Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 10, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 10
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 460,404

The Menachem Begin Prize Ceremony 2008

Before a full Reuben Hecht Auditorium and in the presence of MK Reuven Rivlin, the Menachem Begin Prize 2008 was awarded to Dr. Reuven Or for his critical medical and research work and for the establishment of two essential life-saving projects: the unrelated volunteer bone marrow donor registry and the national umbilical cord bank. Dr. Or is offering the hope of health for many people who are ill and who, for whatever reason, are unable to receive a bone marrow donation from a family member. Clearly thrilled to be receiving this recognition, Dr. Or peppered his speech with quotes from Uri Zvi Greenberg, Shai Agnon and other literary figures.
Harold "Smoky" Simon was honored for his many years of volunteer activity for the State of Israel and its society. His volunteering life for the State of Israel began in the War of Independence in 1948 as a member of the volunteer air force and eventual official appointment as the first Operations Commander of the IAF, and his volunteering activities only grew from that point, including working with Menachem Begin from South Africa, and continue even today. He is the Chairman of World Machal and recently organized an international gathering for Machal members to visit Israel for the 60th anniversary of the state, as well as acting as the Honorary Treasurer for the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation.
Prof. Moshe Arens was honored for his contribution to the security of the state of Israel and his illuminating research on the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Moshe Arens began his career in Betar and in the government served as Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Israel's Ambassador to the US and currently he serves as the Chairman of the Ariel University Center of Samaria's Board of Governors. His most recent work has been researching the Betar organization's involvement during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. He found that Pavel Frankel was a forgotten hero of the Muranovska Square battle and who had been a leader of the Betar group in the Warsaw Ghetto. This led to recognition of the Betar involvement in the Uprising both in Poland and in Israel.
A number of students were honored with scholarship awards from the Menachem and Aliza Begin Nobel Prize Fund, a fund that was started by Menachem Begin with the proceeds of the Nobel Prize he received in 1978.
The evening was emceed by Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, and music was provided by the Boarder Guards singing group. Yosef Wittelson lit the third candle of Chanukah at the opening of the evening.

Opening of "A World Before Catastrophe"

On the first night of Chanukah, the Begin Center hosted the opening of a special exhibition brought from Krakow, Poland, called "A World Before Catastrophe". It is the exploration and documentation of the Jewish community in Krakow between the two World Wars. Many organizations cooperated with the Begin Center to bring this exhibit to Israel including the International Cultural Centre in Krakow (the original location of the exhibit), the Polish Embassy in Israel, The Polish Institute, the Poland@Israel as part of the Polish Year in Israel 2008/9, the Landsmanschaft of Krakow Jews in Israel and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
The Reuben Hecht Auditorium was filled to capacity with many members of the audience remembering Krakow as it was presented in the exhibit and who were very moved to see the exhibition here at the Begin Center. Aryeh Golan, a senior Kol Yisrael program moderater, was the host for the evening and the ceremony was opened with short speeches by Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Begin Center, Her Excellency Agnieszka Magziak-Miszewska, the ambassador of Poland in Israel and David Reiser, the President of the Landsmanschaft of Krakow Jews in Israel. The main speakers that evening were Prof. Jacek Purchla, historian and author of the catalogue of the exhibition, and His Excellency Prof. Shevach Weiss, Israel's Ambassador to Poland. The Young Jerusalem Saxophone Group gave the musical performances during the evening.
The exhibition will be on display in the auditorium foyer at the Begin Center for free until April 15, 2009. The high quality catalogue is available in Hebrew at the Klein Souvenir Store at the Begin Center (it is a translation of the Polish/English one that was published in Poland).

December 1981: Golan Heights Law

Twenty-seven years ago, the Knesset, by a two-thirds majority, passed the Golan Heights Law which extends Israeli law to the Golan Heights. With its passing, the US declared that it would "punish Israel". Begin did not wish to stand by and allow the "punishment" to pass without comment. He issued a statement on 20 December 1981 that he read to the US Ambassador to Israel, read to the Cabinet and issued to the public. In it he says:
A week ago, at the instance of the Government, the Knesset passed on all three readings by an overwhelming majority of two-thirds, the "Golan Heights Law."
Now you once again declare that you are punishing Israel.
What kind of expression is this – "punishing Israel"? Are we a vassal state of yours? Are we a banana republic? Are we youths of fourteen who, if they don't behave properly, are slapped across the fingers?
Let me tell you who this government is composed of. It is composed of people whose lives were spent in resistance, in fighting and in suffering. You will not frighten us with "punishments." He who threatens us will find us deaf to his threats. We are only prepared to listen to rational arguments.
…As regards the future, please be kind enough to inform the Secretary of State that the Golan Heights Law will remain valid. There is no force on earth that can bring about its rescission.

December 30: Annual Research Scholarship Awards

On December 30 the Menachem Begin Heritage Center will host a ceremony to award scholarships to outstanding research work in fields related to Menachem Begin, his life, achievements and heritage. Three scholarships will be awarded for research work at the Doctorate and Master's level. Ya'acov Hecht wrote on the topic of politics and the diplomatic process before the strike on Osirak (the Iraqi nuclear reactor); Yaron Salman wrote on the psychological blocks of the Peace Process; and Harel Doron wrote about the "new rabbis" in the National Religious camp. Four scholarships will be awarded for seminar papers at the Bachelor level. Avivit Mahatstri, who will be receiving the scholarship named after the late Izzy Asper of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, wrote about Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat in the Peace Process; Oded Mazor wrote about the idea of the "victim" with respect to the reparations from Germany; Tal Koifman wrote about religion in the Underground; and four authors, Eli Cohen, Doron Liba, Aviad Korman and Eliav Raviv, share the honor for their paper about Menachem Begin and Dr. Beny Begin and their rhetoric speaking styles.
RSVPs are required to attend the event as space is limited. (02) 565-2020 to reserve a place.

Outside Events at the Begin Center

This week the B'nai Brith World Center-Jerusalem utilized the conference rooms here at the Begin Center. Philippe Karsenty gave a lecture about his court case in France regarding the Al Dura Affair, in which he was the successful defendant against France 2 television, and spoke about Israel and the media. He gave his lecture in English one day and in French the next.

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The Jewish Agency is holding a brainstorming session at the Begin Center to redefine the role of the shaliach in Jewish communities abroad.

No Parashat HaShavua this Week

To our readers in Israel who attend the Parashat HaShavua on Thursdays, there will not be a lecture this week. We look forward to seeing you again next week when the Parashat HaShavua returns next week.

We wish all our Readers
a Happy and Joyous Chanukah Holiday!!!

Visit our blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010

offices@begincenter.org.il www.begincenter.org.il

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 9, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 9
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 457,911

December 1948:
Menachem Begin's First US Visit (part 3)

This week we present Part 3, the last of the three-part series on Menachem Begin's first visit to the United States based on a recent donation of archival materials given to the Begin Center Archives by Mrs. Estelle Friedman, who was married to the late Elitzur Friedman, Irgun Field commander and Herut emissary to the United States.

* * * * *

The Answer, the newspaper of the Hebrew Committee for National Liberation, reported on the speech Menachem Begin gave in New York at the end of his first trip to the US. Begin spoke in Yiddish before several thousand people in the Manhattan Center on December 14, 1948. His remarks focused on the Chanukah story of the Maccabees.

