BEN-GURION, David.

A Jewish State Now.

Scarce Printing of David Ben-Gurion's 1947 Address A Jewish State Now

Jerusalem: [Hashiloah Printing Press], October, 1947.

Out of Stock Item Number: RRB-146797

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Scarce printing of this address, delivered by David Ben-Gurion to the Elected Assembly of Palestine Jewry in Jerusalem on October 2, 1947. Thin octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition with some toning throughout, light dampstaining to the bottom edge, and institutional stamps to the front pastedown, title page, and final leaf.

David Ben-Gurion was the primary founder of the State of Israel and the first Prime Minister of Israel. Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946. As head of the Jewish Agency from 1935, and later president of the Jewish Agency Executive, he was the de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine, and largely led its struggle for an independent Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine. On 14 May 1948, he formally proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, and was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which he had helped to write. Ben-Gurion led Israel during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and united the various Jewish militias into the Israel Defense Forces. Subsequently, he became known as "Israel's founding father."