On this Yom HaAtzmaut, we mark 77 years since David Ben-Gurion stood in Tel Aviv and declared, “The State of Israel has arisen!” He proclaimed the Jewish People’s right “to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State.” This moment was made possible in part by the global support expressed on November 29, 1947, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, voting 33 to 13 in favor of partitioning the land into separate Jewish and Arab states. While the Jewish leadership accepted the plan, the Arab leadership rejected it, sparking a regional conflict that, as we know, continues to this day. And yet, out of that deeply complex and painful chapter of history, the State of Israel was established — a beacon of hope and sovereignty for the Jewish People. With Ben-Gurion’s words and the UN vote, the dream of generations — lihyot am chofshi b’artzeinu — to be a free people in our land, finally became a reality.
The existence of the State of Israel is not only a blessing; it is a necessity. After centuries of exile, persecution, and unimaginable loss, Israel stands as a sanctuary and a symbol — a homeland where the Jewish people can live with dignity and self-determination. The horrors of October 7 and the devastating war that has followed must never deter us from believing that we will one day know peace in our land — that we will someday be able to look our children in the eyes and promise them safety and security and mean it. Even in the face of Israel’s many internal and external challenges, we hold fast to our enduring hope for her prosperity and safety. And we still dare to believe in the prophetic vision that Israel can be “a light unto the nations” (Isaiah 42:6), a society built on justice, compassion, courage, and Jewish values.
Even though, as Jews, we so often hold our pain and our joy together at once, let this be a day of resounding celebration and hope. May Yom HaAtzmaut deepen our commitment to Israel — to visit her, learn about her, support her, and dream with her. And may the souls of those who built and defended this dream inspire us to keep working toward a just and lasting peace. Chag Atzmaut Sameach.
—Cantor Emma Lutz