In those days too, before the fight began, we were a minority in our own country under the yoke of a once-great empire whose strength began to wane. In those days too, we faced surrender or complete annihilation. In those days too, a minority within the minority raised the banner of rebellion against the enemy; in those days too there were collaborators and assimilationists who besmirched the noble patriots, betrayed them to the enemy and called them the same names we were called in our time—with the exception of "fascists" and "gangsters"—probably because in those days those terms were not yet known.
Undaunted by betrayal and the overwhelming forces of the enemy, the Maccabees fought on until victory was theirs, until a small part of their homeland in the hills of Judea was liberated. And from those hills they swept down into the valleys, they freed Galilee, they freed the coast and they freed the south. And within a generation or two, a great Hebrew State, the greatest in the Middle East was established and consolidated.
The same is bound to happen in our days…not because of our desire for expansionism, not because of our love of fighting. We hate war. We hate it because we have no more blood to shed because for 80 generations we always were the victims of war, because ours is a great hunger for peace for ourselves and for our little children, who were born into turmoil and have never yet known a day of peace and quiet. It is bound to come because we are compelled to break out from the straitjacket in which we are being confined by economic, geographic and political reasons, by the very urge to survive, by the very choice which we face: to break out from the ghetto, to retrieve all of our homeland or to be pushed into the sea and perish. …
A foreign princeling, a man who doesn't belong to Palestine, a man from the Arabian Desert, a hireling of his British overlords, is ruling over four-fifths of the Hebrew homeland by the grace of Britain…and this foreigner has the temerity to proclaim himself "King of Palestine." This foreigner aspires to ascend the throne of David, to make Jerusalem—the eternal city of the eternal people—his capital. If this intrigue should succeed, then you must realize that in the very heart of our country, only five miles from Petach Tikvah, there will be Abdullah's guns, or rather, British guns…
Should this intrigue succeed, we shall find ourselves walled in—and strangling in a ghetto in which there will be no room for the millions of our brothers who are compelled to come back home, for the millions of our brothers who do not want to remain in places where they are not wanted, to the millions of our brothers who have but one desire—to come back to the land of their fathers…
A people who for two thousand years were denied the elementary right to self determination are like a suffocating man suddenly brought into the open air. On November 29, 1947, some of my brothers were incapable of thinking. All they could grasp was a gust of fresh air. Now, one year later, the drunkenness is dispelled. Now our people are sober—all of them—and now we all realize that not the ink on a document of the UN, but the blood of our fighters on the battlefields of our country will determine the frontiers of our State…
We have to expel the invaders from our country, not because we want war but because we want peace, real peace, a stable peace, peace with prosperity and without hostile foreign armies in the very heart of our land and on the threshold of our cities.
Our soldiers, the soldiers of the Irgun, the soldiers of the Hagana, the soldiers of the Lechi, our soldiers who served their country with their guns and their blood, now want to continue to serve their country with their plowshares and their sweat. We owe it to them and to their children. We must bring peace to them and this cannot be done as long as our whole country is not free.
Other Events at the Begin Center
The Begin Center facilities are often utilized by other groups for their special events. This week the Center served the needs of a variety of groups and activities.

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The Begin Center was the venue of a special conference convened by MK Prof. Arieh Eldad and the Ariel Center for Policy Research entitled, "Facing Jihad", on December 14 which included a public screening of Fitna, the controversial documentary about Islam – intended to educate the Israeli and general public about the true nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The sessions were addressed by many experts on Islam and the Middle East including Dutch Parliamentarian Geert Wilders. Among the other speakers were: Prof. John Lewis, Dr. David Bukay, Itamar Marcus, Prof. Shlomo Sharan and Daniel Pipes. The auditorium was full and the event attracted much media interest.

* * * * *

On Saturday night and Monday night this week, four special screenings took place at the Begin Center of the film A Light for Greytowers which coincided with the Jewish Film Festival. This is the film's premier in Israel. The Reuben Hecht Auditorium was full for each of the somewhat controversial screenings. The film was meant to be shown to women-only audiences, but the Cinemateque refused to screen it with that requirement. Following the Orthodox tradition of Kol Isha laws, which do not allow women to sing or dance in front of men, this film is a musical set in Victorian England in an orphanage where the young women are not allowed to practice Judaism. The film has an exclusively female Orthodox cast. It has already been screened for women-only audiences in New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles.

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President Heinz Fischer of Austria had a reception at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center's Terasa restaurant. It was the end of his long day of meeting with President Shimon Peres, meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and visiting Yad Vashem.

Upcoming Events at the Begin Center

Next week the Begin Center will host two important events, the opening of the Krakow Exhibition "A World Before Catastrophe" on December 21 and the Begin Prize Ceremony on December 23. The following week, on December 30, the Academic Committee of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center will award scholarships to academic works related to Begin and/or his heritage including one in the name of the late Izzy Asper.

We wish all our Readers
a Happy and Joyous Chanukah Holiday!!!

Visit our other blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010

offices@begincenter.org.il http://www.begincenter.org.il/

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 7, Vol. 5

MENACHEM BEGIN

HERITAGE CENTER, JERUSALEM
TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS SINCE OCTOBER 2004: 454,043

DECEMBER 1948: BEGIN'S FIRST VISIT TO THE US

Today we launch a three-part series about Menachem Begin's first visit to the US 60 years ago in December 1948 where he was greeted with a ticker-tape parade in the streets of New York accompanied by the mayor. We take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Estelle Friedman, whose husband Elitzur Friedman joined Menachem Begin on this visit to the US, for her recent contribution of newspapers from that time to the Begin Center archives. Over the next two issues of the Bulletin, we will be publishing segments from The Jewish Ledger and The Answer that describe Menachem Begin's visit and quote from his speeches.For today, we present to you a picture of Menachem Begin with Yohanna Jabotinsky, widow of the Zionist leader and mentor of the Revisionist Movement, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, and members of the Betar Youth Movement at a festive dinner conducted in his honor.

Menachem Begin with Mrs. Yohanna Jabotinsky

MENACHEM BEGIN'S CONNECTION TO CHABAD

This past week we watched in horror and dismay at the events in Mumbai at the Chabad House. May the families of the victims find comfort in their sorrow. Menachem Begin spoke to and met with Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson on several occasions and we direct our readers to the Chabad website where Menachem Begin says a few words about Rabbi Scheerson. The link is HERE. (As this is an external link to the Chabad site, we cannot be responsible if it doesn't work properly.)

MONITORING MENTIONS OF BEGIN ON THE INTERNET

One of the tasks that is undertaken by the Begin Center is to monitor the mentions of Menachem Begin on the internet. This allows us to see in what context he is mentioned and how often he is still mentioned even today. Here are a few examples this week:

• Israeli readers were reminded about Menachem Begin's modesty this week in an article in Ha'Aretz opinion piece lamenting the fact that our politicians today lack this admirable trait.

• The author of a new biography of the late Harold "Izzy" Asper (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), Mr. Peter C. Newman, reflected on Mr. Asper's admiration of Menachem Begin and the Irgun when he was interviewed about the book.

• The Los Angeles Times connected the King David Hotel with the attacks in Mumbai placing it first on its list of hotels that had been bombed. A few people who left comments mentioned that the LA Times notably neglected to include the bombings by Arabs against hotels in Netanya and Taba, actions that were directed solely against civilians. Yisrael Medad of the Begin Center wrote to the newspaper that "only the southern wing was targeted which was wholly British, having been taken over from the owners in stages, beginning already in 1938. The Army Headquarters were located there as were the offices of the Mandate Government Secretariat."

ISRAEL COMMUNICATION LAW

Amendment 40 of the Israel Communication Law was put into effect on December 1, 2008. It is an effort to eliminate, or at least reduce, spam advertisement messages.The Begin Center is not in the business of sending advertisements and we hope that everyone on this list enjoys receiving news about the Begin Center, our events and invitations for upcoming programs. This bulletin list is an opt-in list which means that our readers have requested to be on it. If this is not the case, please refer to the bottom of this email and unsubscribe. If you have any trouble unsubscribing, you may simply reply to this email and request to be taken off the list.

DECEMBER EVENTS

There will be three major events at the Begin Center in December.On December 21, the Begin Center, in cooperation with the International Cultural Center of Krakow, the Krakow Landsmanchaft and several other organizations, will open "A World Before Catastrophe", a view of the Jewish community in Krakow between the two World Wars.On December 23, the Begin Prize will be awarded to Dr. Reuven Or of Hadassah Hospital and certificates of honor will go to Prof. Moshe Arens and Harold "Smoky" Simon. Participants in the PERACH program will also be honored at this ceremony. On December 30, the Begin Center will award academic scholarships for university level research work done in fields about Menachem Begin and/or other related topics.

