The poster, published by the Ministry of Education and Culture in the 1950s, is a chart of Hebrew words for household objects. There are drawings of common household items with the Hebrew word written below, for example, crib, dining room, fan, piano, mirror, kettle, door, mezuzah, saucepan, and bathtub.
The pictures illustrate the household items that were common in Israeli homes in the 1950s during the so-called “Austerity” (tzena) period (1949–1959) when food, clothing, and furniture were rationed. Most of the items that appear in the poster are still used today, but their appearance and functionality has changed considerably. One obvious difference is the absence of the electronic appliances that are so prominent today.
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Mass Immigration to Israel in the Early Years of Israel - The early years of the State of Israel were noted for the large wave of immigration from all corners of the world; in the State’s first three and a half years, 688,000 new immigrants arrived, doubling Israel’s population. The immigrants were mostly Holocaust survivors from Europe and refugees from Arab countries. This welcome influx of Jews necessitated many resources. The immigrants needed housing and jobs. They also needed to integrate into Israeli society, and there was therefore a massive campaign to teach the immigrants Hebrew.