About the Author

I am an American Jew, educated and practiced in science and engineering.  As such I am analytical, and to substantiate my Faith I analyze history.  I am also a Mason. 

Introduction

Traditional Judaism still prays for a Messiah to come.  Usually considered a man, a nation is not excluded.  However, I believe that we Jews’ Messiah does exist today: the United States of America.  This article, often referencing The Encyclopedia Britannica, explains and supports this premise.  It is arranged as follows:

• Defining “messiah”
• How messianism entered the liturgy of the Diaspora (Jews exiled from Judaea by Rome)
• An analysis of history
  • A history monotheism in the world
  • The Enlightenment and the development of the American Character
    • The influence of Freemasonry
    • Benjamin Franklin’s Mission to France during the American Revolution
  • America’s moral qualification to be a messiah
  • America’s behavior towards Jews since its founding

This treatment will also show how Freemasonry has a major effect on the American character, and will discuss the two key Masons, besides George Washington (a Mason), that were singularly responsible for America’s independence (Ben Franklin) and for he establishment of the State of Israel (Harry Truman).

What is a messiah?

“Messiah” is adapted from the Hebrew “mashiach”, which means “anointed” or “the anointed one”.  Messianism has many and varying interpretations, from the Old Testament through the New, generally indicating a king, prophet or savior.  The Greek word for messiah is “cristos”.  See Appendix A for Britannica’s treatment of messianism.  See Appendix B for biblical references to messianism.

The Jewish Need for a Messiah
These are the major persecutions of Jews in the past two millennia:

• Roman destruction of the Second Temple and expulsion from the Land (the Diaspora)
• Persecution in Rome by Romans
• Persecution by the Roman Catholic Church
  • The Crusades
  • Persecution for Blame for the Bubonic Plague
  • The Inquisition
• Russian Pogroms at the hand of Cossacks and others
• Persecution by Muslims, including the Turks
• The Holocaust
• Communism

Thus they fervently prayed for salvation, and eschatological messianism entered Jewish liturgy.

My Analysis of History

The History of Monotheism in the World

When God evolved man from the apes, He gave man much more than that necessary to survive: being an exceptional intellect that has given us the ability to explore space and map the human genome on the one hand and to destroy life on earth on the other.  To help man use this intellect correctly, God gave man an Instruction Manual – The Bible.  He chose a particular time in the evolution of civilization to do so: the advancement of civilization in Egypt, the Middle East, China and India.   His plan is to create a family whom to give the Bible, to maintain it and to be examples of the consequences when man follows and also ignores it.  It was this family, the Hebrews, which would receive and introduce the Bible to the world.  This was done via the two great Passovers: the Exodus when the Hebrews received it, and the Last Supper where the apostles (Hebrews) were charged to bring Christianity to the world (the Levant, Greece, Rome and succeeding civilizations.)  Islam was founded in the environment of monotheism, and the teachings of Mohammed include honoring the Old and New Testaments.

Monotheism ran a tortuous path through the ages where faiths, philosophy and science were in conflict.  The Renaissance restored the art and philosophy of the ancient Greeks and Romans.  Then came the Age of Enlightenment which embraced science and matured faiths to stress love, tolerance and free thought, although free thought spawned the malignant ideologies of communism, socialism, and atheism. 

The Enlightenment and the Influence of Freemasonry on the Development of the American Character

Britannica concisely describes the Enlightenment as:

“a European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries in which ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and humanity were synthesized into a worldview that gained wide assent in the West and that instigated revolutionary developments in art, philosophy, and politics. Central to Enlightenment thought were the use and celebration of reason, the power by which humans understand the universe and improve their own condition. The goals of rational humanity were considered to be knowledge, freedom, and happiness.”A great and early example of the Enlightenment was Galileo Galilei who through his observations with his telescope confirmed that the Earth was not the center of the Universe, and was punished for it.

The original Enlightenment was strongest in the Netherlands and England.  In fact, these two countries conspired to overthrow (the near bloodless “Glorious Revolution” of 1688) King James II of England who was causing severe religious strife.  Then in early 18689 the English Parliament created their “Bill of Rights”, the foundation of America’s Bill of Rights, which was constructed to limit the powers of government.  It also gave Parliament the responsibility of selecting kings and queens.  Since Parliament is elected by the people, the people held ultimate power.

