Page 61 - big friday
P. 61
17. Meir David Loewenstein:
F rom the museum to the synagogue
M eir David Loewenstein, who signed the Scroll of Independence as a representative
of Agudat Yisrael, celebrated the event in his own special way: from the museum in
Tel Aviv, where the signing ceremony was held, he headed straight for the synagogue,
for the prayers welcoming the Shabbat.
"It was the most appropriate place and time to give thanks to God and to prostrate
myself over the great miracle." He cannot remember precisely how the invitation to
the fateful session reached him, but the members of the Provisional State Council
had known it would take place, by virtue of the decision that had been taken. As to
his feelings at the time of the signing? "Great responsibility and many hopes for our
people's great future."
18. R abbi Yitzhak Meir Levin:
" Independence has not yet been achieved"
Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Levin, political and spiritual leader of Agudat Yisrael, appears
undecided, as though torn by a difficult and complicated dilemma: "How did I feel
during the signing of the Scroll of Independence? What's there to feel? Nothing
special. It's just a signature, like any signature…"
The man who served as Minister of Welfare in the Provisional Government was
not present at the ceremony of the declaration of the state. He was in New York at
the time, as an emissary. Rabbi Levin recalls: "I sat in the hotel and followed the news
arriving from Israel. But to tell you the truth, for a religious Jew like myself, who
knew that there were tremendous dangers, it was clear that we could not rely on our
own power and strength; that we would need to rely primarily on the help of the
blessed God."
A nd so Rabbi Levin sat in his room in New York and prayed that everything would
proceed peacefully despite the decision that had been taken to declare a state. About a
week later, Rabbi Levin returned to the sovereign State of Israel, to serve as a member
of the Provisional Government. Then the cabinet secretary, Zeev Sharef, came in,
bringing the Scroll of Independence, and pointed to the place where his signature
was missing.
Rabbi Levin, who claims that the prayer he had uttered then has not yet been
fulfilled, says that he continues to pray for Israel's independence and hopes that it will
be achieved in his lifetime. What the State of Israel had not yet achieved, to his view, is
spiritual independence. He adds, "Until that independence is achieved, I don't believe
there is much room for rejoicing…"
A State is Born 59
F rom the museum to the synagogue
M eir David Loewenstein, who signed the Scroll of Independence as a representative
of Agudat Yisrael, celebrated the event in his own special way: from the museum in
Tel Aviv, where the signing ceremony was held, he headed straight for the synagogue,
for the prayers welcoming the Shabbat.
"It was the most appropriate place and time to give thanks to God and to prostrate
myself over the great miracle." He cannot remember precisely how the invitation to
the fateful session reached him, but the members of the Provisional State Council
had known it would take place, by virtue of the decision that had been taken. As to
his feelings at the time of the signing? "Great responsibility and many hopes for our
people's great future."
18. R abbi Yitzhak Meir Levin:
" Independence has not yet been achieved"
Rabbi Yitzhak Meir Levin, political and spiritual leader of Agudat Yisrael, appears
undecided, as though torn by a difficult and complicated dilemma: "How did I feel
during the signing of the Scroll of Independence? What's there to feel? Nothing
special. It's just a signature, like any signature…"
The man who served as Minister of Welfare in the Provisional Government was
not present at the ceremony of the declaration of the state. He was in New York at
the time, as an emissary. Rabbi Levin recalls: "I sat in the hotel and followed the news
arriving from Israel. But to tell you the truth, for a religious Jew like myself, who
knew that there were tremendous dangers, it was clear that we could not rely on our
own power and strength; that we would need to rely primarily on the help of the
blessed God."
A nd so Rabbi Levin sat in his room in New York and prayed that everything would
proceed peacefully despite the decision that had been taken to declare a state. About a
week later, Rabbi Levin returned to the sovereign State of Israel, to serve as a member
of the Provisional Government. Then the cabinet secretary, Zeev Sharef, came in,
bringing the Scroll of Independence, and pointed to the place where his signature
was missing.
Rabbi Levin, who claims that the prayer he had uttered then has not yet been
fulfilled, says that he continues to pray for Israel's independence and hopes that it will
be achieved in his lifetime. What the State of Israel had not yet achieved, to his view, is
spiritual independence. He adds, "Until that independence is achieved, I don't believe
there is much room for rejoicing…"
A State is Born 59
