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Israel Celebrates 60 Years of Independence

8/5/2008

Israel Celebrates 60 Years of Independence

Dear Chaverot,

As throughout our history, our joy is tinged with sorrow as we remember the last sixty years of the State of Israel and all those who have lost their lives in the defense of our Jewish State.

WE, HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

Declaration of Independence 14th May, 1948, Tel Aviv

As I write down these words which were declared 60 years ago by David Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv, I feel a shiver run down my spine. It was just three years after the end of the lowest point in Jewish history, the point in which there was doubt whether or not the Jewish people would have a future. Few gave our newborn state much chance of survival

Immediately the armies of the neighboring countries determined to eliminate the new nation in its infancy. But we fought. We fought for all those who had been persecuted throughout history for being Jews. Many, who had been rescued from the concentration camps, found themselves on the battlefield fighting for the new Jewish State. It was here that they lost their lives. But they died fighting, wearing the uniform of their own State.

Today, sixty years later, we are living in what is nothing short of a miracle.

Today is a day to celebrate:

We celebrate for the millions of immigrants who arrived from all corners of the glob, who were greeted with open arms, although we could barely feed and clothe the people who already lived here.

We celebrate all the ways in which we have benefited the world around us - the medical breakthroughs, the hi tech industry, the arts and sciences.

We celebrate our pulsating democratic country with a free press, and with political parties catering to every ideology in an area where democracy is repelled.

We celebrate our economy, which is equal to that of other developed nations, strong and secure, despite a lack in natural resources.

We celebrate the unity of the Jewish people, from the four corners of the globe, who joined hands and have always supported the State of Israel, drawing strength from our triumphs - and sharing our sorrows.

We celebrate our sons and daughters who make up the Israel Defense Forces. And although danger is lurking on our borders with Lebanon and Gaza and Iran's threats to annihilate us looms closer, we know that we will overcome these threats just as we have overcome every other threat to our existence as a people

We celebrate our contribution, as members of the WIZO sisterhood, in helping to make the dream come true - our WIZO vision and goals which have guided our way forward and paved the way for a modern, democratic, educated society.

We celebrate that on this 60th anniversary of the State of Israel, we, in WIZO, are being awarded the Israel Prize in recognition of our efforts during the last sixty years.


Today is a day to celebrate.

Today we can stand up and proclaim:

שהחינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה


Happy Birthday Israel!


Tova Ben-Dov,
Chairperson,
World WIZO Executive