David Ben-Gurion facts for kids

"Ben Gurion" redirects here. For other uses, see Ben Gurion (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids David Ben-Gurion
דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן‎
Ben-Gurion in 1960

1st Prime Minister of Israel
In office 3 November 1955 – 26 June 1963
President	Yitzhak Ben-Zvi Zalman Shazar
Preceded by	Moshe Sharett
Succeeded by	Levi Eshkol
In office 17 May 1948 – 26 January 1954
President	Chaim Weizmann Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Moshe Sharett
Chairman of the Provisional State Council of Israel
In office 14 May 1948 – 16 May 1948
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Chaim Weizmann
Minister of Defense
In office 21 February 1955 – 26 June 1963
Prime Minister	Moshe Sharett Himself
Preceded by	Pinhas Lavon
Succeeded by	Levi Eshkol
In office 14 May 1948 – 26 January 1954
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Pinhas Lavon

Personal details
Born	David Grün (1886-10-16)16 October 1886 Płońsk, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
Died	1 December 1973(1973-12-01) (aged 87) Ramat Gan, Israel
Citizenship	Congress Poland Ottoman Empire Mandatory Palestine Israel
Political party	Poale Zion Ahdut HaAvoda Mapai Rafi National List
Spouse	Paula Munweis (m. 1917; died 1968)
Children	3
Alma mater	Istanbul University
Signature

David Ben-Gurion (born David Grün; October 16, 1886 – December 1, 1973) was a very important leader in the creation of the State of Israel. He became Israel's first prime minister.

Born in Płońsk, which was then part of Russian-ruled Poland, he moved to Palestine in 1906. He changed his name to Ben-Gurion in 1909. From 1935 until Israel was founded in 1948, he was the main leader of the Jewish community in British-ruled Mandatory Palestine. He then led Israel until 1963, with a short break from 1954 to 1955.

Ben-Gurion was very passionate about Zionism, which is the movement to create and support a Jewish homeland. This passion made him a key Zionist leader. As the head of the Jewish Agency from 1935, he was the unofficial leader of the Jewish community in Palestine. He guided their efforts to create an independent Jewish state. On May 14, 1948, he officially announced the creation of the State of Israel. He was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which he helped write. Ben-Gurion led Israel during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. He brought together different Jewish groups to form the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Because of his role, he is known as "Israel's founding father".

After the war, Ben-Gurion served as Israel's first prime minister and minister of defense. As prime minister, he helped build important government organizations. He also oversaw big national projects to develop the country. He managed the arrival of many Jews from all over the world, a process called Aliyah. A key part of his foreign policy was improving relationships with West Germany. He worked with their government, and West Germany provided money to make up for Jewish property taken during the Holocaust.

In 1954, he stepped down as prime minister and defense minister but stayed in the Knesset (Israel's parliament). He returned as defense minister in 1955 and became prime minister again later that year. Under his leadership, Israel responded strongly to Arab attacks. In 1956, Israel, along with British and French forces, invaded Egypt after Egypt took control of the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis.

He left office in 1963 and retired from politics in 1970. He moved to his simple "hut" in Sde Boker, a kibbutz (a community settlement) in the Negev desert. He lived there until he passed away. Time magazine later named him one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th century.

Early Life and Beginnings
Leading the Zionist Movement
Founding and Leading Israel
- Establishing the State
Later Political Life and Retirement
Awards and Recognition
Commemoration
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Beginnings

Childhood and Early Education

David Ben-Gurion was born in Płońsk, which was then part of the Russian Empire. His father, Avigdor Grün, was a legal advisor. After Theodor Herzl wrote Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State) in 1896, Avigdor helped start a Zionist group called Beni Zion. David was the youngest of three boys. His mother passed away in 1897.

Between ages 5 and 13, Ben-Gurion attended different schools. Some taught in Hebrew, which was unusual at the time. His formal schooling ended after his Bar Mitzvah. At 14, he and two friends formed a youth club called Ezra. They promoted Hebrew studies and encouraged moving to the Holy Land. The group taught Hebrew classes and raised money for Jewish communities in need.

