Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Ben-Gurion in Detroit

Seventy years ago, on May 21, Everyone in the community was 1951, the city of Detroit and its invited to the official reception for BenJewish community hosted the Gurion on Monday at Detroit City Hall. Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben- Mayor Albert Cobo and Gov. G. Mennon Gurion, for a 36-hour visit. He was not on Williams welcomed the prime minisholiday. Along with other Israeli leaders, ter, who gave an address about Israel’s Ben-Gurion was traveling across America status and needs. It was also profor a critical Israel Bond Drive. As an claimed Ben-Gurion Day in Detroit. editorial in the May 18, 1951, issue of the Later that day, Ben-Gurion visited JN stated: “The small state the Kaiser-Fraser automobile factoof Israel remains in danger. ry in Ypsilanti — KF had recently Ben-Gurion’s visit here is built a plant in Haifa, Israel — not a social event …” But before he headed to his next stop, his visit was a big deal. Chicago. Ben-Gurion was the first I found two other interesting Mike Smith Alene and prime minister of Israel. reports. After Ben-Gurion’s Graham Landau Born in Poland in 1885, visit, there was a story in the

Archivist Chair he became a Zionist as a May 25, 1951, Chronicle about young man and immigrated to British Norman Cottler, owner of the Mandate Palestine in 1906. Ben-Gurion Dexter-Davison Market. Cottler was a self-educated person, a voracious knew Ben-Gurion in 1916, when reader and bibliophile and, above all, both joined the famous “Jewish a highly skilled, determined politician, Legion” formed by the British to fight who made the creation of Israel his life’s in WWI. He gave $5,000 to kick-off mission. He served as prime minister a $2 million Israel Bond drive in from 1948-1954 and 1955-1963 and was Detroit — this would be $50,000 and defense minister during Israel’s War of $20 million today. Independence from 1948-49. It is not an There were also reports in both the overstatement to say that Ben-Gurion is Chronicle and JN about an event held a to Israel what George Washington is to week before Ben-Gurion’s visit, a rally the United States. for Israel’s third anniversary at the State

Both the Detroit Jewish Chronicle and Fairgrounds in Detroit. On May 13, JN covered Ben-Gurion’s visit and related more than 9,000 Detroiters attended the events. There are numerous reports and rally. Golda Myerson was the featured editorials from the May 18 and 25, 1951 speaker. Myerson later changed her surissues, which can be found in the William name to Meir and would be prime minisDavidson Digital Archive of Detroit ter of Israel, 1960-1974. Jewish History. There were also plenty David Ben-Gurion’s visit to Detroit of greetings to Ben-Gurion from various was historic and a great success. It is furlocal organizations. For anyone interested ther evidence of the important role that in the history of Israel and its relation to Jewish Detroiters played in the growth of Detroit, this is excellent reading. Israel. And his visit is well-documented

Ben-Gurion, his wife, Paula, and their and preserved in the William Davidson entourage arrived at Willow Run Airport Digital Archive. on Sunday, May 20. Their motorcade then proceeded to drive through Detroit’s Dexter-Davidson area, the heart of the city’s Jewish community at that time. knew Ben-Gurion in 1916, when about an event held a for Israel’s third anniversary at the State more than 9,000 Detroiters attended the rally. Golda Myerson was the featured

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