David Matlow, at The Blogs

Oct 9, 2026, 6:32 AM

Treasure Trove: On Thanksgiving in Canada and Other Places

From the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com). Photograph by David Matlow.

The Thanksgiving holiday which gives us this long weekend in Canada has a long tradition in our country. Long before European explorers arrived, First Nations across Turtle Island (for some Indigenous peoples, Turtle Island refers to the continent of...

Oct 2, 2026, 6:29 AM

Treasure Trove: What Do We Do With Our Memory of This Ongoing Terrible Time?

I cannot throw these out. They are the blue ribbons handed out at the first rallies to save the hostages. They are the items purchased at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv to help fund the campaign to Bring Them Home. ...

Sep 24, 2026, 7:17 PM

Treasure Trove: Just in Time for the Holiday – The Secret of the Solar Succah

Succot, which starts at sundown on Friday September 25, is referred to as Z’man Simchateinu (The Time of Our Joy). This is because the Torah specifically commands us to rejoice on this holiday. In the spirit of the holiday,...

Sep 18, 2026, 5:09 AM

Treasure Trove: Yom Kippur is Not a Game. Or is it?

From the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com). Photo by David Matlow. Special thanks to the Hyman Family for contributing this card game to the collection.

What could be more fun than selecting the Yom Kippur card in a game of “Hageinu” (“Our Holidays”)? This was one of the more than 100 original Hebrew games that were manufactured and produced by Benjamin Barlevy (1894 to...

Sep 10, 2026, 6:40 AM

Treasure Trove: Infamy, Interconnectedness and Ice Cream

From the collection of David Matlow. Photograph by David Matlow.

When we talk about the horrors of October 7 we don’t need to say the year. For those of us of a certain age, the same is true for September 11. When we don’t attach the year, it is...

Sep 8, 2026, 6:31 PM

The #HERZL 100 – My Summer of Herzl. Number One drops on Wednesday!

Filming of Number 1 (Episode 100) of the #Herzl100. Photograph by Leanne Matlow, used with permission.

As the owner of the world’s largest private collection of Theodor Herzl memorabilia, I feel the responsibility to use the collection to advance knowledge about Zionism and the work of the founder of the Zionist movement. Israel’s President Isaac...

Sep 6, 2026, 7:29 AM

Treasure Trove: Zionism from Jerusalem to Basel to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh?

From the Herzl and Zionisim Collection of David Matlow, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com). Photograph by David Matlow.

This postcard extends Zion’s Greetings for the New Year and references in Hebrew three cities that were important to Zionism in 1905 when the postcard was mailed. First is Jerusalem, which needs no explanation. Second is Basel, which was the...

Aug 28, 2026, 7:49 PM

Treasure Trove: Human Zoos and Words for Jews

Can you imagine going to see humans from different cultures on display? That is precisely what people would do in the 1800s and early 1900s when they visited human zoos or ethnic villages to see people such as Indigenous...

Aug 23, 2026, 6:50 AM

Treasure Trove: The Knesset Building Turns 60 and Hopes For Its Next Occupants

Israel’s Knesset building, shown here on the back of Israel’s 50 lira banknote from 1968, celebrates the 60th anniversary of its official opening on August 30, 2026. When Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948 the Moetzet HaMedina HaZmanit (the...

Aug 13, 2026, 3:13 PM

Treasure Trove: Zionism Means Israel’s Election Involves Diaspora Jewry Too

If the original purpose of Zionism was to establish a home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, what is the purpose of Zionism once that home (the State of Israel) is established? That is the question...

About Me

David Matlow practices law at Goodmans LLP in Toronto. He owns the world's largest collection of Theodor Herzl memorabilia and his Herzl Project is designed to inform people about Herzl's work to inspire them to work to complete Herzl's dream. He is the Chairman of the of the Ontario Jewish Archives and past chair of Toronto's annual UJA Campaign and Jewish Foundation. More information about the Herzl Project is available at www.herzlcollection.com Over 200 items from David's collection were exhibited at the Bernard Museum at Temple Emanu-El in New York City in 2024 and 2025. David's weekly Treasure Trove column (including past columns) in the Canadian Jewish News can be found at https://herzlcollection.com/treasure-trove. David's regular #herzlbreak can be seen on Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook. In 2026 David posted 100 Herzl artefacts in 100 days in the #Herzl100 which can be found on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook and YouTube..

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