On May 14, 1948 (5 Yar of the year 5708), in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 of November 29, 1947, the then-leader of the Zionist Movement, David Ben-Gurion, read the Declaration of Independence, which marked the birth of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, whose official name would be the State of Israel.
Over the years, the Israeli military has had to fight at least five defensive wars against Arab and Muslim countries in the region which, despite being members of the UN, have systematically refused to accept that democratically adopted resolution; and, in recent decades, it has also had to contend with the actions of Islamic terrorist groups that have no qualms about killing thousands of innocent civilians.
This situation led the Israeli government, several years ago, to declare a national day of remembrance for all those victims who fell in defense of the nation; because this day is closely linked to the very existence of the State, it is observed on the day immediately preceding Independence Day.
Yet even in the face of this tragedy, Israel has achieved political, social, economic, and scientific progress that is recognized throughout the world, with democracy as its cornerstone, while integrating millions of Jewish immigrants who, from all corners of the world and bringing with them diverse cultural heritages, have arrived continuously—and continue to do so—alongside the Arab, Muslim, Druze, and Christian minorities who had inhabited the land since before 1948.
ORT Israel has been part of the country’s history almost from the very moment of its independence, and today it is one of the most prestigious educational institutions, in an environment where the quality of education has always maintained a high, internationally recognized standard. A large portion of the country’s technical jobs are filled by its graduates, both from its high schools and its technical colleges, some of which specialize in cutting-edge fields on a global scale, such as the development of nanotechnology.
On Independence Day, we hope that the entire country will continue on the path to growth, and we look forward to deepening peace with those countries with which it has already achieved it, as well as to the prompt extension of that peace to the rest of the region.