27/05/2026
This week we remember Queen Victoria of Britain, born in 1819 – a monarch whose reign helped shape a new era of British interest in the Holy Land.
Although Queen Victoria never visited the Land of Israel herself, her support helped open the door to important research, mapping, and exploration of the region. In 1865, she gave her royal blessing to the Palestine Exploration Fund, whose work deepened the world’s understanding of the land, its history, and its biblical heritage.
Her connection to the Jewish people was also reflected early in her reign. In 1837, she knighted Sir Moses Montefiore, one of the most influential Jewish figures of the 19th century – a bold and meaningful gesture at a time when Jewish leadership was still struggling for full recognition in British society.
These moments were part of a wider story: the growing bond between Britain, the Jewish people, and the Land of Israel – a bond that would later be echoed in the Balfour Declaration of 1917.
Discover more stories of vision, faith, and courage in the Hall of Visionaries and throughout the Friends of Zion Museum.
fozmuseum.com
