Today, April 29, 2020, is also the 5th day of the Hebrew month, Iyar. This is the Hebrew date which Israel takes to celebrate its modern-day re-establishment. Today, Israel is 72 years old.
I have a video for you about that time in the 1940's when Israel became a 'nation'. Please take a look:
As you have just seen, the struggle to create this modern Jewish nation during those years in the 1940's was not easy. Few gave Israel any chance at all of success. Certainly, on paper, in 1947-48, the Jews who fought for Israel looked like losers.
Perhaps it's true what some whispered about Israel back then: some whispered, give the Jews their state. Give it to them. They'll never succeed. Let all those Jews from the Holocaust--Europe's unwanted--go there. It's a good place for them because, in the end, they'll all perish.
Let them perish, these whisperers said. Perhaps this 'gift' will be what's needed to finish them off for good.
So as you've just seen, the UN voted on November 29, 1947. Arab nations in the UN General Assembly staged a walk-out in protest (here).
The day after the November 29th vote, Arabs in Israel attacked Jews, killing several. A civil war in Israel between Arab and Jew broke out, initiated by Arabs.
According to the UN plan, the British Mandate was to end on May 15, 1948. It did, and on May 15, 1948, when Israel officially declared its statehood, open hostilities began between surrounding Arab nations and Israel. Immediately, war erupted on May 15th as Egyptian airplanes bombed Tel Aviv (here). Also, Arab nations around Israel attacked.
The new state was outgunned, out-equipped, out-trained and out-manned. America and Britain imposed an embargo-blockade against Israel, to interdict all shipping into Israel. We truly seemed destined to be wiped out.
But HaShem, the G-d of Israel and the Shield of David and Avraham, would not have it. He made miracles for us--every day. The Jewish national homeland was reconstituted.
This is why we celebrate this day. Happy Independence Day.
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