Page 62 - big friday
P. 62
19. Zvi Luria: " The fluttering wings of the generations"
Z vi Luria was a member of the People's Council, representing Mapam. These are his
impressions of the declaration of the state:
"It was an inspiring occasion. We felt – and I mean this literally – the fluttering
wings of generations who fought for this occasion but did not merit to reach it. I
envisioned the masses of Jews and the children from my country of origin, from the
small town in eastern Europe, who aspired to reach this shore, and held the vision of
this day in their childhood. On that day [of the signing] they were dust and cinders.
On the other hand, our tiny country was spread open before us, and it was difficult to
get used to the thought that no more "White Papers" would rule it.
As I left the hall, I met pioneers and JNF people (Herzfeld and others), and we asked
each other jokingly, but also a little tearfully: How will we continue pioneering in the
south and in the Negev, now that there's no longer any need to secretly circumvent
the British and Mandatory land laws?..."
20. G olda Meir: A successful "crash landing"
It seems that even then she was used to frequent trips overseas. In May, 1948, Mrs.
Meir returned from a very successful fundraising trip to the US (immediately after the
declaration she was requested to return there…) and during the two days preceding
the declaration she participated in meetings at the Hagana headquarters, where she
reported on talks she had held with "foreign elements" and heard estimates of what
the possible results of a declaration might be, security-wise. Did this deter her in
any way? "Certainly not," Mrs. Meir responds vigorously. "I never had a moment's
hesitation. I felt that that was the moment and the opportunity should not be missed,
lest our future be less than rosy. And all this despite the fact that I knew that the
enemy was about to make its move the moment the British left the country…"
Mrs. Meir's signing of the Scroll of Independence during the actual ceremony was
facilitated by accident: "I had been asked, by Ben-Gurion, to go to Jerusalem and handle
matters there. According to the plan, I was supposed to go to Jerusalem on Thursday
(the day before the declaration). I flew in a “Primus” [a lightweight Auster plane] that
was meant to bring me to Jerusalem, and then take Mr. Gruenbaum from Jerusalem
to Tel Aviv, for the ceremony. But when the plane got as far as the mountains, the
motor began to splutter. I understood immediately what was happening, and saw that
the pilot was already looking out of the window. He was looking for a village where
we could make an emergency landing. I knew that he was stressed enough already,
so I didn't badger him and didn't say anything. Fortunately, we managed somehow to
return to Sde Dov in Tel Aviv. Owing to this "accident" Gruenbaum didn't make it to
the ceremony, and I can't say that I was sorry to have remained in Tel Aviv…
60 The Friday That Changed Destiny
Z vi Luria was a member of the People's Council, representing Mapam. These are his
impressions of the declaration of the state:
"It was an inspiring occasion. We felt – and I mean this literally – the fluttering
wings of generations who fought for this occasion but did not merit to reach it. I
envisioned the masses of Jews and the children from my country of origin, from the
small town in eastern Europe, who aspired to reach this shore, and held the vision of
this day in their childhood. On that day [of the signing] they were dust and cinders.
On the other hand, our tiny country was spread open before us, and it was difficult to
get used to the thought that no more "White Papers" would rule it.
As I left the hall, I met pioneers and JNF people (Herzfeld and others), and we asked
each other jokingly, but also a little tearfully: How will we continue pioneering in the
south and in the Negev, now that there's no longer any need to secretly circumvent
the British and Mandatory land laws?..."
20. G olda Meir: A successful "crash landing"
It seems that even then she was used to frequent trips overseas. In May, 1948, Mrs.
Meir returned from a very successful fundraising trip to the US (immediately after the
declaration she was requested to return there…) and during the two days preceding
the declaration she participated in meetings at the Hagana headquarters, where she
reported on talks she had held with "foreign elements" and heard estimates of what
the possible results of a declaration might be, security-wise. Did this deter her in
any way? "Certainly not," Mrs. Meir responds vigorously. "I never had a moment's
hesitation. I felt that that was the moment and the opportunity should not be missed,
lest our future be less than rosy. And all this despite the fact that I knew that the
enemy was about to make its move the moment the British left the country…"
Mrs. Meir's signing of the Scroll of Independence during the actual ceremony was
facilitated by accident: "I had been asked, by Ben-Gurion, to go to Jerusalem and handle
matters there. According to the plan, I was supposed to go to Jerusalem on Thursday
(the day before the declaration). I flew in a “Primus” [a lightweight Auster plane] that
was meant to bring me to Jerusalem, and then take Mr. Gruenbaum from Jerusalem
to Tel Aviv, for the ceremony. But when the plane got as far as the mountains, the
motor began to splutter. I understood immediately what was happening, and saw that
the pilot was already looking out of the window. He was looking for a village where
we could make an emergency landing. I knew that he was stressed enough already,
so I didn't badger him and didn't say anything. Fortunately, we managed somehow to
return to Sde Dov in Tel Aviv. Owing to this "accident" Gruenbaum didn't make it to
the ceremony, and I can't say that I was sorry to have remained in Tel Aviv…
60 The Friday That Changed Destiny