VISITOR COMMENTS

• "We will never forget this visit to this amazing museum, a tribute to a giant of a man." – South Africa and Los Angeles
• "I always believed, and after visiting the museum I am convinced, that Menachem Begin loved the people of his country, did everything for their benefit and was unique in his honesty and integrity. May his memory be blessed." - Israel

Visit our other blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center

6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL

972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 8, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 8
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 455,254

December 1948:
Menachem Begin's First US Visit (part 2)

This week we present Part 2 of the three-part series on Menachem Begin's first visit to the United States based on a recent donation of archival materials given to the Begin Center Archives by Mrs. Estelle Friedman.
In response to our previous article, we received emails from David Krakow and Estelle Friedman informing us of the name of the young man in the picture last week with Menachem Begin and Mrs. Jabotinsky. It was Seymour (Simcha) Rosenberg at the age of 24 who replaced Moshe Arens as Natsiv of American Betar in September 1948. The picture was taken at the Diplomat Hotel in New York. We also heard from Mr. Rosenberg's daughter, Meira, who confirmed the information. We thank them for taking the time to write and contributing details to the material in our archives.
We invite our readers to convey to us any additional information about this visit and, of course, our Archives awaits any historical records related to Menachem Begin (letters, documents, pictures and newspaper clippings) you possess which can be scanned and returned, if need be.

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In The Jewish Ledger dated December 8, 1948, Simon Bloom describes Menachem Begin, his speeches and his first visit to the US. He says:

I had no idea of the type of person I was expecting to see, but considering the exploits of the Irgun, and the fact that it was they who made it so uneasy for the British that they got out of Palestine, I wasn't prepared to see a 'melamed'.
That was my first impression of Begin. That's what he looked like and that's what he talked like. But don't get the wrong idea, because I use the word 'melamed'. I don't mean a man with a long beard. … It's the appearance of Begin that gives the feeling, hard to shake off, that the man is a dreamer, an idealist. And he must have as the core of his inner-drive the same burning convictions which shaped the life of another dreamer of another faith, Ignatius Loyola. …
During that span, from my first to my last attempts to pigeon-hole him, I find myself still of the conviction that here is a dreamer who will continue to make events and shape destiny. …
He gave his talk to his audience extemporaneously. He seemed to be reading a speech part of the time, but there was no reading. It was his manner of talking. At times he would lift his head and gaze aloft at the audience. On one such occasion he said softly, "Now you have seen what a 'terrorist' looks like," referring to himself. "I will tell you about another terrorist, but he is not here, only his picture and spirit are here." He turned reverently to the picture of Dov Bel Gruner which flanked the dais on one side with the pictures of Jabotinsky on the other. …
[In referring to the men who joined him on the tour of the US, Begin said,] "These heroic soldiers will be good citizens in the land of Israel tomorrow." … "Our war was a war for survival. What would have happened to us if we did not wage that war is no longer a secret. It is public knowledge now that the Jewish Agency had accepted the Morrison Plan on condition that it be given the right to distribute the monthly quota of four thousand immigration certificates. And this we know too, that the British would have been very happy to exterminate us completely in Palestine. Were it not for our war of liberation, we would have been left in a ghetto, without arms and helpless and on D-Day we would have met in the heart of Asia, the same fate which our brethren met in the heart of Europe. …
[In the words of another member of the delegation in regard to the time when the Haganah was turning in wanted Irgun members,] There was resentment in the Irgun about the wanted [men] to fight back against the Haganah. This would mean civil war. Begin said the decision was up to the eight [commanders]. They could fight back against the Haganah if they wanted. If they did that they might destroy the nation. Or if they didn't make that choice, then the Irgun might itself be destroyed. It was a dramatic scene as Benjamin described it. Here in their hands eight men held perhaps the destiny of a nation. Could they fight back against the Haganah or should they risk their own destruction and perhaps with that destruction the one factor that would drive the British out of Israel.
The thing that made their minds up for them were the other words that Begin said. Solemnly he told them if you decide to fight against the Haganah, you will fight without me. I will walk out now and you are free to choose from among yourselves a new commander. The choice is yours – civil war and disunity among all our people without me at your side, or my continuation as commander and the avoidance of bloodshed among our own people. We have but one enemy and that enemy is Britain.
Menachem Begin was asked at the Newark press conference a question "Of what significance is the proposed acceptance of the state of Israel in the UN to the Freedom party [the Herut Party] and to the future of the state of Israel?" He answered, "I don't think it will be accepted and if it will be it will not be to the advantage of Israel because it can only be on a compromise basis and it will necessitate the surrender of additional territory by the Israeli government. …
The UN has shelved the application for membership, but due to the difference in time, the shelving was not known then.

Hamshooshalayim

December is a very special time in Jerusalem. For the third year in a row, the Menachem Begin Heritage Center has participated in the initiative—Hamshooshalayim--of the Jerusalem Municipality to encourage tourism to Jerusalem in December. "Hamshoosh" refers to the Israeli slang term of a long weekend—Thursday, Friday, Saturday (i.e., Hamishi, Shishi, Shabbat). For three weekends in December, entrance to many museums, tourist sites and other entertainment options are free of charge or at a discount. On Fridays, many special walking tours of the city are provided, some of which are free of charge and some at a discount. Both English and Hebrew tours are available.
The Begin Center was fully booked last Thursday night from 9:00pm to 12:30am and is fully booked for the next two weeks. So many people requested reservations that due to limited space in the museum, some were unfortunately unable to get a reservation.
Not only tourists from abroad attend Hamshooshalayim events. Many people have come from all over Israel to participate. And many of those people have come especially to the Begin Center.

Visitor Comments

· "Menachem Begin was a very special Prime Minister. His life was lived with lofty goals and he accomplished so much for us. Thank you."
· "A wonderful experience to share Menachem Begin's life in a multi-media presentation. Very much appreciated."

Visit our other blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il http://www.begincenter.org.il/

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 6, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 6
November 27, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 451,328

Launch of the IGF Website

One of the Begin Center's new successful programs, the Israel Government Fellows program, has launched its website this week. As mentioned in this bulletin previously, the Israel Government Fellows program, under the auspices of the Begin Center and MASA (a program of the government of Israel and the Jewish Agency), gathers together young Jewish leaders from countries around the world to live in Jerusalem, work in government offices, learn about Israel and reconfirm their commitment and connection to Israel.
Menachem Begin spoke often about the need for a responsible, dynamic government. In his May 15, 1948 speech, broadcast over the Irgun clandestine radio, he said:
"And within our Homeland, justice shall be the supreme ruler, the ruler over all rulers. There must be no tyranny. The Ministers and officials must be the servants of the nation and not their masters. There must be no exploitation…'Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue' will be the guiding principle in our relations amongst ourselves. We will protect our state well, our Israel. It is for these goals and principles and in the framework of democracy that the Herut Movement will struggle…”
Thus, in the spirit of these elements of his heritage, the Begin Center launched the Israel Government Fellows initiative which is now in its third session. We invite you to visit and explore the new website, www.israelgovernmentfellows.org.il, view the short film and let us know what you think.

Ministry of Education Annual Conference

Once again, the Begin Center hosted to the annual conference of the Ministry of Education's Youth and Society Unit of the Jerusalem District this past week on Monday, Nov. 24. Some 250 educators, principals, teachers, youth workers and bureaucrats convened, making full use of the Center's convention facilities including six workshops. Special guests included mayor-elect Nir Barakat and panelists Prof. Oz Almog and Gen. (ret.) and former IDF Chief-of-Staff Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon who addressed the conference's theme of Identity and Identification. The Jerusalem District, it should be noted, extends from the Shiloh area in the North to Hebron in the South and from Jericho in the East to Mevasseret Zion in the West.

