Page 90 - big friday
P. 90
been decided whether Tel Aviv will be the capital," an evening newspaper noted. Blue-
and-white flags looked out from balconies in Haifa, while Jerusalem was under siege.
There had been no electricity in the city since the morning, and there was concern that the
residents would not be able to listen to the declaration ceremony.
The newspaper headlines, recognizing the auspiciousness of the hour, screamed:
"Today the State of Israel will be declared at a special session of the People's Council";
"The Mandate is dead! Long live our state!" The inner pages of the newspapers were
quick to interpret and explain, to rejoice and to gush: "We are like dreamers"; "The first
government"; "Following the Mandate's coffin"; "The character of the Jewish state". Verses
and quotations from the Bible and from the teachings of the Sages concerning redemption
and independence were interspersed between reports and articles.
The whiff of history and the "fragrance" of that day emanated even from the minor
advertisements that comprise everyday routine: "National flags – available at Yarkoni,
11 Nahalat Binyamin Street, Tel Aviv." Under a column of announcements in a daily
newspaper, there appeared: "Friday, end of British rule," and two patriotic lines proclaimed:
"For our soldiers! Military articles – Ike jackets, khaki garments, satchels – available at
Klausner, 26 King George Street, Tel Aviv." There is no doubt that the happiness of Fred
Kosenman and his wife Trude, nee Levinson, who were "Happy to announce the birth
of their firstborn son," was doubly joyous. "Twins born to us," announced Naomi and
Shimon Lass, noting – in large print, the joy fairly leaping from the letters – "on the eve of
the Jewish State, 5708."
T he pages of the log of the Tel Aviv police station for that day were empty. No serious
crime took place: two women in a fight were detained; an anonymous boy had disappeared,
not having returned home from school; a car was stolen – but elsewhere a stolen car had
been found. The police clerk turned a new page in the police station log, drew a line
through what had been written in Arabic and English, and wrote in Hebrew: "May 14,
1948. Today we start a new page as officers of the Jewish police force. Everyone who is
present at the station will sign below in honor of this historic moment" – and the eight
policemen who were at the station, signed.
T he newspaper editorial boards received notification: "This evening the commander
of the Jewish police force assumes his position. This evening Mr. Yehezkel Sakharov,
commander of the Jewish police force in the Land of Israel, and his deputy, Mr. Yosef
Nahmias, will assume their positions. The symbol of the Jewish police force has yet to be
determined."
T he cinemas in Tel Aviv announced, as always in the Friday newspapers, the films
that would be screened on Saturday night. The Cameri Theater announced that there
would soon be a first showing of the play "He Walked in the Fields", and that the "Broom"
Theater (HaMatate) offered a contemporary play entitled "Our State, Long May it Live"…
88 The Friday That Changed Destiny
and-white flags looked out from balconies in Haifa, while Jerusalem was under siege.
There had been no electricity in the city since the morning, and there was concern that the
residents would not be able to listen to the declaration ceremony.
The newspaper headlines, recognizing the auspiciousness of the hour, screamed:
"Today the State of Israel will be declared at a special session of the People's Council";
"The Mandate is dead! Long live our state!" The inner pages of the newspapers were
quick to interpret and explain, to rejoice and to gush: "We are like dreamers"; "The first
government"; "Following the Mandate's coffin"; "The character of the Jewish state". Verses
and quotations from the Bible and from the teachings of the Sages concerning redemption
and independence were interspersed between reports and articles.
The whiff of history and the "fragrance" of that day emanated even from the minor
advertisements that comprise everyday routine: "National flags – available at Yarkoni,
11 Nahalat Binyamin Street, Tel Aviv." Under a column of announcements in a daily
newspaper, there appeared: "Friday, end of British rule," and two patriotic lines proclaimed:
"For our soldiers! Military articles – Ike jackets, khaki garments, satchels – available at
Klausner, 26 King George Street, Tel Aviv." There is no doubt that the happiness of Fred
Kosenman and his wife Trude, nee Levinson, who were "Happy to announce the birth
of their firstborn son," was doubly joyous. "Twins born to us," announced Naomi and
Shimon Lass, noting – in large print, the joy fairly leaping from the letters – "on the eve of
the Jewish State, 5708."
T he pages of the log of the Tel Aviv police station for that day were empty. No serious
crime took place: two women in a fight were detained; an anonymous boy had disappeared,
not having returned home from school; a car was stolen – but elsewhere a stolen car had
been found. The police clerk turned a new page in the police station log, drew a line
through what had been written in Arabic and English, and wrote in Hebrew: "May 14,
1948. Today we start a new page as officers of the Jewish police force. Everyone who is
present at the station will sign below in honor of this historic moment" – and the eight
policemen who were at the station, signed.
T he newspaper editorial boards received notification: "This evening the commander
of the Jewish police force assumes his position. This evening Mr. Yehezkel Sakharov,
commander of the Jewish police force in the Land of Israel, and his deputy, Mr. Yosef
Nahmias, will assume their positions. The symbol of the Jewish police force has yet to be
determined."
T he cinemas in Tel Aviv announced, as always in the Friday newspapers, the films
that would be screened on Saturday night. The Cameri Theater announced that there
would soon be a first showing of the play "He Walked in the Fields", and that the "Broom"
Theater (HaMatate) offered a contemporary play entitled "Our State, Long May it Live"…
88 The Friday That Changed Destiny
