Page 92 - big friday
P. 92
W hat to call the newborn
T he joy was punctured by slivers of sadness in the form of obituary notices in the
newspapers for boys who had fallen "in defense of the homeland" or "in the line of duty":
in the defense of Safed, in Gush Etzion, or on the road to Jerusalem. There were, of course,
also obituaries for people who had died a natural death – or, in the language of that time:
"He died privately." The condolences read, "May you be comforted in the liberation of our
holy land."
Those days, after all, were days of war and emergency. The Haifa municipality announced
that "in view of the situation, transport services in the city and the surrounding area will
be reduced for a few days. The public is asked to show consideration for the emergency
situation." In Tel Aviv, too, the Dan transport system would be scaled down owing to the
mobilization of drivers and vehicles. "The public will have to go about by foot," warned
Yisrael Rokah, mayor of Tel Aviv. "There are more critical needs."
T he National Service Command Center published a directive to the Command bureaus
and recruitment committees throughout the country. It read:
"The acute situation demands a supreme effort to carry out the speedy and intensive
mobilization of commanders and soldiers, policemen and ghaffirs, in accordance
with the urgent mobilization order and the emergency needs as of yesterday.
T he Chief Rabbinate has approved, for reasons of saving lives, transport services
relating to the transfer of conscripts to the induction camps even on Shabbat.
We therefore impose upon all Command bureaus in the cities and the colonies, and
upon mobilization committees at the agricultural pioneer sites: to organize with full
speed and maximum efficiency the transfer of all commanders, conscripts, etc. in
order that they may all reach the central induction camp in Tel Aviv no later than
tomorrow, by the end of the Sabbath."
T he Sabbath upset the plans of the newspaper editors, too. Since the declaration ceremony
was to be held just prior to the Sabbath, and the newspapers would not be able to
issue another edition after the ceremony, they reached an agreement to publish a joint
newspaper, to be called "State Day".
"Friday, 5th Iyar 5708. 4pm. The last day of foreign rule," read a line in small print
under the name of the newspaper. The entire paper was devoted to events relating to
the day. Alongside a photograph of Herzl, visionary of the Jewish state, which adorned
the front page, the headlines announced: "The nation announces the State of Israel; all
provisions of the White Paper are null and void."
The entire nation was awash in the joy of the day. The churning of history caught
up everyman: young and old alike awaited the hour of 4pm on that long Friday, for the
declaration ceremony.
But that May 14 was longest of all for those who were behind the ceremony. For them,
this long day was a day of trifles. Mishaps and puny setbacks that were the by-products,
90 The Friday That Changed Destiny
T he joy was punctured by slivers of sadness in the form of obituary notices in the
newspapers for boys who had fallen "in defense of the homeland" or "in the line of duty":
in the defense of Safed, in Gush Etzion, or on the road to Jerusalem. There were, of course,
also obituaries for people who had died a natural death – or, in the language of that time:
"He died privately." The condolences read, "May you be comforted in the liberation of our
holy land."
Those days, after all, were days of war and emergency. The Haifa municipality announced
that "in view of the situation, transport services in the city and the surrounding area will
be reduced for a few days. The public is asked to show consideration for the emergency
situation." In Tel Aviv, too, the Dan transport system would be scaled down owing to the
mobilization of drivers and vehicles. "The public will have to go about by foot," warned
Yisrael Rokah, mayor of Tel Aviv. "There are more critical needs."
T he National Service Command Center published a directive to the Command bureaus
and recruitment committees throughout the country. It read:
"The acute situation demands a supreme effort to carry out the speedy and intensive
mobilization of commanders and soldiers, policemen and ghaffirs, in accordance
with the urgent mobilization order and the emergency needs as of yesterday.
T he Chief Rabbinate has approved, for reasons of saving lives, transport services
relating to the transfer of conscripts to the induction camps even on Shabbat.
We therefore impose upon all Command bureaus in the cities and the colonies, and
upon mobilization committees at the agricultural pioneer sites: to organize with full
speed and maximum efficiency the transfer of all commanders, conscripts, etc. in
order that they may all reach the central induction camp in Tel Aviv no later than
tomorrow, by the end of the Sabbath."
T he Sabbath upset the plans of the newspaper editors, too. Since the declaration ceremony
was to be held just prior to the Sabbath, and the newspapers would not be able to
issue another edition after the ceremony, they reached an agreement to publish a joint
newspaper, to be called "State Day".
"Friday, 5th Iyar 5708. 4pm. The last day of foreign rule," read a line in small print
under the name of the newspaper. The entire paper was devoted to events relating to
the day. Alongside a photograph of Herzl, visionary of the Jewish state, which adorned
the front page, the headlines announced: "The nation announces the State of Israel; all
provisions of the White Paper are null and void."
The entire nation was awash in the joy of the day. The churning of history caught
up everyman: young and old alike awaited the hour of 4pm on that long Friday, for the
declaration ceremony.
But that May 14 was longest of all for those who were behind the ceremony. For them,
this long day was a day of trifles. Mishaps and puny setbacks that were the by-products,
90 The Friday That Changed Destiny
