Title
Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel.
Body
WHEREAS, On the 14th of May, 1948, in Tel Aviv, David Ben-Gurion declared "the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel". Ben-Gurion would serve as the nation's first and longest-serving prime minister; and
WHEREAS, Israel's scientific, economic, and cultural achievements are testament to the dynamism of the young nation. In only 70 years, the Israeli economy has become a leader in technology, medicine, and agriculture and the nation has developed a lasting friendship with the United States based upon shared values and mutual admiration; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has been home to a thriving Jewish community since the late 17th Century. The community is represented, in all its diversity, by an array of organizations including the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, the American Jewish Committee of Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, the Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia, and the Israeli-American Council of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia also has the distinction of being home to the National Museum of Jewish American History, which sits on Philadelphia's historic Independence Mall. The museum was founded in 1976 by members of Congregation Mikveh Israel, which was founded in 1740 and is the oldest continuous formal Jewish congregation in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Since 1966, Tel Aviv and Philadelphia have been sister cities. They have since built lasting ties through cultural, political, and educational exchanges. The cities have come to share international status as hubs for tourism, culture, and innovation; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Michael Nutter traveled with a Philadelphia delegation to Tel Aviv in 2013, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, to foster positive relationships with leadership in Israel and encourage Israeli investment in Philadelphia. On that trip, Philadelphia's repres...
Click here for full text