Why Petah Tikva, Israel Is Special to Benjamin Netanyahu and Some Portland, Oregon's Jews

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                                         

Family group with Benjamin Netanyahu's father and mother, and two brothers.  Benjamin was the middle child.  Mother was Cele Segal, born in Petah Tikva, Palestine, now Israel.  

Tzila Netanyahu (born Segal), 1913 - 2000

Tzila Netanyahu (born Segal) was born in 1913,  to Binyamin Segal and Chana Segal (born Marcus).Binyamin was born in 1866.

In 1881, the 1st Aliyah of Jews entered Palestine from eastern Europe.  They were escaping pogroms, anti-Semitism.  The influx of immigrants into the Land of Israel during the years 1882-1903 is known as “The First Aliyah.” This was the first large wave of immigrants that were motivated by nationalism. During these years some 25,000 Jews emigrated from Russia and Rumania, and 2,500 arrived from Yemen.

 During the time of the First Aliyah, numerous communities were established, from Metulla in the north to Gadera in the south.  These communities were mainly agricultural settlements that were based on private farms.  Among these communities are Rishon LeTzion, Zichron Yaakov, and Yesod HaMa’aleh.                           

The immigrants also stimulated the development of older communities such as Petach Tikva and Rosh Pinna. Despite their ambitions and pioneering vision, many of the farming communities experienced severe economic hardship due mainly to the lack of farming experience of most of their members.  They were rescued from collapse by Baron Edmond DeRothschild, who aided the settlements financially, helping them to survive until the 1900’s.

Immigrants had come alone in 1878 and started Petach Tikva but were not that successful;.  but they planted and had growing vineyards and grain.  It was the Hoveve Zion pioneers of the 1st aliyah who finished it.  Baron Rothchild gave aid.  It became an industrial center.  Cela Segal, who was Benjamin Netanyahu's mother, was born in Petach Tikva on August 26, 1912.  

                                     Yehoshua Stampfer

Yehoshua Stampfer (born 8 June 1852, Komárno,  a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers.– died 4 July 1908; Hebrew: יהושע שטַמפּפֶר) was a Zionist and one of the founders of the city of Petah Tikva in Israel. He was a member of its first municipal council.

Yehoshua Stampfer was born in Komárno and raised in Szombathely, Hungary. Seeing the results of the national success of the Hungarians in 1867, Stampfer longed for a similar independence for his people in Eretz Yisrael. When he was 17, he immigrated to the Land of Israel. He later joined forces with other pioneers and established new Jewish neighbourhoods outside the Old City of Jerusalem.

Initially he purchased 3.2 km² for Petah Tikva, which began with a few tents. In 1882 there were already 66 people living in Petah Tikva.

   Coincidently, the rabbi of Neveh Shalom in Portland, Oregon

must be the grandson of Yehoshua Stampfer.                                         

Shortly after he arrived in Portland in 1953, Rabbi Joshua Stampfer founded a synagogue nursery school; the next year he cofounded a Jewish summer camp. He’s been creating organizations that foster formal or informal education ever since.

 Rabbi  Joshua Stampfer, born December 28, 1921 in  Palestine who must have been his son. He was almost 98 when he passed away.  

Some 70,000 Orthodox Jews live in Petah Tikva. The community of Petah Tikva is served by 300 synagogues, including the 120-year-old Great Synagogue, eight mikvaot (ritual baths) and two major Haredi yeshivot, Lomzhe Yeshiva and Or-Yisrael (founded by the Chazon Ish, Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz). Yeshivat Hesder Petah Tikva, a Modern Orthodox Hesder Yeshiva affiliated with the Religious Zionist movement, directed by Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, is also located in Petah Tikva. Additionally, Rav Michael Laitman, PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah (see Bnei Baruch), daily leads 200-300 students and hundreds of thousands virtually (some estimates of up to 2 million) in the method of Kabbalah learned from his teacher Rav Baruch Ashlag, known as the RABASH.

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehoshua_Stampfer

https://www.gov.il/en/departments/general/aliyah_1#:~:text=The%20influx%20of%20immigrants%20into,and%202%2C500%20arrived%20from%20Yemen.