Course · 8 Lessons · 4 hr 10 min

Declaring Israel’s Independence

Noted historian Martin Kramer transports you to the fateful days in 1948 when Israel's founders discussed, debated, and, ultimately, declared independence.

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Taught By

Martin Kramer
Martin Kramer is a historian at Tel Aviv University and the Walter P. Stern fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He served as founding president at Shalem College in Jerusalem.

Lessons in this Course

1
00:38:54
We Hereby Declare
Israel's Declaration of Independence is the most important Jewish document written in two thousand years.
2
00:32:17
Drafting the Declaration
The Declaration of Independence is "a contingent document, stitched together, written against a deadline." Dr. Kramer tells the story of how Israel's founders drafted an enduring document in the middle of war.
3
00:37:15
Israel’s Birth Certificate and Identity Card
Who actually declared the State of Israel, and by what authority did they do so? The questions of identity that still tear Israel apart were first debated in the fateful days of May 1948.
4
00:32:29
The Rock of Israel
The American Declaration of Independence contains numerous references to God. But where is God in Israel's Declaration?
5
00:36:32
Legitimacy
Israel's Declaration of Independence is an exercise in hasbara—making the case for a Jewish state to a skeptical world.
6
00:32:02
Rights
What does it mean for Israel to be a Jewish and democratic state? What rights does the Declaration affirm for both Jews and Arabs?
7
00:33:27
The Legacy of the Declaration
Israel's Declaration of Independence was never meant to be a legal document. Yet, in modern Israel, it has become one. Explore the enduring legacy of the Declaration in Israeli law and society.
8
00:07:23
Review Israel’s Declaration of Independence
Click here to review the full text of Israel Declaration of Independence.

Taught By

Martin Kramer

Lessons in this Course

We Hereby Declare

Drafting the Declaration

Israel’s Birth Certificate and Identity Card

The Rock of Israel

Legitimacy

Rights

The Legacy of the Declaration

Review Israel’s Declaration of Independence

Lessons in this Course

We Hereby Declare

Drafting the Declaration

Israel’s Birth Certificate and Identity Card

The Rock of Israel

Legitimacy

Rights

The Legacy of the Declaration

Review Israel’s Declaration of Independence