In 1904, Ben-Gurion moved to Warsaw. He hoped to go to a technical school but didn't have the right qualifications. Instead, he taught Hebrew. He became involved in Zionist politics and joined the Poale Zion party in 1905. He was arrested twice during the Russian Revolution of 1905. In late 1905, he returned to Płońsk to work full-time for Poalei Zion. In 1906, he left Poland to go to Palestine. His father helped pay for his trip.

Moving to Palestine and Early Work

Poalei Zion's "Ezra" group in Plonsk, 1905. David Grün (David Ben-Gurion) in the first row, third on the right.

Ben Gurion with Rachel Nelkin and members of Ezra on eve of their departure to Palestine, August 1906; His father and step-mother sitting in the windows

Ben Gurion working at Rishon Lezion winery (front row, 6th from right), 1908.

Ben-Gurion arrived in Jaffa on September 7, 1906. He walked to Petah Tikva, one of the largest Jewish farming settlements. He worked as a day laborer, but it was hard to find steady work. He often had little money for food. He wrote letters home, but he didn't always share how difficult life was.

Soon after arriving, he joined the founding conference of the Jewish Social Democratic Workers' Party in the Land of Israel. He was elected to important committees and led meetings in Hebrew. The party aimed for political independence for the Jewish people in the country. They wanted Jewish and Arab economies to be separate and to create a Jewish trade union. Ben-Gurion helped set up the Jaffa Professional Trade Union Alliance.

In 1907, Ben-Gurion moved to Sejera, an agricultural training farm in Galilee. He worked on the farm and later for a family. He also took turns guarding the farm at night. In 1908, he briefly returned to Poland to avoid being forced into the Russian army, then came back to Sejera with false papers.

In 1909, he moved to Zichron Yaakov. The next spring, he was invited to join the staff of Ha'ahdut (The Unity), a new Hebrew newspaper in Jerusalem. This marked the end of his time as a farm laborer. He wrote many articles for the paper, using different pen names, until he settled on "Ben Gurion." Adopting Hebrew names was common for those who stayed in Palestine during this time. He chose Ben Gurion after the historical figure Joseph ben Gurion.

In 1911, Ben-Gurion decided to study law in Istanbul, then part of the Ottoman Empire. He first spent eight months in Salonika to learn Turkish. He later joined Yitzhak Ben-Zvi at Istanbul University.

Time in America and the Jewish Legion

Ben-Gurion in his Jewish Legion uniform, 1918

When World War I started, Ben-Gurion was at sea, returning from Istanbul. He was deported to Egypt in 1915 and then traveled to the United States. In America, he and Ben-Zvi went on a speaking tour to encourage young Jewish men to join a pioneer army. They also published books about Zionist history and the experiences of Jewish pioneers. Their book, Eretz Israel – Past and Present, was very popular and made Ben-Gurion a well-known Poale Zion leader in America.

In May 1918, Ben-Gurion joined the Jewish Legion of the British Army. He trained in Canada and served in the Sinai and Palestine campaign against the Ottomans. He was demobilized in early 1919.

Marriage and Family Life

David and Paula Ben-Gurion, 1 June 1918.

While in New York City in 1915, Ben-Gurion met Paula Munweis, who was born in Russia. They married in 1917. In 1919, Paula and their daughter, Geula, joined Ben-Gurion in Jaffa. He met his one-year-old daughter for the first time. The couple had three children: a son named Amos, and two daughters, Geula and Renana.

Leading the Zionist Movement

Building Jewish Institutions (1919-1948)

After World War I, Ben-Gurion became a key leader in the Labor Zionist movement. In 1919, he helped form Ahdut HaAvoda, a moderate labor party.

In 1920, he helped create the Histadrut, which was the main Zionist Labor Federation in Palestine. He served as its general secretary from 1921 to 1935. This organization was very important for Jewish workers and settlements.