Inaugural Course Starts at the Begin Center

A new initiative has been launched at the Begin Center consisting of lecture series on a variety of subjects. The first course met for its first meeting this week. Dr. Shelly Goldberg, a professor at Bar Ilan University, is presenting the course "Meeting on the Edge of Kabbalah" which will have five sessions. Fifty people registered and paid for the course and will continue through the rest of the series.
Dr. Goldberg is also one of the lecturers for the Parashat HaShavua lecture series. This year she will be the primary lecturer for the third book of the Torah, Leviticus.

Evening of Hebrew Songs at the Begin Center

The first of seven evenings of the History of Hebrew Songwriting was held at the Begin Center this week. 170 people attended the first performance featuring the work of Abraham Shlonsky and Alexander Penn. Nahum Heyman, a well-known Israeli composer, was the master of ceremonies at the event which utilized rare film clips of Jerusalem and the poets themselves as well as many pictures. The audience enjoyed joining in the singing—which was encouraged—and was treated to additional performances by Ofer Kalaf.
The next such evening will be on January 6, 2009 and will feature the work of Nathan Alterman. Tickets are 40NIS and reservations can be made at (02) 565-2020, ext. 0.

Seen and Heard at the Begin Center

Amnon Ben Ami, Deputy Director of the Prime Minister's Office, stopped by the Begin Center to meet with Herzl Makov, the Chairman of the Begin Center. Ben Ami and his staff also visited the museum.

Visit our other blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010
offices@begincenter.org.il www.begincenter.org.il

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 5, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 5
November 20, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 449,529

Begin Prize 2008

As has been done for the past eight years, the Menachem Begin Heritage Center will present the Menachem Begin Prize during Chanukah. The Prize Ceremony will be conducted on the evening of the lighting of the third candle of Chanukah on December 23, 2008. This year's Prize will be awarded to Prof. Reuven Or, Director of the Department of Bone Marrow Transplant at Hadassah Hospital, who initiated a national program in Israel for a bone marrow bank. Awards of Honor this year will go to Prof. Moshe Arens for his work towards the security of Israel and his more recent historical work illuminating the actions of the Betar in the Underground during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and to Harold "Smoky" Simon for his contribution to the Israel Air Force during the War of Independence and more recently for his untiring work as Honorary Treasurer of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and as Chairman of World Machal.

"A World Before Catastrophe"

On December 21st, a new exhibition will open at the Begin Center. In cooperation with the International Cultural Center of Krakow, Poland, the Begin Center will host the exhibit "A World Before Catastrophe" which depicts Jewish life in Krakow, Poland, before World War II. The exhibition will be on view at the Begin Center until April 2009.

Traffic Changes

As a follow-up to last week's story about the traffic changes around the Begin Center, here are a few pictures illustrating the new signage and the adjustments made to the intersection.

31 Years Ago

On 19 November 1977, President of Egypt Anwar Sadat arrived in Jerusalem at the invitation of Prime Minister Menachem Begin. After Sadat spoke at the Knesset, Begin responded:
"We believe with all our hearts that the day indeed will come when we can sign a freely negotiated agreement with mutual respect. Then we shall know that the era of the war is over; that we have extended our hands to one another, we have shaken each other's hands and the future can be glorious for all the nations in this area."

Seen and Heard at the Begin Center

Commissioner of Police in Jerusalem Aharon Franco toured the Begin Museum with his senior staff.

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Forty young leaders of the General Assembly came to visit the Begin Museum and afterwards held their special meetings here.

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A seminar was held for the Hebrew University-sponsored Outstanding Ethiopian Young Leadership with 30 participants led by Dr. Shalva Weil, President of the Society for the Study of Ethiopian Jewry Senior Researcher-Research Institute for Innovation in Education. They were addressed by Yisrael Medad, Information Resources Director, on Begin’s role in the liberation of Ethiopian Jewry.

* * * * *

The Yerucham-Miami Federation Partnership meeting (as part of the General Assembly) made an international conference call from the Nathan Silver Executive Board Room at the Begin Center and subsequently making full use of the Center's facilities for their deliberations and planning for the coming year.

Visit our blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il http://www.begincenter.org.il/

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 4, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 4
November 13, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 448,034

The History of Hebrew Songwriting

Nahum Heyman, an Israeli composer, will do a series of performances at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center called "Chapters in the History of Hebrew Songwriting". Each month Eyman will focus on different poets and songwriters. The evenings will be stages as a multi-media performance including sing-a-longs with the audience, short video clips, storytelling and other audio-visual elements. The schedule is as follows:
November 25, 2008
Abraham Shlonsky, Alexander Penn
December 30, 2008
Natan Alterman
January 1, 2009
Mordechai Zeira, Ya'acov Orland
February 24, 2009
Leah Goldberg, Rahel
March 24, 2009
David Zahavi, Matityahu Shalem
May 19, 2009
Chaim Nahman Bialik, Shaul Tchernichovsky
June 9, 2009
BILU Pioneers, 4th Aliyah
Tickets to each show are 40NIS and reservations can be made at (02) 565-2020, ext. 0.

On the Lighter Side…

In a review of her new cookbook on the subject of Hamin, the traditional winter dish, also known as cholent in Yiddish, Sherry Ansky has a story, memory or literary quote to go with the recipes. Ansky spoke of her life and mentioned her father's correspondence with Menachem Begin about the Bible. Her father, Prof. Haim Gvaryahu, was a Bible scholar and together with Mr. Begin renewed the custom of conducting study sessions of the Bible at Prime Minister Begin's home on Saturday evenings after the Shabbat.
As our readers are probably aware, the idea for the Parashat HaShavua lecture series was born out of these study sessions. The Begin Center archives was also the recipient of a collection of audio tapes recording the radio broadcasts of some of the study sessions.

Traffic Changes Around the Begin Center

In preparation for the light rail system, and because of it, the streets near and adjacent to the Begin Center have undergone major changes and sidewalks have been repaved.
At the intersection of David Remez Street (between the Center and the Old Railway Station & the Khan Theater), Nahon Street and King David Street, officially known as the Mendes-France Circle, traffic lights have been repositioned. The section of Emek Refa'im Street just south of the Center, opposite the parking lot of the Liberty Bell Garden, has had its lanes reoriented and now there is a special bus lane in the direction of the King David Hotel.
Unfortunately, for the moment, there are significant traffic jams in the morning as now all the traffic from Emek Refa'im and Derech Bet Lehem flows into one traffic lane towards the center of town.

Activities in the Education Department

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center's Education department continues its activities. Already a Junior Knesset workshop session was conducted with pupils from Ort Geulah. In addition, soldiers and Border Policemen continue to arrive at the Center to participate in either a special leadership workshop or the new synergy workshop. In the coming week, we expect 50 soldiers who serve in the framework of the International Relations Unit of the IDF on the Israel-Egypt border to undergo leadership and management skills training at the Center.

Visitors

William Hess of New Orleans, Louisiana, came to the Begin Center with his wife Susan this week. They were in Israel to participate in the Jewish Agency meetings and the WZO meetings.

