shooting followed a night of anti-Jewish speeches. The back page showed an iconic photograph of Dreyfus receiving the Legion of Honor, alongside an in-depth article about Émile Zola.

This newspaper issue, like the Dreyfus Affair itself, resonates to this day as a reminder of the relentless fight against antisemitism and the strength needed to combat hatred.

Émile Zola-

Émile Zola, a prominent French writer and Jewish rights advocate, was instrumental in defending Dreyfus. His famous open letter, “J’accuse…!,” (I ACCUSE…!) exposed the injustices of the case, rallying public opinion and setting a powerful precedent for intellectuals speaking truth to power.

The Farkash Gallery wishes you a “Shana Tova U’Metuka”—a Happy and Sweet New Year.

As we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, especially during these challenging times, we remain committed to honoring our traditions, legacy, and history.

May all our brave soldiers return home safely.

In the picture above- The Dahah district in Beirut after the assassination of the terrorist Hassan Nasrallah.

After Decades of Radical Islamic Terror Targeting Israel, We Salute the IDF for the Elimination of the Hezbollah leader, Terrorist Hassan Nasrallah. For years, radical Shia Islamic groups, backed by Iran since the 1979 revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini, have been determined to eliminate the Jewish people and the state of Israel. These groups include terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, led by Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas, and Fatah, originally established by Yasser Arafat.

These posters capture the propaganda used to incite hatred against Israel and Judisem, revealing the intensity of the ideological battle we face. With the recent assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, there is hope for a new chapter—one that leads to a safer future for Israel and the Jewish people. Our resilience in confronting radical threats has always been our strength, and together, we continue to stand firm against forces that threaten our survival.

Together, we declare: Am Yisrael Chai—the people of Israel live on.

Read More: Hezbollah’s History and the Danger It Poses

Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s, following the First Lebanon War in 1982, to confront Israeli forces in Lebanon. With significant financial and military backing from Iran, which seeks regional dominance, Hezbollah grew into a powerful armed terrorist organization. Its vision extends beyond resistance to Israeli presence; Hezbollah seeks nothing less than the elimination of the State of Israel itself. The organization aggressively builds alliances with other groups across the region, using propaganda to portray Israel and Jews as the common enemy of all Muslims and Arabs.

Iran’s support has enabled Hezbollah to expand its capabilities dramatically, providing advanced technology, weaponry, and strategic training. This backing has turned Hezbollah into a dangerous force capable of executing complex terror operations against Israel and beyond, serving as a proxy for Iran’s fundamentalist ideology. Hezbollah remains a significant threat not only to Israel and the Jewish people but also to Western stability in the region.

Gadna, the Hebrew Youth Corps, originated as an underground training program run by the Haganah in the 1940s. Its purpose was to prepare young people for roles in key defense groups such as the Palmach and the Hish, training them in both security skills and Zionist values. In those early years, Gadna operated in secret, as the British mandate still governed Palestine, but the youth were committed to their mission, shaping the future defense forces of Israel.

During Israel’s War of Independence, thousands of Gadna graduates were crucial in defending the fledgling state, especially in the battle for Jerusalem. Their bravery and contributions not only played a vital role in the war effort but also inspired numerous Israeli youth novels. Following the war, Gadna became an official part of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in 1949, cementing its place in Israel’s national defense framework.

Today, the Gadna continues its mission of preparing youth for meaningful service in the IDF. Each year, high school students and foreign Jewish participants who are considering joining the IDF come together for an immersive week-long experience. They engage in simulated military activities, attend lectures, and learn about various IDF units, all while gaining a deep understanding of their role in shaping Israel’s past, present, and future.

The Farkash Gallery is thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our collection, an extremely rare one of a kind Tel Aviv Zoo Aquarium poster from 1939.

The Story of Tel Aviv’s Zoo and ‘Rabbi Dolittle’

Tel Aviv’s historic zoo, a cherished icon of the city, operated from 1938 to 1980 where Rabin Square and the Tel Aviv Municipality stand today.

The zoo’s origins are tied to Mordechai Shorenstein, the former rabbi of Copenhagen and a passionate animal lover. He arrived to Tel Aviv in 1935 with only two bird cages and a vision of bringing joy to the city’s children. Shorenstein small pet store quickly expanded to include monkeys, bears, and tigers and eventually evolved into the Tel Aviv Zoo, located on the city’s outskirts at the time.

To address concerns about the zoo’s remote location and attract visitors, Shorenstein turned to some of the most knowned artists at the time, like Nahum Gutman and Pesach Ir-Shay and commissioned the captivating zoo posters, that later became iconic symbols of Tel Aviv’s culture and history.

Contrary to Shorenstein’s concerns, the zoo’s opening was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. In its first year, 70,000 people—more than half of Tel Aviv’s population at the time—flocked to see it. As the city grew, the zoo, once in a distant corner, found itself in the midst of residential neighborhoods. By 1980, the zoo closed, its animals moving to the Ramat Gan Safari, but its memory still endures as a cherished part of Tel Aviv’s history.

