August 13, 1957 Tuesday night

‘Today was the giant youth rally of all foreign youth in Israel at the new Convention Hall which was still incomplete.”
P.M Ben Gurion spoke to the foreign youth at the new Convention Hall in Jerusalem, which my father describes as being “incomplete“. What he is referring to here is the “International Convention Center“ (ICC), known in Hebrew as “Binyanei HaUma“, which was not completed until 1963. The period of economic austerity in the first decade of independence led to frequent disruption in building.

Today, the ICC still the largest convention center, but unlike in 1957, there are venues to hold large events all over Israel. In every hotel and every city, one can find halls, auditoriums or convention centers to create any kind of event you choose.

“There were a few thousand boys and girls from all over the world. The only difference being about 300 or 400 in Israeli army uniforms were from South Africa… a far cry from the Americans here….”
My father was proud of the South Africans he saw who had joined the Israeli army, but wrote that he saw very few Americans with an IDF uniform. Perhaps few Americans were present that day listening to Ben Gurion speak, but it is known that many American Jews did participate in the IDF during those early years, serving in virtually every unit of the Israeli army. They provided the IDF with capable drivers, a skill that many of the Israelis from European and Sefardi countries were lacking in. Many were battle-hardened from their experiences in World War II, giving their Israeli brothers a much needed boost of morale. Their participation in the 1948 War of Independence came at the risk of losing American citizenship.

One of the first Americans to join the fight for Israeli independence was Mickey Marcus, a West Point graduate, and celebrated World War II combat colonel. He was also a former New York City police commissioner. He was Israel’s first field general, and helped the fledgling army with logistics in the 1948 War of Independence. He was killed by friendly fire six hours before the cease fire began.

Another American was Moshe Arens, who left for Israel to fight in the 1948 War of Independence after serving in the United States Army Corps. Arens later became Israel’s Defense Minister.

The fact is, thousands of US citizens joined the Israeli army and wore the IDF uniform proudly. I myself joined in 1987. 

“The feature speech was by Premier David Ben Gurion, who of course was in an open sport shirt & plain slacks. “ 
Ben Gurion dressed modestly. A Prime Minister isn’t above anybody else.

“It was wonderful listening to him in Hebrew & then English. The rapport he established was wonderful. Although he spoke extemporaneously he was able to repeat almost word for word in English after”
I did not know Ben Gurion spoke English until I read my Dad’s letters.

“Israelis say that while he is on the Kibbutz he insists on taking his turn washing dishes & laundry like everyone else…. He got in the front and drove away in a beat up 41 Plymouth Of course no one opened the door for him.”
I could not imagine a leader of a country today, doing his own dishes and laundry and riding in a “beat up” 16yr. old car.

See “Prime Minister David Ben Gurion” in the Topics section for more information.