Visit our blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il www.begincenter.org.il

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 3, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 3
November 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 447,126

Marking 30 Days

Upon the occasion of the ‘Shloshim’ to mark thirty days since the passing of the Founder and President of the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation Harry (Zvi) Hurwitz z"l, a memorial ceremony took place on Sunday, November 2, 2008 at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Jerusalem. The unveiling of the stone marker was done at an earlier ceremony on that day at the cemetery.
At the cemetery, many of Harry Hurwitz's close friends and family gathered to unveil the stone marker which was engraved with the words ברהיטות ובהדר נאבק למען עמו, באהבה ובמסירות דאג למשפחתו in Hebrew (“With fluent clarity and Hadar he struggled on behalf of his People, With love and dedication he cared for his Family”). Freda Hurwitz stood surrounded by her family, while the ceremony was conducted by Josef Wittelson. Harry's son, Dr. Hillel Hurwitz, recited Kaddish following the appropriate psalms related to Harry's Hebrew name, Zvi read by Hillel; Harry's grandson, Ilan Hurwitz; and Harry's grandson-in-law, Jay Wohlgelernter. The El Maleh Rachamim was sung. Following tradition, psalms were read relating to the letters of Neshama. In attendance at this ceremony were Menachem Begin's son, Dr. Beny Begin; former Speaker of the Knesset, MK Reuben Rivlin, who read one of the psalms. The unveiling ceremony ended with the singing of the Betar anthem.
The ceremony at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center was crowded with friends and admirers of Harry Hurwitz. The MC and first speaker was Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Begin Center, followed by Moshe Fuksman-Sha'al, Deputy Director of the Begin Center. Other speakers were Yisrael Medad, Educational and Information Resources Coordinator at the Begin Center who read Mishnayot; Sharon Wohlgelernter, Harry Hurwitz's granddaughter; Rafi Harlev, representing the extended family; Hertzel Katz, Raphael Melmed and Yechiel Kadishai, three long-time friends of Harry Hurwitz. Each person who spoke knew Harry in a different way and together wove the portrait of a devoted family man, a leader of his community, a champion of the legacy of Menachem Begin, a true Betari; a man whose humor, speaking ability and drive combined to inspire others to follow in his footsteps. The ceremony ended with a short PowerPoint presentation of pictures from Harry's life and a video of the last interview he did for English-language Israel TV a fortnight prior to his passing. Also in attendance at the ceremony were Dr. Beny Begin, Uzi Landau and Dan Meridor.

Increase of Visitors over the Holiday Period

The holiday period of 2008 showed an increase of 1,000 visitors in comparison with the same period last year. This is due to the broad-reaching radio commercial campaign launched by the Begin Center. The commercials were aired on four radio channels in Israel and utilized the voice of Chairman of the Center, Herzl Makov, as well as an excerpt from Menachem Begin's famous speech that he gave in 1948 on the birth of the State of Israel. The result of the campaign was that the museum was filled to capacity every day and visitors were unfortunately turned away.

Workshop for Policemen at the Begin Center

Under the direction of the Educational Activities branch of the Begin Center, one hundred police officers, who are team leaders and sergeants, came to the Begin Center on Tuesday to participate in a workshop on synergy and leadership. The officers first went through the museum and then gathered together in the workshop forum.
Based on Menachem Begin's emphasis on democracy and leadership, the purpose of the workshop is to teach democratic principles and synergistic teamwork so that these officers, in leadership positions, will learn how to work together for the best possible result.
The Educational Activities team is planning four more of the synergy and leadership workshops for soldiers this month.

Visit our blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il www.begincenter.org.il

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 2, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 2
October 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 445,720

From the Pages of History:
October 28, 1956

On the eve of the Sinai campaign launched on Oct. 29, 1956 David Ben-Gurion asked Menachem Begin to visit him at his home in Tel Aviv. Given the strained and even hostile relations between the two, the event was unique. Begin arrived at Ben-Gurion’s home where he found the Prime Minister sick in bed with a high fever. Begin was surprised when Ben-Gurion informed him that Israel was to attack Egypt the next day in cooperation with England and France. Ben-Gurion explained that he desired maximum Knesset support and although his coalition policy was “without Herut and without Maki (the Communist Party)”, Ben-Gurion told Begin that in matters of state security, he trusted him implicitly.
As the late Eric Silver recorded in his Begin biography, p. 122, Begin had been campaigning for a ‘preventive war’ for almost a year and responded to Ben-Gurion: “I applaud your courageous decision. You can depend on our support.”
This could have been the start of a rapprochement but Ben-Gurion’s capitulation to American pressure in January and the decision to withdraw before assuring Israel’s defense needs, renewed the parliamentary battling in the Knesset between the two.

Marking 30 Days

Upon the occasion of the ‘Shloshim’ to mark the passing of the Founder and President of the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation Harry (Zvi) Hurwitz z"l, a memorial ceremony will take place on Sunday, November 2, 2008 at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Jerusalem. The unveiling of the stone marker will be done at an earlier ceremony on that day at the cemetery. Please call 02-565-2020 for a place at either ceremony.

Prof. Levin's Book Launched

The Seminar Room was filled to overflowing on Sunday evening, October 26th, with persons who came to honor Professor Menachem Levin who has recently published a book of his memoirs. The speakers included Herzl Makov, Center Chairman, Prof. Yaakov Shavit, Yossi Achimeir, Prof. Hillel Weiss, Prof. Moshe Arens. Levin is one of the veteran Revisionists, who had worked with Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Menachem Begin, had served in various roles, both in the Underground and legal political activity as well as pursuing an outstanding academic career both in Israel and abroad as a guest lecturer and researcher. Prof. Levin even until this day continues to be involved in the issues of the rights to the Land of Israel, the security of the country and its economic and intellectual well-being.
Prof. Levin, in thanking the assembled members of the audience, emphasized how pleased he was that he merited that his book launch was held at the Begin Center, where the man he identified with, respected and served is memorialized. Prof. Levin, who is soon to be 91 and is significantly visually impaired, nevertheless continues his academic profession and the day after the event, flew off to lecture at New York University for the coming two months.

Mazal Tov!

To Dr. Micha Goodman, the popular lecturer of the Parshat HaShavua, and his wife Tzipi, the proud parents of twin girls. We wish a hearty Mazal Tov to the whole family, which includes the happy grandfather Mr. Arthur Fried.

Note to our readers: Now that we are past the holiday season, we hope to publish the News Bulletin regularly on Thursdays.

Visit our blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il http://www.begincenter.org.il/

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 1, Vol. 5

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 5, Issue 1
October 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 442,273

Begin Fellows Honored in Special Ceremony

A ceremony and luncheon was held to honor three of our very special donors—Begin Fellows—who have committed to a continuous yearly contribution to support the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation. The additional funds help make up the shortfall created by budget cuts in the government so that the Begin Center activities will continue irrespective of financial issues within the government. The Begin Center's mission is to commemorate the life, words and deeds of Menachem Begin and to pass on his heritage to future generations which can only be done with a consistent and thriving budget. These donors are helping to ensure that the activities, publications, research and preservation will continue from generation to generation.
The Begin Fellows honored at this ceremony are: Mark and Anna Ruth Hasten of Indiana, Eugen and Jean Gluck of New York and the Silver Family Foundation of Ontario, represented by Aaron Silver. They join previous honorees Hart and Simona Hasten of Indiana, Rose Lax of Ontario and Matti Drobles of Israel. Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Begin Center, welcomed everyone to the meeting, said a few words to honor Harry Hurwitz saying that his loss is deeply felt at the Center and noting that Harry's latest initiative was this ceremony to honor these donors, and he gave an update on activities at the Center then turned the floor over to "Smoky" Simon, Honorary Treasurer of the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation, to give a brief report on the status of the Foundation. Yechiel Kadishai said a few words of thanks on behalf of the Finance Committee. Each Begin Fellow received a certificate, a replica of Menachem Begin's Nobel Prize Medal and a lapel pin. Other honored guests were Dr. Beny Begin, MK Reuven Rivlin, Hart Hasten, President of the US Friends of the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation and Mrs. Freda Hurwitz.
After the ceremony, the group went to the restaurant downstairs for luncheon.

