November 09

Rabbi Judah HeHasid led a large group of Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants to settle in Jerusalem in 1700 under Ottoman rule. Financial hardships lead Arab creditors to accuse the community of unpaid debts. On November 9, 1720, creditors burn down the newly built synagogue as retribution. The destruction prompts the Ottoman authorities to expel the remaining Ashkenazim from the city. This event significantly alters the demographic and cultural landscape of Jerusalem’s Jewish quarter.

On November 9, 1965, Roger Allen LaPorte, a member of the Catholic Worker Movement, immolated himself outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City. His dramatic act was intended to protest U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and to bring attention to the human cost of the conflict. The flames caused serious injuries and his silent vigil lasted several minutes before bystanders intervened. LaPorte’s self-sacrifice echoed earlier protests by Buddhist monks in Vietnam and spurred debates over the morality of the war. The event was widely covered in international media and inspired further demonstrations across university campuses and cities worldwide. His death intensified the antiwar movement and forced political leaders to confront domestic dissent. It remains a stark example of radical protest methods during the turbulent 1960s.