Asher Anshel Daskal: Difference between revisions
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In 1937 Daskal managed to accomplish the immigration certificates for himself and his family and board the ship with his wife Miriam, his Baby girl and his diamond manufacturing equipment to the Land of Israel. |
In 1937 Daskal managed to accomplish the immigration certificates for himself and his family and board the ship with his wife Miriam, his Baby girl and his diamond manufacturing equipment to the Land of Israel. |
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Upon his arrival to Zvi Rosenberg's (his cousin) house in [[Petah Tikva]], they founded the first Diamond plant in the country. Most of their students/apprentices became leading figures in the Diamond industry. In 1939 he founded Even Hayesod plant in Netanya and at the peak of this plant he had 200 employees. Over the years he founded plants in [[Bnei Brak]], [[Jerusalem]] Kiriat Malachi and [[Ashkelon]]. |
Upon his arrival to Zvi Rosenberg's (his cousin) house in [[Petah Tikva]], they founded the first Diamond plant in the country. Most of their students/apprentices became leading figures in the Diamond industry. In 1939 he founded Even Hayesod plant in Netanya and at the peak of this plant he had 200 employees. Over the years he founded plants in [[Bnei Brak]], [[Jerusalem]] Kiriat Malachi and [[Ashkelon]]. <ref>Israel Diamond Magazine international edition May-June 1986, p.5,6 ''Spotlight'' <ref> |
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==The first diamond== |
==The first diamond== |
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Revision as of 22:43, 29 December 2021
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Asher Anshel Daskal (April 18, 1908 – July 6, 1990) was a founder and a pioneer of the Israeli diamond industry. Daskal founded the first diamond plant in the land of Israel in Petah Tikva with his cousin Zvi Rosenberg.
Biography
Early life
Asher Anshel Daskal was born in Moisei, a small village in the Maramureș county in north Romania. Daskal was born to an Orthodox Jewish family from the Wiznitz Hasidic community. He studied in a Yeshiva and helped at home with the live stock. In 1927 at the age of 19, Anshel didn't see a future for himself as a shepherd or a Hasidic scholar and decided to relocate to Antwerp Belgium.
In Belgium, with the help and support of his relatives he started as an apprentice for a diamond cutter and later learned to polish and cleave. The first few months were tough and he lived from hand to mouth, but soon enough he was recognized as a gifted cutter and quickly climbed up the ladder and made a name for himself in the Antwerp diamond community.
The Zionist Dream
Anshel was a Zionist and his dream was to immigrate to the Land of Israel. In 1932 he saved his money and bought a ticket to sail to British Mandate Palestine as a tourist, to visit the first Maccabiah Games (the Jewish Olympics). In addition, Daskal took a tour to explore the country. The visit in the Holy Land spiked his idea to found and establish a Diamond Industry in the Land of Israel. In 1934, he shared his idea with his cousin Zvi Rosenberg but Zvi was already preparing for his own immigration alongside his wife and three children and did not want to wait for Anshel.
In 1935 Daskal arrived again as a tourist to the Land of Israel and bought a piece of land near the town of Kalkilia that was designed to become an agriculture community. upon his return to yet another visit in 1936 he realized that the plans for that community were not approved. Disappointed from the turn of events, he sold the land and returned to Antwerp. In Antwerp Daskal joined a cooperative that intended to found an Israeli Diamond industry but he didn't approve their plans and quit. The cooperative disbanded shortly afterward.
Daskal purchased Diamond manufacturing equipment, and learned how to operate and maintain all of them, in order to found his own Diamond Plant in the Land of Israel.
Immigration to Israel
In 1937 Daskal managed to accomplish the immigration certificates for himself and his family and board the ship with his wife Miriam, his Baby girl and his diamond manufacturing equipment to the Land of Israel.
Upon his arrival to Zvi Rosenberg's (his cousin) house in Petah Tikva, they founded the first Diamond plant in the country. Most of their students/apprentices became leading figures in the Diamond industry. In 1939 he founded Even Hayesod plant in Netanya and at the peak of this plant he had 200 employees. Over the years he founded plants in Bnei Brak, Jerusalem Kiriat Malachi and Ashkelon. <ref>Israel Diamond Magazine international edition May-June 1986, p.5,6 Spotlight <ref>
The first diamond
In 1986 with the opening of the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum at the Israel Diamond Exchange center, Anshel lent the museum the first diamond he manufactured at the first plant in Israel. He kept that diamond in his vault for nearly 50 years and the museum was on display for a few years and was known as "Daskal's diamond". This first diamond that was cut and polished by Anshel Daskal at the first diamond plant in Israel was finally returned to Anshel's family in 2021.
Awards and recognition
In 1988 Asher Anshel Daskal received the Dignitary award from the Israel Diamond Manufacturers' Association in their first award ceremony and was invited to the second one in 1989. In 1989 Daskal received the founders awards from the Israel Diamond Exchange awarded to him by Moshe Schnitzer the Israel Diamond Exchange President (1967-1993).
On July 6, 1990, Asher Anshel Daskal died, aged 82.
References
- Photo Anshel Daskal on the right, Zvi Rosenberg on the left in front of their first factory in Petah Tikva
- The 30’s At The Israeli Diamond Industry (photo)Anshel Daskal on the right
- Israel Diamonds Magazine international edition (93) May-June 1986 Diamond
- [ https://www.berghahnbooks.com/downloads/OpenAccess/DeVriesDiamonds/9781789201178_OA.pdf Diamonds and Wars by David De Vries pages:22,31,48, 191,259,270,273,292,302]
- Amir Romanian Jews descendants organization - Anshel Daskal commemoration page