Begin Center Busy During Sukkot

The cultural events organized by the Menachem Begin Heritage Center over the Sukkot holiday were especially successful with quite impressive numbers of participants.
* The day-long symposium under the auspices of the Jerusalem Municipality 'Sha'arayich' initiative on the topic of "In God We Trust": US & Israel Models of Religion and State drew between 40 and 100 persons at each of the four sessions. Each session was addressed by outstanding academic lecturers from Israel's leading universities and other educational institutions.
* As popular as ever, learning sessions at the Begin Center are drawing overflow crowds. The unique Hoshana Rabba all-night learning program of four different lectures from Dr. Iddo Chevroni, Dr. Shelly Goldberg, Dr. Micha Goodman and Yirmi Stavitzky was so well attended that in addition to the Reuben Hecht Auditorium, a seminar room was required for closed-circuit broadcast of the speakers. This event is in anticipation of the Rohr Family Parshat HaShavua weekly lecture series which will begin with B'reisheet on Thursday October 23, at 7pm. Dr. Iddo Chevroni, a member of the academic staff of the Mandel Leadership Institute, the Shalem Institute's Biblical Literature studies and of Herzog College, will be the lecturer for the book of B'reisheet. We expect, as in previous years, that the Parshat HaShavua will be hugely popular bringing an audience to the Begin Center of young, old, religious, secular, men and women who will all learn the portion of the week together for an hour. Menachem Begin liked to learn the portion of the week and was quite committed to the study of the Torah. At a certain point in his years as Prime Minister, the study group lectures and discussions were broadcast live on the radio and recorded. The Begin Center's archives hold this very interesting and valuable collection of recordings.
* In addition to the various special events, the Begin Museum was open for extended hours from 9AM to 7PM and up to 500 people a day went through the exhibit during the Chol HaMoed intermediate days of Sukkot.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, October 26—Book Launch: The book launch of the memoirs of Prof. Menachem Levin, a Jabotinsky Movement veteran, will be held beginning at 6:30 PM at the Begin Center. The speakers will include Herzl Makov, Center Chairman, Prof. Yaakov Shavit, Yossi Achimeir, Prof. Hillel Weiss, Prof. Moshe Arens. Prof. Levin will respond. The event will be conducted in Hebrew.

Visit our other blog: http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010 offices@begincenter.org.il http://www.begincenter.org.il/

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 54, Vol. 4

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 4, Issue 54
October 16, 2008

Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 441,082

Mark Your Calendars:
Sukkot Events at the Begin Center

As we have traditionally done during the extra Chol HaMoed days of Sukkot, the Begin Center will have extended hours to visit the Museum and special educational and cultural activities.

Sunday, October 19—Symposium: A full day colloquium from 10 o'clock in the morning until 5:30 in the afternoon, under the auspices of the Jerusalem Municipality 'Sha'arayich' initiative, devoted to the subject "In God We Trust" – Religion and State: The American Versus the Israel Model". Participants in the event include Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Prof. Yedidyah Stern, Dr. Micha Goodman, Prof. Avi Diskin, Dr. Ophir Ivri, Prof. Michael Rosenak and others. This event will be in Hebrew.

Sunday-Monday, October 19-20—All Night Learning: The eve of Hoshana Raba program will mark the opening of the fourth year of the Rohr Family Parshat haShavua weekly lectures. The four presenters will also be the lecturers who will give the weekly talks during the year, Dr. Iddo Chevroni, Dr. Shelly Goldberg, Dr. Micha Goodman and Yirmi Stavitzky. The Hoshana Raba program will begin at 9 PM and is also in Hebrew.

Thursday, October 23—Parshat haShavua, B'reisheet: The weekly Parshat HaShavua lectures, sponsored by the Rohr Family will renew as of Thursday evening, Oct. 23rd, at 7 PM. The book of B'reisheet will be dealt with by Dr. Iddo Chevroni, a member of the academic staff of the Mandel Leadership Institute, the Shalem Institute's Biblical Literature studies and of Herzog College. This event is in Hebrew.

Sunday, October 26—Book Launch: The book launch of the memoirs of Prof. Menachem Levin, a Jabotinsky Movement veteran, will be held beginning at 6:30 PM at the Begin Center. The speakers will include Herzl Makov, Center Chairman, Prof. Yaakov Shavit, Yossi Achimeir, Prof. Hillel Weiss, Prof. Moshe Arens. Prof. Levin will respond. The event will be conducted in Hebrew.

In the News: Memories of Begin

Yael Lotan, of Ha'aretz, wrote a reminiscence of her childhood in which Menachem Begin was mentioned. She relates his election as commander of the Irgun:
"When Begin arrived in Mandate Palestine, he was a veteran in the Beitar Movement, and it was only natural for him to be in contact with my father, Binyamin (Benno) Lubotsky, a central figure in the movement at the time.
The commander of the Etzel underground then was Yaakov Meridor, but he … wanted to step down. One night, the heads of the movement met at our house in order to choose whom to appoint in his place. … That night (in August 1942, according to my father's memoirs), they decided to appoint Menachem Begin as commander of Etzel, in place of Meridor. At the end of the meeting, my father accompanied the members as they left. Once outside, someone suggested they go raise a glass (perhaps at Fink's, the legendary bar?)…"
Please visit our blog to read the rest of the article:
http://begincenterdiary.blogspot.com/2008/10/recalling-menachem-begin.html

From the Pages of History

October 6 was the 27th anniversary of President Anwar Sadat's assassination. Menachem Begin held their friendship in great respect and he made an extraordinary effort to be present at the funeral which fell on a Saturday, the Sabbath. Begin made special arrangements to honor both the Sabbath and his friend with whom he signed Israel's first peace treaty with an Arab country. Jehan Sadat, the widow of Anwar Sadat, said of Begin:
"I will never forget how Prime Minister Menachem Begin came to Cairo for the funeral of my husband. It was on Saturday and it was hot, and Menachem Begin insisted on walking the entire way on foot [from the hotel to the funeral] because of the holiness of the Sabbath. That won over my heart."

Sia'h v'Sig Tournament at the Center

Last week, eighteen students of Sia'h v'Sig—Israel's Debate Society—competed before nine judges last week to finalize the team that will be sent by Israel to international debate competitions in the upcoming months. Students came prepared for one debate and were given one hour to prepare their positions for their second debate. The winners will compete against other high-schoolers in international competitions in Canada and Europe, with the most important competition to be held in Athens. The Begin Center, in the past, has cooperated on various projects of the society connected to art of rhetoric, in the spirit of Menachem Begin's well-known eloquence.

Visitor Comments

"Powerful memories of 30 years ago when I was Mr. Begin's close friend and physician at Hadassah Hospital. His words and work toward peace still fill my heart and memories. With this kind of leadership, peace could be ours even today." – Israel

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The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010

offices@begincenter.org.il www.begincenter.org.il

Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 53, Vol. 4

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 4, Issue 53
October 7, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 441,046

