The Israeli political spectrum is broad. It ranges from those who believe that there is already a Palestinian country called Jordan, to those who see the need for creating a Palestinian country in Judea and Samaria, since the Palestinian population is a majority in those areas anyway. No one can ignore the major international development which happened a few weeks ago, when a few Latin American nations recognized an Independent Palestinian State. These events will probably lead to the existence of a Palestinian country in a territory yet to be fully decided and whose capital may or may not be Jerusalem.
It is a real shame that the Palestinians squandered the opportunity of getting their own country side by side with a Jewish one by rejecting the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181. On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations General assembly voted 33 to 13, with 10 abstentions, in favor of the Partition Plan. The Zionist Jewish leaders were overjoyed with this, while the Arabs leaders rejected the partition plan. The Israeli Independence War ensued just a few months later.
If you are a Kansas City Jew, one of your major bragging points is that Eddie Jacobson, a personal friend of President Truman, was helpful in swaying Truman to vote in favor of the creation of a Jewish State in spite of the harsh opposition mounted by many presidential advisers. Every time I visit Rose Hill cemetery, I stop at Jacobson’s grave and say a prayer for a man who could be equated with Queen Esther. He was placed by God in a position that enabled him to help deliver his people. I have always felt that if Eddie Jacobson had been buried in Israel, in all likelihood, he would have a huge monument with a plaque highlighting his accomplishments. Instead, his marker is just like all other markers.
Obviously things are never as simple as we learn in school. Jacobson was aided by many other local and national Jewish leaders such as A. J. Granoff (father of my friend Loeb), who accompanied Jacobson to the White House several times for discussions with President Truman. Apparently things also did not run as smoothly as it may be perceived on the surface. There was much tension between the parties. “Harry and me” is a play about those exciting days and events written by Sam Montague, one of my dear congregants.
On a personal note, I am very proud of my wife family’s involvement in the events of those days. A little known fact is that Jewish communities in the Diaspora organized a huge effort in each and every country that could vote at the United Nations General Assembly to guarantee the passing of Resolution 181. Denisse’s grandparents (Mauricio and Raquel Dickerman) were the second Jewish family to arrive in the small Central American nation of Honduras. They quickly became part of the Honduran merchant elite, consisting of a large number of Arabs as well as a smattering of Chinese people. Denisse’s grandfather’s claim to fame is that he and a few other Jews managed to convince the Honduran President, Tiburcio Carías Andino, to abstain from voting. The local Arab community had wanted a “No” vote. This may not be considered a huge victory, but it was a help to the Zionist cause nonetheless. It is amazing to me that even a tiny immigrant Jewish community in a small country was able to get engaged and do their part to help in the creation of the State of Israel.
Never underestimate the power a small group of truly committed individuals to help promote the greater good.