The Story of Israel’s Post-Independence War Struggle for Arms:

Newly Discovered Rare Poster by the Shamir Brothers 1950s

After the UN decision to partition Israel, acquiring weapons for Israeli Defense became a critical yet extremely complex challenge. With an arms embargo imposed by the US on the Middle East blocking legal supplies from America and Europe, Israel resorted to illicit arms procurement, mainly from the Soviet bloc. This led to a varied and outdated arsenal, causing severe logistical issues for the IDF. (It should also be noted that meanwhile, Arab armies were extremely equipped, both in the quantity and quality of weaponry).

Following the War of Independence, the IDF sought a solution by standardizing its firearms. In the 1950s, they selected the FN FAL rifle—a modern and efficient weapon successfully used by Israel until the 70s in numerous operations, including Operation Kadesh (1956), the Six-Day War (1967), and the Yom Kippur War (1973). Despite its accuracy, the rifle’s sensitivity to desert conditions required constant maintenance, leading to frustration among soldiers.

To address this and foster trust and proper care for their weapons, the Ministry of Defense launched a campaign for the soldiers. As part of this effort, the renowned Shamir brothers created the poster you see above, now newly discovered and presented here—the only known survivor from that campaign. The poster’s slogan, “Soldier! Take care of me, trust me,” encapsulates the intricate narrative of Israel’s early military history, reflecting the battles fought to build and defend the nascent state.

The State of Israel was officially established on May 14, 1948, alongside the formation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). However, the Israeli Navy was only established about a month and a half later, on June 30, 1948, the day the British left Haifa port. This date marks the annual celebration of Yom Hayam \ Sea Day (Navy Day) in Israel.

1958 marked Israel’s first decade, with celebrations throughout the country. A highlight in our collection is the remarkable Navy Day poster from that year. The Poster features the powerful inscription: “The Navy protects the gateways of our country.” This phrase not only underscores the critical role of the Israeli Navy but also highlights its significant involvement in Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) during the Yishuv period.

Related Posters

“The Ten Commandments” (1956), directed by Cecil B. DeMille, is a cinematic epic that retells the biblical story of Moses and the Exodus (Passover story). The film’s posters are legendary, capturing two of the most recognizable scenes in biblical history: Moses parting the Red Sea and receiving the Ten Commandments.

These images resonate deeply within the Jewish identity, symbolizing both the struggles we endured and still enduring for our freedom and the relevance of ancient stories and shared heritage in our lives.

Founded by the visionary Ze’ev Jabotinsky in 1929, the Tel Hai Foundation quickly became a cornerstone of the Revisionist Zionist movement. Its mission was: to educate Zionist youth with the skills and spirit of self-defense, with the ultimate goal of eventually building a Hebrew state.

One of the Foundation’s most significant undertakings was the creation of the “Ze’ev Jabotinsky Fortress\ Metzudat Ze’ev” in Tel Aviv. What began as the ‘Trumpeldor Club’—home to the Beitar Movement (Revisionist Youth) in 1928 and a clandestine meeting place for Etzel underground fighters—grew into the formidable Jabotinsky House, a 14-story symbol of the movement. It was within these walls that Menachem Begin celebrated his historic 1977 electoral victory.

When the construction of the ‘Fortress’ began in 1935, the site lay on the fringe of the first Hebrew city. By the time of its completion and expansion in 1965, it had become an enduring central icon of Tel Aviv’s political and cultural landscape—the heart of the Revisionist and later the Herut movements. Today, the building serves as the headquarters of the Likud movement and houses three museums: the Jabotinsky Museum, the Etzel Museum, and the Museum of Fighters and Partisans.

In 1898, just a year after the First Zionist Congress, Theodor Herzl, the foremost Zionist leader, visited the Land of Israel for the first and only time, seeking international recognition for the Jewish right to a sovereign state.

His mission –  a crucial meeting with the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was touring the region. At the time, Herzl was considered a minor politician with a crazy idea, while Wilhelm II led one of the world’s most powerful nations. Their meeting symbolized the first international consideration of Zionist aspirations.

Herzl arrived in Israel via the port of Jaffa with a small Zionist delegation and met the German ruler twice, pursuing the Kaiser’s influence over the Ottoman Sultan to support a Jewish state in Israel. The meetings’ importance lay not in their immediate outcomes but in the fact they even occurred. For the first time, the Zionist vision received acknowledgment from a major global leader.

The Most Famous Zionist ‘Photoshop’

Herzel understood the importance of capturing the meeting. This was assigned to David Wolfson however, his photo failed to include Herzl, showing only his leg. Herzl was later added with a photo montage, depicting him in conversation with the Emperor.

Herzl: “In Basel, I established the Jewish state. If I had said that out loud today, everyone would have laughed at me. Maybe in five years, and certainly in fifty years, they will all agree.” May the memory of this great visionary be etched on our hearts for generations and forever.”​