Goodbye, Harry

The funeral of the founder of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and the President of the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation, Harry Hurwitz, took place on Friday, Oct. 3 at the Har Tamir section of the Har Menuchot Cemetery in the area reserved for members of the Irgun Tzvai Leumi.
In the presence of his family, his wife, Freda, son, Hillel, daughter-in-law Jennifer, grandchildren Nirit, Ilan and Sharon and her husband, Jay, together with hundreds of friends, comrades, admirers and fellow workers, the traditional Jewish service was conducted with decorum and respect.
The ceremony was introduced by Yosef Wittelson, a fomer Irgun fighter imprisoned at British detainee camps in Africa. He recalled Harry’s aid with others of the Revisionist Movement in South Africa on their behalf.
Former Defense Minister and Foreign Minister Moshe Arens, former Speaker of the Knesset MK Reuven Rivlin, Dr. Beny Begin, son of Menachem Begin and MK Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud Chairman and Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center eulogized Harry at the service. In addition, Dr. Hillel Hurwitz and Nirit Hurwitz spoke on behalf of the family. Moshe Arens said that in his work with Harry at the Israel Embassy in Washington DC, Harry was a tremendous help in public diplomacy efforts because of his broad knowledge and excellent speaking skills. MK Binyamin Netanyahu praised Harry's efforts in building the Begin Center and marveled at his fundraising ability. MK Reuven Rivlin said that Harry's life effort was Zionism and the Begin Center was the crowning achievement. He mentioned a conversation they had regarding the fact that he came from a family that immigrated to Israel 200 years ago, but he felt that Harry had an advantage over him, because Harry had to make the decision to leave the land he grew up in—in essence living the dream of Zionism—whereas he was born here, never having had the experience of having to choose Zionist ideals. Dr. Beny Begin said that only a person who had a complete belief in the justice of his cause could speak so convincingly of his cause and that describes Harry's devotion to Zionism and the land of Israel. Herzl Makov talked about his partnership of 10 years with Harry. He quoted the late Shmuel Katz, who wrote in a premature obituary, that "we lost a noble spirit." The Jerusalem Post published an obituary for Harry in 2001 by mistake and asked Shmuel Katz to write a few words. Makov said that the excellent tribute while premature at the time was true then, and is even more true today.
Dr. Hillel Hurwitz and Nirit Hurwitz spoke as representatives of the family. Dr. Hillel Hurwitz outlined Harry's life as a man and spoke of the loss of not only his father, but really of his best friend. Nirit Hurwitz said that as Harry's granddaughter, she knew very little about his work because when Harry was with the family, the family was the only thing that mattered and that today, she had lost the best grandfather.
All the speakers reminded everyone present that Harry lived a full life and gave himself totally to every endeavor. He was an active Zionist leader, a loyal supporter of Menachem Begin, a dynamic public speaker, a tireless fundraiser, a good friend, a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Each person that knew him had a special relationship with him feeling that Harry gave him or her the entirety of his attention. Each person counted himself or herself blessed to have known him.
After the traditional graveside ceremony, the members of Betar who were present sang the Betar Anthem.

Thank You to All who Sent Condolences

Thank you very much to all who sent condolences this week. They have been collected and will be presented to the family. Your kind wishes and thoughts are a tribute to Harry Hurwitz and his impact on many people around the world. May his memory be a blessing to us all.
Tributes and condolences can be sent to the Begin Center at 6 Nahon Street, Jerusalem, 94110, ISRAEL, or via email to ilanab@begincenter.org.il. Condolences can be sent to the family at HaNachal 4/2, Givat Tzarfatit, Jerusalem.

Shana Tova and G'mar Hatima Tova

We wish all our readers a Shana Tova, a G'mar Hatima Tova and a meaningful fast over Yom Kippur—a year of success, health and happiness for all of us and for Israel.
We also remind our readers that due to the holiday season the Bulletin may not be published every week.

Events Continue at the Begin Center

Reverend Robert Stearns celebrated his birthday at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. He was received by Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Begin Center. Rev. Stearns expressed his commitment to the heritage of Menachem Begin and the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and promised to send his Israel Experience students, as well as missions from the US to the Begin Center.

In Memoriam

The Begin Center extends its condolences to Dov Shilansky on the passing of his wife Rachel. Mr. Shilansky was a former speaker of the Knesset, an Irgun commander in Italy and Germany, and came to Israel on the Altalena.

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Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 52, Vol. 4

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 4, Issue 52
October 7, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 440,625

Begin Center Founder Passes Away

Harry Zvi Hurwitz, Founder and President of the Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation, passed away on October 1. He worked a full day on Sunday and went to celebrate the Rosh Hashana holiday with his family. In the evening, he suffered a massive heart attack. Unfortunately, all attempts at resuscitation failed.
Harry Hurwitz was born in Latvia in 1924 and in 1934 his family arrived in South Africa. He grew up in the Betar Movement and assumed a leadership role having initiated many youth groups and activities, including Betar Camp. He became very active in the leadership of the Zionist Revisionist Organization and was for many years the editor of the Jewish Herald of Johannesburg. He was a well-known figure in the South African Jewish community.
Harry met Menachem Begin in 1946 in Tel Aviv when Begin was still leader of the Irgun and they maintained their personal friendship as well as their professional relationship until Begin's death in 1992. Harry spoke with Menachem Begin about making aliyah, but Begin told him that he still had much work to do in South Africa and that when he would be Prime Minister, he would call Harry to his government. And that was indeed what happened. In 1977, Menachem Begin assumed the premiership and called Harry the same day. On May 18, 1978, Harry and Freda Hurwitz arrived in Israel and three days later, Harry was at the Prime Minister's Office starting work.
During his years of service in Israel's government, he worked in the Prime Minister's Office as an advisor to Begin in External Information and World Jewry and he was stationed in Israel's embassy in the United States as the Minister of Information. After Begin left office, Harry continued to work with Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir as the advisor on World Jewry.
Harry was in South Africa when he heard about Menachem Begin's death. He announced on that very day that there would be established a Menachem Begin Heritage Center to remember the life, words and deeds of Menachem Begin. His vision was to create an institution similar to an American Presidential Library in Israel and he worked non-stop to fulfill that vision. In 1998, the Knesset passed the Begin Commemoration Law paving the way for the creation of a Heritage Center and the following year, the Foundation Stone was laid. The Menachem Begin Heritage Center was officially opened on June 16, 2004. Harry was at his desk every day working to ensure the Menachem Begin Heritage Center's continuation from generation to generation.
Apart from establishing the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Harry also wrote a book about Menachem Begin, Begin: His Life, Words and Deeds, that is in its third edition.
He is survived by his wife Freda, his son Hillel and his daughter-in-law Jennifer, his grandchildren Nirit, Ilan and Sharon and her husband Jay, and his two great-grandsons, Boaz and Eitan.
The funeral will be in Jerusalem at Har Hamenuchot Cemetery at 11:00AM on Friday October 3. The shiva will be at the Hurwitz home at Hanachal 4/2 in Givat Tzarfatit in Jerusalem. Condolences may be sent there or to the Begin Center.
His guiding hand, his words of wisdom and his tireless work will be deeply missed by everyone at the Center. His generous spirit, his warm laugh and his dedication to his family and everyone he loved will be missed by all.

Herzl Makov
Chairman
Menachem Begin Heritage Center

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Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 51, Vol. 4

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 4, Issue 51
September 29, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 440,625

Dear Friends,

For the first time, we are unable to send the regular bulletin because of the holidays falling in the middle of the weeks to follow. We will try to inform you of any important events, if they occur.

In the meantime, we send you the schedule of museum hours during the holiday season from Monday 29 September to 22 October. Anyone wishing to visit the museum during the Chol HaMoed days or other intermediary days is strongly urged to make reservations at: (972) 2 565 2020 or (972) 2 565 2011 or by email: offices@begincenter.org.il

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center ends the year תשס''ח on an unanticipated high note of numbers and activities.

Shana tova to all of you! May we all be granted good health and strength to continue our most important national task.

Herzl Makov Harry Hurwitz

Chairman Founder and President
Menachem Begin Heritage Center Menachem Begin Heritage Foundation

Museum Hours for the Holidays

September 29----- Erev Rosh Hashana----- closed
September 30 -----Rosh Hashana -----closed
October 1 -----Rosh Hashana 2nd Day -----closed
October 8 -----Erev Yom Kippur -----closed
October 9 -----Yom Kippur -----closed
October 13 -----Erev Sukkot -----9:00am to 12:30 last tour
October 14 -----Sukkot -----closed
October 15, 16, 19 -----Chol HaMoed -----9:00am to 7:00pm
October 20 -----Hoshana Raba -----9:00am to 12:30 last tour
October 21 -----Shmini Atzeret/Simhat Torah -----closed
October 22 -----Regular Hours…

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Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 50, Vol. 4

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 4, Issue 50
September 25, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 440,131

This is the new impressive wall in the Olive Tree entrance foyer of the Begin Center. The likeness of Menachem Begin was sculpted in a new method by the well-known architect Prof. Harry Brand, who was present at the unveiling with his wife Evelyn and their family. A number of VIPs were specially invited.
In brief remarks, Brand gave the background of this work which he was happy to present to the Begin Center, who in turn decided to place it where it now is.
The Hebrew is a quote from a statement by Menachem Begin which says: "Not by the right of might have we returned to the land of our forefathers but we have returned by the might of right…And therein, all its inhabitants, the citizen as well as the resident, will live in freedom and justice, in solidarity and peace."