From left: David Ben-Gurion and Paula with youngest daughter Renana on BG's lap, daughter Geula, father Avigdor Grün and son Amos, 1929

In 1930, Ben-Gurion led the creation of Mapai, a major Zionist labor party. This party became very influential. In 1935, Ben-Gurion became the chairman of the executive committee of the Jewish Agency. This made him the most important leader of the Jewish community in Palestine until Israel was created in 1948.

During the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, Ben-Gurion promoted a policy of restraint called "Havlagah". This meant Jewish groups focused on self-defense and did not always strike back for Arab attacks. In 1937, the Peel Commission suggested dividing Palestine into Jewish and Arab areas, a plan Ben-Gurion supported.

His home in Tel Aviv, where he lived from 1931, is now a historic house museum called the "Ben-Gurion House".

Views and Decisions

Ben-Gurion was known for being very decisive. He believed in making clear choices and focusing on what was most important, even if it meant facing challenges. He saw the acceptance of the 1947 partition plan as a crucial decision that allowed the State of Israel to be established.

He believed that Arabs who remained in Israel should have equal rights. He was quoted saying that an Arab should have the right to be elected president if chosen by the people. He also recognized that Palestinian Arabs had a strong connection to the land.

Regarding the British, their White Paper of 1939 limited Jewish immigration to Palestine. After this, Ben-Gurion changed his approach. He encouraged the Jewish population to join the British Army during World War II, saying they should "support the British as if there is no White Paper and oppose the White Paper as if there is no war." At the same time, he helped thousands of Jewish refugees illegally enter Palestine.

After World War II, the British did not immediately create a Jewish state and kept limits on immigration. Jewish groups, including the Haganah (the main Jewish defense force), formed the Jewish Resistance Movement and began actions against the British. Ben-Gurion approved some of these actions. Eventually, the British decided to leave Palestine. In November 1947, the United Nations approved a plan to divide Palestine. The Jewish Agency, led by Ben-Gurion, accepted this plan, but Arab leaders rejected it. This led to a civil war. Ben-Gurion's strategy was to hold strong and then launch an offensive once the British left. This strategy was successful.

Religious Views and Agreements

Ben-Gurion worked to ensure that the new state of Israel would be a place where Jewish people worldwide felt comfortable. In 1947, he made an agreement with the Orthodox Agudat Yisrael party. He promised that Israel would be a non-theocratic state with freedom of religion. He also agreed that the Shabbat would be the official day of rest, that state kitchens would provide kosher food, and that Jewish family matters would have a single legal system. This agreement largely set the framework for religious affairs in Israel today.

While he used the Bible in his speeches, Ben-Gurion described himself as not strictly religious in the traditional sense. He believed in a supreme Creator but did not follow all religious customs.

Founding and Leading Israel

Establishing the State

David Ben-Gurion proclaiming independence beneath a large portrait of Theodor Herzl, founder of modern Zionism.

On May 14, 1948, the last day of the British Mandate, Ben-Gurion declared the independence of the State of Israel. He stated that the new nation would "uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of religion, race."

Immediately after Israel's independence, the 1948 Arab–Israeli War began as several Arab nations invaded. Ben-Gurion oversaw Israel's military operations. He ordered all separate Jewish militias to become one national army, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He was firm in this decision, ensuring that all military forces were under the central government's control.

U.S. President Harry S. Truman in the Oval Office, receiving a Menorah as a gift from the Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion (center). To the right is Abba Eban, the Ambassador of Israel to the United States.

After leading Israel through the 1948 war, Ben-Gurion was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1949. He held this position until 1963, except for a short break. As prime minister, he helped build the country's government and public services. He led major projects to develop Israel, such as the airlift of Jews from Arab countries, building the National Water Carrier of Israel, and creating new towns. He especially encouraged settlement in the Negev desert, believing it offered a great opportunity for Jewish people to contribute to humanity. He even set a personal example by moving to kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev.

During this time, Palestinian fighters often crossed into Israel from Arab areas. In 1953, Ben-Gurion created a new commando unit, Unit 101, to respond to these attacks. These actions became known as the reprisal operations.

In 1953, Ben-Gurion stepped down as prime minister. However, he returned as defense minister in 1955 and was soon re-elected prime minister.

