This week Rabbi David Woznica writes of pivotal events that led to the creation of the Modern State of Israel which are important for us, and our children, to know.

The United Nations Vote and Israel’s Declaration of Independence

On November 29, 1947, the majority of the fifty-six members of the United Nations (the U.N. was much smaller in those days) voted Israel into existence. President Harry Truman supported the resolution despite opposition from the U.S. State Department. The Soviet Union supported the resolution (Stalin wanted Britain out of the Middle East) and Great Britain abstained.

The final vote was 33 to 13, with 10 abstentions. With the exceptions of Cuba and Greece, every negative vote was a state with a Muslim or Asian majority.

The U.N. offered the 538,000 Jews a mere 5,500 square miles adjacent to what would be an Arab Palestinian state, in which 804,000 Arabs would live. Alas, it was rejected by the Arab world and on May 14, 1948, six Arab armies invaded Israel in what would become the War of Independence.

The U.N. vote was celebrated across Israel and the feeling was captured by the words of the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Isaac Herzog, “After a darkness of two thousand years the dawn of redemption has broken.”

On May 14, 1948, at 4:00 p.m., David Ben-Gurion read the Proclamation of Independence. It began:

“The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people…  Here they wrote and gave the Bible to the world.”

Later Ben-Gurion said:

“The State of Israel will be open to the immigration of Jews from all the countries of their dispersion… (and) will be based on the precepts of liberty, justice and peace taught by the Hebrew Prophets…”

While Israel’s Independence Day is widely celebrated, the date of the United Nations vote of on 29th of November also has a permanent spot not only in the heart of Israelis but quite literally, on the land. On your next trip to Jerusalem, you just might find yourself walking on a street named Rechov Kaf-tet b’November—November 29th Street.

Am Yisrael Chai.

— Rabbi David Woznica