30 Years Since Camp David
Symposium Launched at Begin Center

The Camp David symposium got off to an auspicious opening at the Begin Center on Monday night and continued through Tuesday at the Bar Ilan University.
Israel's 5th President, Yitzhak Navon, recalled in his fascinating remarks in Hebrew, Arabic and English, that even though he was not in Camp David he had a number of important and interesting discussions with President Sadat in Israel and in Egypt. He also recalled his conversations with Prime Minister Menachem Begin before and after Camp David and in the subsequent years and recounted several meetings with President Carter.
As an historian and man of history and literature, he cited a number of appropriate Arab songs and poems to illustrate the points he was making. President Navon urged Israel to continue the pursuit of peace, now and at all times.
Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, who had been at Camp David as one of the legal advisors and assistants to Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan, stressed the main issues confronting the Israel delegation and recalled a number of humorous episodes. He spoke glowingly of the role of Prime Minister Menachem Begin and President Anwar Sadat, both strong and resolute leaders who, despite all the difficulties, were determined to end the state of war between the two countries.
Prof. Shmuel Sandler, of the Bar Ilan University, apologized for the absence of its president Moshe Kaveh and read the speech he had intended to deliver, supplementing it with his own emotions and reactions to Sadat's visit to Israel, the Camp David talks and their conclusions. He paid warm tribute to Prime Minister Begin.
In opening the proceedings, Harry Hurwitz, the Founder of the Begin Center and President of the Foundation, welcomed the distinguished guests and recalled a telephone conversation he received from Prime Minister Menachem Begin in Washington, DC during Camp David. The call was intended also to be heard by those in Camp David who were listening into Begin's conversations in order to determine his intentions.
When it came to the question of Jerusalem, Prime Minister Begin refused to discuss the subject and when asked to reconsider, he told the moving story of Rabbi Amnon of Meintz which is printed in every Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur machzor to describe the author of the famous prayer Unetanah Tokef.
Later when Begin came out of Camp David and appeared before 2,000 Jews in Washington, DC he proclaimed: "I am happy to greet you in Washington, DC to bring you greetings from Jerusalem, DC. You all know what D.C. stands for—District of Columbia. Jerusalem DC stands for Jerusalem, David's City."
"To this moment I still hear the outburst of applause of the large audience when they heard Menachem Begin's declaration of faith in the Holy Eternal City, Jerusalem," Hurwitz concluded.
The Master of Ceremonies of the event was Moshe Fuksman-Sha'al, Deputy Chairman of the Begin Center, who conducted the program in a wonderful way, with appropriate quotations from Begin and about Begin.
Short musical interludes were provided by Yonatan Niv, cello, Yoel Tayeb, guitar.

Events Fill the Center

This past Tuesday evening the Commander of the Central Front of the IDF met with officers under his command in the Begin Center to bid farewell to one of the officers and the celebrate the forthcoming High Holy Day season.
Later in the week the Reuben Hecht Auditorium was filled by a large number of young women soldiers and their parents at the conclusion of a course in which they had all participated.

Visitor Comments

"The Begin Museum pays tribute to the man and his accomplishments. He deserves such a place as this. We enjoyed the tour very much." – Israel

"There should be more men like this one—Menachem Begin, my leader." – Israel

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Menachem Begin Heritage Center Bulletin 49, Vol. 4

Menachem Begin
Heritage Center, Jerusalem
Volume 4, Issue 49
September 17, 2008
Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 437,533

30 Years Since Camp David

1978: Camp David Ends, Begin Reports to Knesset

After 12 days in Camp David, Maryland, near Washington, DC, Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Israel's team were at last fee to leave and complete their journey in the US and then return to Israel. At first, Mr. Begin thought that the whole process would take three to four days, but it was not to be. The discussion between the Prime Minister and President Anwar Sadat under the patronage of the American President continued, broke down, and were resumed until an agreement was reached.
After his return to Israel, the Prime Minister made a comprehensive statement to the Knesset in which he said:
"I bring to the Knesset, and through it to the nation, the message of the establishment of peace with the strongest and largest of the Arab states; and, in the course of time, inevitably, with all our neighbors."
And Mr. Begin thanked the members of his team:
"We worked in the spirit of a team regarding every meeting between ourselves and the American delegation or every conversation between one of our members and a member of the Egyptian delegation. We would meet - whether it was day or night - for joint consultation; and each member of the delegation, without difference of status or rank, expressed his opinion freely, and everyone tried to take into consideration the view of his fellow-delegation member. Of this team, I shall say, simply: Well done.
The critical importance of the agreement with Egypt lies in the fact that this time we undertook to sign a peace treaty. No more partial agreements. No more interim agreements - in which the state of war remains as it was. But a peace treaty, which, in line with the known international models, generally opens with the following sentence: "The state of war between the two countries has come to an end." This is the difference - one of major importance. It means complete normalization of relations, including the establishment of diplomatic relations, an end to economic boycott, free movement of people and goods.
Experts on security assert and confirm that we have attained sufficient and satisfactory security conditions for the State of Israel, by laying down demilitarized zones, areas of thinned out forces and early-warning facilities."

* * * * *
Major Interviews in Yediot Ahronot

Four members of the Israel team at Camp David participated in a wide-ranging interview which the Yediot Ahronot (the largest Hebrew language daily newspaper) published in last Friday's edition. The participants were Judge Elyakim Rubinstein of Israel's Supreme Court, who was the assistant to Foreign Minister Dayan; Advocate Meir Rosenne, who was legal advisor to the Foreign Ministry; Gen. (ret.) Avraham "Abrasha" Tamir of the Ministry of Defense; and Mr. Dan Pattir, the Prime Minister's spokesman.
They all discussed the main issues at Camp David and cited some interesting and fascinating moments during the 12 days.
The main point stressed by Judge Rubenstein and endorsed by the others was that in the 60 years of Israel's existence, the first thirty years were characterized by war and bloodshed, especially with Egypt, and the second thirty year period, up to this time, was free of such major conflicts. "This represents a major change in Israel's status in the Middle East."

* * * * *

As reported last week, the Camp David meeting, discussions and break through will be the theme of the two-day symposium which the Menachem Begin Heritage Center is holding together with the Bar Ilan University on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 September.
The opening session, which will be at the Begin Center on Monday night, commences at 7:00pm. The following day there will be three discussion periods at the Bar Ilan University.
As seats are limited in both places, early reservations are strongly advised. Please call 02-565-2020 or email offices@begincenter.org.il.

60 Years Since IZL Entry into Army

A very unusual event will take place in the Begin Center on Tuesday evening, September 23, when the veterans of the Irgun Zvai Leumi will hold a ceremony to mark 60 years after the disbandment of the Irgun Zvai Leumi and the entry of its members, as units and individuals, into the army of Israel.
There are not many of these veterans left but those who are will receive an appropriate certificate to mark the occasion.
The ceremony will commence with greetings by Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center and Dr. Ephraim Even, Chairman of the Irgun Veterans Organization.
Addresses will be given by veteran Irgun commander Yitzhak Avinoam and Prof. Yehuda Lapidot.
There will be appropriate songs during the evening. The event is organized by Yehoshua Lendner of the Irgun veterans in Jerusalem.

Mazal Tov

The wedding of Dorit, daughter of Orna and Herzl Makov, Chairman of the Begin Center, to Ariel, son of Michal and Yitzhak Gispan, took place on Sunday night at the Events Garden at Tel Gezer. It was a happy, warm occasion for family and guests.
We extend our hearty Mazal Tov to the young couple and to their families.

Visitor Comments

"Very well done!" Mt. Kisco, New York, USA
"Very moving and beautiful!" Brooklyn, New York, USA

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The Menachem Begin Heritage Center
6 Nahon Street Jerusalem 94110 ISRAEL
972 (2) 565-2020; Fax: 972 (2) 565-2010

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