David Ben-Gurion speaking at the Knesset, 1957

When he returned to power, Israel responded more strongly to attacks from Gaza. Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser acquired many modern weapons and blocked Israeli ships from using the Straits of Tiran and the Suez Canal. In 1956, Israel invaded the Egyptian Sinai peninsula. Britain and France also invaded to regain control of the Suez Canal. Pressure from the United States led Britain and France to withdraw, and Israel also pulled back from Sinai. The UN then created its first peacekeeping force, which helped maintain peace between Egypt and Israel for the next decade.

Kennedy and Ben-Gurion in 1961.

In 1959, Ben-Gurion learned that the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was likely hiding in Argentina. Ben-Gurion ordered Israel's intelligence service, the Mossad, to capture Eichmann. In 1960, Eichmann was captured, brought to Israel, and put on trial for crimes against humanity. He was found guilty and executed in 1962.

Ben-Gurion was very focused on Israel having nuclear weapons. He believed a nuclear arsenal was the only way to ensure Israel's survival against larger forces and prevent another Holocaust.

Ben-Gurion chose Levi Eshkol to be his successor. Later, they had a disagreement over a failed Israeli operation in Egypt called the Lavon Affair. Ben-Gurion wanted a full investigation, but Eshkol refused. This led Ben-Gurion to leave his party, Mapai, and form a new party called Rafi in 1965.

Later Political Life and Retirement

Ben-Gurion on the cover of Time (16 August 1948)

In May 1967, tensions rose as Egypt gathered forces and blocked Israeli shipping. This led to the Six-Day War on June 5. Israel launched a preemptive strike and quickly captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. After the war, Ben-Gurion supported returning most of the captured territories for peace, except for East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and Mount Hebron. He also encouraged Jewish settlement in Jerusalem and Hebron to strengthen Israel's hold on these areas.

In 1968, Ben-Gurion refused to rejoin his old party when it merged with Rafi. He formed another new party, the National List, which won four seats in the 1969 election.

Ben-Gurion retired from politics in 1970. He spent his final years living in his simple home on the kibbutz, working on an 11-volume history of Israel's early years. In 1971, he visited Israeli positions along the Suez Canal during the War of Attrition.

On November 18, 1973, shortly after the Yom Kippur War, Ben-Gurion suffered a brain hemorrhage. He passed away a few weeks later, on December 1, 1973. His body was displayed at the Knesset before being flown to Sde Boker. Sirens sounded across Israel to mark his death. He was buried next to his wife Paula at Midreshet Ben-Gurion.

Awards and Recognition

In 1949, Ben-Gurion received the Solomon Bublick Award from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This was for his important contributions to Israel.
He was awarded the Bialik Prize for Jewish thought in both 1951 and 1971.

Commemoration

Many places and things are named after David Ben-Gurion to honor his legacy:

Israel's largest airport, Ben Gurion International Airport, is named after him.
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, a major university in Beer Sheba, is named in his honor.
Many streets and schools across Israel bear his name.
A modified British tank used by Israel was named after him.
His "hut" in Kibbutz Sde Boker is now a visitors' center.
A desert research center, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, near his hut, is named after him. His grave is located there.
An English Heritage blue plaque in London marks where he lived.
A riverside promenade in Paris, France, is named after him.
His portrait has appeared on Israeli banknotes.

Images for kids

"Feet on the ground" statue of Ben-Gurion by Rafael Maimon at his "hut" in Sde Boker. Ben-Gurion was a yoga enthusiast who would do the same posture as the statue.
Graves of Paula and David Ben-Gurion, Midreshet Ben-Gurion
Sculpture of David Ben-Gurion at Ben Gurion Airport, named in his honour
Esplanade Ben Gourion, Paris, near the Seine, in front of the Musée du Quai Branly
David Ben-Gurion Square—site of the house where Ben-Gurion was born, Płońsk, Wspólna Street.
House at town square in Płońsk, Poland, where David Ben-Gurion grew up
English Heritage blue plaque where Ben-Gurion lived in London