Faith & Fate
MIRACLE OF ISRAEL 1945 – 1948
LESSON 40 HOW ONE JEWISH AMERICAN HELPS LAUNCH THE STATE OF ISRAEL
GOALS OF THE LESSON
- A. To try to understand the pro-Zionist feelings by President Truman, and the anti-Zionist feelings of the U.S. State Department
- B. To show why the Meeting between President Truman and Chaim Weizmann was crucial, and how Eddie Jacobson brought about that meeting
- C. To discuss how one person in the right place and time can change history
View Video 2:15 min
SYNOPSIS OF FILM CLIP
When President Truman was leaning toward recognizing the Jewish state, if it would be declared, he was bitterly opposed by the Secretaries of State and Defense. The American Zionists leaders realized that only a meeting between the President and the symbol of Zionism, Chaim Weizmann, would guarantee Truman’s support for the new Jewish state, but Truman refused such a meeting. In a last-ditch effort, the Zionist leaders persuaded Eddie Jacobson, Truman’s one time business partner and friend, to meet with Truman, in order to convince him to meet with Weizmann. At the beginning of the meeting, Truman forbade Jacobson from mentioning Weizmann – the very reason Jacobson had asked for the meeting. At one point, Jacobson saw a statue of Truman’s hero, Andrew Jackson, from the White House window. He said to Truman; “Jackson is your hero. Weizmann is mine. Please meet with him”. Truman reluctantly agreed and, indeed, as a result of the Truman-Weizmann meeting, Truman agreed to recognize the new State of Israel when it was declared.
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS
- 1. Which forces within the USA government were pro-Zionist (a Jewish state should be declared) and which were anti-Zionist? Why?
- 2. Why didn’t President Truman want to meet with Chaim Weizmann? What convinced him to have this meeting and how?
- 3. Why was it so significant that Israel recognized the State of Israel (11 minutes after its Declaration of Independence)?
- 4. How did one American Jew change the course of Jewish History and American history? Which other seemingly insignificant individuals have a similar impact on history?