The Birth of a Jewish State

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the May 8, 2025, edition of the Washington Jewish Week:

It was one of the most significant moments in Jewish history, and the anticipation and excitement leading up to this historic event was palpable.

In this month’s installment of “Remember When,” we look back at the May 14, 1948, issue of the National Jewish Ledger, which subsequently became Washington Jewish Week, when the large headline “Palestine To Be Proclaimed A Jewish State On Sunday” ran across the top of the front page.

An article titled “Century-Old Dream Nears Realization,” quoted David Ben-Gurion, the chairman of the Jewish Agency who would ultimately become the first prime minister of the state of Israel, who noted that, “our generation will see the realization of the centuries-old dream of independence” as he asserted his belief that a Jewish state would soon be established.

The front page of that issue also featured text from the “Jewish Declaration of Independence.”

“We have decided, relying on the authority of the Zionist movement and the support of the entire Jewish people, that upon termination of the mandatory regime there shall be an end of foreign rule in Palestine and that the governing body of the Jewish State shall come into being.

“The state which the Jewish people will set up in its own country will guarantee justice, freedom and equality for all inhabitants, regardless of religion, race, sex or land of origin. It is our aim to make it a state in which the exiles of our people are gathered together and in which happiness and knowledge shall prevail and the vision of the prophets of Israel shall illuminate our path.”

The declaration of the state of Israel in May 1948 formalized the establishment of the Jewish homeland, and although it has spent the better part of its existence over the past 77 years battling enemies who are focused on its destruction, Israel has not just survived but thrived.

With technological advances that people never would have thought possible and a land that is rich in culture and history, Israel has become a precious commodity for the Jewish people and a beacon of hope for Jews around the world.

Through an incredible sense of faith, resilience and perseverance, the “centuries-old dream of independence” that Ben-Gurion spoke about in 1948 thankfully became a reality.