David Ben Gurion was one of the national founders of the state of Israel and was also the first Prime Minister of Israel. He was also one of the prominent leaders of the Jewish community in British Mandate Palestine before the establishment of the state of Israel.
David Ben Gurion had a passion for Zionism from an early age of his life. This passion for Zionism led him to become one of the most prominent Zionist leader and executive head of the World Zionist Organization in the year 1946.
David Ben Gurion Wiki/Biography
Born on 16 October 1886, David Ben Gurion’s age was 87 years when he took his last breath on 01 December 1973. He was born and brought up in a well-to-do educated and well-connected family from Plonsk, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. He did his early schooling from a local school in Plonsk and then he enrolled himself at the University of Warsaw and then attended Istanbul University from where he completed his graduation and post-graduation.
During his college days, he joined the social-democratic Jewish worker’s party and participated in various revolutions. He was also arrested twice during the Russian Revolution of 1905. He also co-founded a youth club named Ezra along with his two friends for promoting Hebrew studies and emigration to the Holy land.
Family, Girlfriend & Relationships
David Ben Gurion belonged to a well-settled and politically connected family from Plonsk, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. He holds the nationality of Congress Poland, Ottoman Empire, Mandatory Palestine, and Israel.
His father’s name was Avigdor Grun who was a lawyer by profession and also one of the prominent leaders of the Hovevei Zion movement. His mother’s name was Scheindel Gurion who died when David was only 11 years old.
As per records, he also had two siblings, but both of them lost their life before adulthood. David Ben Gurion’s marital status was married. He was married to Paula Munweis in the year 1917. The couple had three children, his son’s name was Amos Gurion and his daughter’s names were Geula Ben Eliezer and Renana Leshem. His son got married to Marry Callow and they also had three children and six grandchildren. His son worked as a deputy-inspector of the Israel Police.
Physical Appearance
David Ben Gurion was a good looking man with an attractive and decent personality. He was 5 feet and 8 inches tall and his body weight was around 85 Kg. He had white color hair with a semi bald head and also had beautiful blue color eyes.
Career
David Ben Gurion started his career as a revolutionist in the year 1905. He joined the Social Democratic Jewish Worker’s party and took part in the Russian Revolution of 1905. In the year 1906, he moved to Ottoman Mutassarifate of Jerusalem where he becomes the chairman of the platform committee of Poalei Zion in Jaffa.
The next year he moved to Galilee and worked there as an agricultural laborer. In the year 1908, he joined an armed watchmen’s group and was involved in fighting during a robbery in which two people were killed. In the year 1912, he moved to Constantinople where he completed his law at Istanbul University.
Later, in the year 1917 during World War 1 he joined the Jewish Legion of the British Army. In the year 1920, he assisted his friend in the formation of the Zionist Labor Federation in Palestine named Histadrut and become the general secretary of the Federation.
He also published two volumes in which he expressed his views on the relations of Zionists and the Arab world. One of which We and Our Neighbours were published in the year 1931 and other My Talks With Arab Leaders was published in 1967.
On 14 May 1948, he declared the independence of the Israel state. He also led the Israeli military operations during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948 and was elected as the first Prime Minister of independent Israel. In the year 1953, David withdraws his interest from the government and left the post of Prime Minister of Israel. In the year 1955, he again joined the government and become the defense minister of the State of Israel.
In 1963, he resigned from all posts and retired from his political life in the year 1970 and moved to Negev desert where he spends the rest of his life until his death.
Awards
David Ben Gurion had received various awards and honors throughout his career and even after his death. He received the Solomon Bublick Award of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in the year 1949. He was also awarded Bialik Prize for Jewish thoughts in the years 1951 and 1971.
Israel’s largest airport and one of the largest universities were named after him. Several roads, schools, and institutions are named after him, and also his portrait appears on 500 and 50 first notes issued by the Israeli government.
Death
David Ben Gurion took his last breath on 01 December 1973 at Sheba Medical Centre in Tel HaShomer, Ramat Gan. He was diagnosed with cerebral hemorrhage on 18 November 1973, and thereafter his condition becomes deteriorating. His remains were buried at Midreshet Ben Gurion along with his wife Paula Gurion.
