War of Independence
Natan Alterman: Elifelet
Performed here by the IDF for Memorial Day, this song, written as a poem by Natan Alterman in 1959 and put to music by Sasha Argov, tells the story of
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
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
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)
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
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
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?
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
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
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