War of Independence

Letters from Jerusalem: 1947-1948

Letters from Jerusalem: 1947-1948

This link provides a sample of letters that capture the spirit of the new country from the book “Letters from Jerusalem, 1947-1948” by Zipporah Porath, a young American woman who came to

A Detailed Timeline of the War of Independence

A Detailed Timeline of the War of Independence

From the Zionism-Israel Center advocacy website, this link opens up a thorough chronology of events from November 1947 – September 1949. In addition to information about the many events noted

Israel’s War of Independence: Background, Major Battles & Repercussions

Israel’s War of Independence: Background, Major Battles & Repercussions

This thorough article by Matt Plen,Chief Executive of Masorti Judaism in the UK, provides a relatively balanced overview of the historical background, timeline, major battles and outcomes of Israel’s War of Independence

The 35 Heroes of Gush Etzion (Video & Teachers’ Guide)

The 35 Heroes of Gush Etzion (Video & Teachers’ Guide)

This post provides excellent educational resources about the 35 soldiers who were killed during the War of Independence trying to bring supplies to the kibbutzim in the besieged Etzion Bloc

Israel’s Legal Founding & the War of Independence

Israel’s Legal Founding & the War of Independence

Created by PragerU, a Conservative American educational non-profit organization, this video (05:23) shows how the founding of the State of Israel, often accused of being illegitimate, was actually completely legal under international law.

The Jewish Underground in 1947-1948: Haganah, Irgun, Stern

The Jewish Underground in 1947-1948: Haganah, Irgun, Stern

In this video (04:52), filmed at a pro-Israel conference in 2009, Israeli historian Benny Morris explains the three underground Jewish military organizations involved in the fighting of 1947 and 1948:

Who Are the Palestinian Refugees?

Who Are the Palestinian Refugees?

Produced by the BBC, this news segment (06:14) explores the Palestinian refugee crisis, including the creation of Palestinian refugees in 1948, the poor conditions in refugee camps, the commitment of the

Maps: 1947-1967

Maps: 1947-1967

From the website of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this post presents three useful maps in understanding the development of the State of Israel’s borders and the War of

The Song of the Palmach

The Song of the Palmach

This song (until 01:52) was the anthem of the Palmach, the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the British Mandate of Palestine. Founded

Yaffa Yarkoni: In the Plains of the Negev

Yaffa Yarkoni: In the Plains of the Negev

Originally written in Russian by P. Mamaychuk in 1943 with music by L. Shokhin, this song was translated to a Hebrew marching song called “There, Far in the Forest,” which was