David Matlow, at The Blogs

Nov 30, 2024, 9:54 AM

Lessons of a 100–year-old postcard from an imaginary land

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

Where in the world is West Refaim and why did it have its own stamp? Riddles from back when the Jewish imagination went postal

Nov 8, 2024, 7:03 PM

Flowering Remembrance: A Poppy and a Lily

Poppy used in Canada photographed on a page canvassing the progress of Zionism in Canada in Theodor Herzl: A Memorial, edited by Meyer Weisgal (1929). From the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com). Photo by Kevin Viner, Elevator Digital, Toronto owned by David Matlow and used with his permission.

The poppies that we wear at this time of year are our visual pledge to remember the brave Canadian soldiers who served and sacrificed to preserve and defend our democracy. Canadian Lieutenant-Colonel John McRae wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields”...

Oct 19, 2024, 8:51 PM

I am a ‘self-proclaimed’ Zionist

Matlow family Sukkah in Toronto, 2024. Photo by the author.

I was recently called a “self-proclaimed Zionist”. It was meant as an insult. I took it as a compliment. It was said to discredit me in a heated discussion about Israel. The person who said it was claiming there are...

Aug 4, 2024, 5:06 PM

“A people is contending here for its existence,” Herzl in 1899 and us now.

Postcard depicting the Casino and Music Hall in Basel Switzerland, which hosted the Third Zionist Congress.
From the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com). Photo by Kevin Viner, Elevator Digital, Toronto.

I own the world's largest private Herzl and Zionism collection. I have committed to share relevant artifacts from my collection on the 125th anniversary of each Zionist Congress (at least until 2071! which will be the 125th anniversary of...

Jul 7, 2024, 9:49 PM

Calling Minyan Man and Matzah Woman: We need your help

It was 1965 when 8-year-old Alan Oirich’s friend David told him in the playground of their Long Island synagogue that David wasn’t planning to celebrate Hanukkah that year because Christmas was more interesting and fun. Trying to change David’s...

Apr 6, 2024, 11:50 PM

‘Your Anti-Israel Lie is Pure Keyboard Privilege’

There is a checkmate response available to all of us who are fighting for Israel on social media and are tired of all of the outrageously false posts or comments. Try one of these: "Your post is Keyboard Privilege" "This...

Dec 27, 2023, 5:25 AM

Journalists covering the war against Hamas: PLEASE ASK THESE FOUR QUESTIONS

In November, the Times of Israel was the fastest growing news website in the world for the second consecutive month (source: Press Gazette's monthly ranking of the top 50 news websites in the world, using Similarweb data, December 21,...

Dec 22, 2023, 7:33 AM

Hey United Nations: Oom Shmum!

Ben Gurion doll from the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, Toronto. Photo by David Matlow.

I have a regular segment in the Canadian Jewish News ( called Treasure Trove where each week I take one item from my collection of Herzl and Zionism memorabilia and tell a short story about it. This week's segment...

Sep 3, 2023, 7:11 PM

Treasure Trove explores a perilous time for Jewish students

I have a regular column in the Canadian Jewish News (www.thecjn.ca) called Treasure Trove. Each week I take one item from my collection of Herzl and Zionism memorabilia and tell a short story about it, accompanied by a photograph....

Aug 7, 2023, 9:59 PM

What? There Was a Second Zionist Congress? Why Herzl’s remarks at it matter

The First Zionist Congress held in Basel, Switzerland in 1897 is well known, and its 125th anniversary was widely celebrated in August 2022. Less well known is that there was a second and then even more Zionist Congresses. In...

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 a director of the ICenter for Israel Education. More information about the Herzl Project is available at www.herzlcollection.com Over 200 items from David's collection will be exhibit at the Bernard Museum at Temple Emanu-El in New York City from September 17, 2024 to January 23, 2025. Details at https://streicker.nyc/events/herzl-exhibition.

Contact Me