Yoga, An Auction, Fireworks and A Court Case

‘Everything that is fit to print’ can give us a laugh sometimes. So take a few minutes to let go of the stress and relax with The Jewish Chronicle of many years ago.

March 15, 1963. The following short paragraph appears on the front page of the Jewish Chronicle:

HEADY EXPERIENCE
From a Correspondent,TEL AVIV, Following a concert by Mr. Yehudi Menuhim at Ein Gev, near Tiberias, attended by Mr. Ben-Gurion, the Israeli Premier and the violinist returned to their hotel where, to the astonishment of onlookers, Mr. Menuhim doffed his tailcoat and Mr. Ben-Gurion took off his battle-dress jacket — and..both then stood on their heads. This followed a discussion of Yoga exercises of which both men are keen exponents.

HEADY EXPERIENCE

From a Correspondent,TEL AVIV,

Following a concert by Mr. Yehudi Menuhim at
Ein Gev, near Tiberias, attended by Mr. Ben-Gurion, the Israeli Premier and the
violinist returned to their hotel where, to the astonishment of onlookers, Mr.
Menuhim doffed his tailcoat and Mr. Ben-Gurion took off his battle-dress
jacket — and..both then stood on their heads.

This followed a discussion
of Yoga exercises of which both men are keen exponents.

Less newsy, but quite funny if you think about it, is the following (3rd June 1938):

HOME FOR JEWISH INCURABLES
A boxing tournament was held at the Stadium Club, Holborn, on Monday night, in aid of the East London Aid Society of the Home and Hospital for Jewish Incurables. An auction was conducted during the interval by Mr. Moss Deyong, and realised £180. A Scotch salmon, 26 dressing gowns and a basket of fruit were presented to the Home after being auctioned. Altogether, the Home will benefit to the extent of nearly £800. Mr. Sam Russell organised the boxing.

HOME FOR JEWISH
INCURABLES

A boxing tournament was
held at the Stadium Club, Holborn, on Monday night, in aid of the East London
Aid Society of the Home and Hospital for Jewish Incurables.

An auction was conducted
during the interval by Mr. Moss Deyong, and realised £180.

A Scotch
salmon, 26 dressing gowns and a basket of fruit were presented to the Home
after being auctioned.

Altogether, the Home will
benefit to the extent of nearly £800. Mr. Sam Russell organised the boxing.

Though the question is, of-course, what were the people bidding for if the prizes were presented to the Home?

And in July, 1933 we have the wonderful though short description of the Arab Fair in Jerusalem.

At the time, both the Arabs and the Jews had Fairs to show their economic and cultural advances. In 1933, the Arab Fair was held in Jerusalem.

THE FAIR
The Arab Fair is now being held in Jerusalem. It was opened on a Friday—the Moslem Sabbath—by Musa Kazem Pasha Al-Husseini, and one of the unique features was,a fireworks display at ten o'clock in the morning. The booms of the rockets were heard, but their pyrotechnic colours were not seen.

And finally, a bit of news for all of us whose ancestors changed names at whim to make more business (18^th July 1930):

THE MONEYLENDER'S NAME
At the Whitechapel County Court on Wednesday, Judge Cluer (to a moneylender plaintiff) asked : What is your name? Plaintiff: Russell. The Judge: How long has that been? Plaintiff: Eight years. (Laughter.) The Judge : What before? Plaintiff: Rosenbaum. (Laughter. The Judge: That is what we have to put up with. . .

Editor’s picks

The First Jews of South Africa

The Ten Lost Tribes, Found

Your beard and how it works