The settlement of England’s colonies was primarily done in the spirit of individualism…freedom of religion, and the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Although Britain’s subjects were all protected by the 1689 Bill of Rights, English commoners’ pursuits were limited by their status as below the aristocracy, primarily the ownership of land, except for the trades and commerce.  For the commoner to farm, hunt and to raise livestock was the primary source of income and wealth.

Freemasonry is a non-discriminating fraternity based on virtue and morality, requiring only to be a good man and the acceptance of God as the Supreme Architect of the Universe and had existed centuries before the Enlightenment, yet embodied the spirit of the Enlightenment.  It was strong in England and Scotland, but from fear of persecution their lodges were clandestine.  Then in 1717, because of the Enlightenment of the new regime, the Grand Lodge of London was formed, containing four individual lodges (it later became the Grand Lodge of England to include Scotch and Irish Masons).  Then Freemasonry spread openly and rapidly, many clandestine lodges joined Grand Lodges and Masonry was introduced to the English colonies of America, where it thrived and was of great influence.  For more on Freemasonry See Appendix-C.

Ben Franklin and his Mission to France

In 1776 the Continental Congress sent Ben Franklin to France as its chief representative in order to secure aid from and alliance with France.  At the time France was ruled by King Louis XVI (who was also a Mason).  Franklin was very successful, witnessed by the British surrender at the last battle of the American Revolution at Yorktown in 1781.  This was accomplished with the aid of the French naval blockade and the participation of a significant number of French soldiers and officers.  It is true that the American Revolution would have failed without the aid of the French.

By 1776 Benjamin Franklin, at age seventy when he arrived in France, was “the world’s most famous American,” and was greatly admired by the French nobility and commoners.  This was not totally advantageous because the King was suspicious of his subjects even in 1776.  Franklin engaged with the nobility, for that is where the aid would come.  He became increasingly admired and endeared by the French court and nobility, and therefore more influential.  Besides the French nobility, Franklin became very close to the cream of the French intelligentsia – philosophers (especially Voltaire), scholars, scientists, statesmen, artists, sculptors, and composers.

From Walter Isaacson Ben Franklin an American Life, Simon & Schuster 2004, pp 336 & 339:

“…he understood that America’s strength in world affairs would come from a unique mix that included idealism as well as realism.  When woven together, as they would later be in policies ranging from the Monroe Doctrine to the Marshall Plan…”

“he knew how to play … the rousing chords of America’s exceptionalism, the sense that America stood apart from the rest of the world because of its virtuous nature.”

Franklin…. “drawing power from America’s idealism.  He arranged for the inspiring documents coming out of America—including the constitution he had written for Pennsylvania—to be translated and published (in French and other languages) as a way of winning hearts and minds in France and elsewhere.  ‘All Europe is for us’, he wrote …. Then he went on to give a classic formulation of the lure of America’s ideals:  ‘Tyranny is so generally established in the rest of the world that the prospect of an asylum in America for those who love liberty gives general joy, and our cause is esteemed the cause of all mankind.’  He ended by echoing the “shining city on the hill” metaphor used by the great American exceptionalists from John Winthrop to Ronald Reagan.  ‘We are fighting for the dignity and happiness of human nature,’ he proclaimed.  ‘Glorious it is for Americans to be called by Providence to this post of honor.’  …. ‘It is a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own.’”

The sense of these concepts of Franklin’s implies America as messianic.

 Ben Franklin and Paris’ Masonic Lodge of the 9 Sisters (the Muses)
This unique and amazing lodge was founded to include the elite of the arts, sciences, thought, and statesmen.  The 9 muses are sisters in Greek mythology, but from the days of Ancient Greece through the Renaissance, many creative people sought them for inspiration.  Being that he was an “elite” in many of these disciplines, Franklin was invited to join, did, and was very prominent.

There was some very eccentric activity in the Lodge of the 9 Sisters which annoyed King Louis XVI (also a Mason), who worked through the other Masonic lodges to have that lodge expelled.

From W. Isaacson, loc sit, p,356: “After months of controversy, the situation was resolved when the Nine Sisters reorganized itself and Franklin took over as its Grand Master.  During the ensuing years Franklin would induct many Americans into the Lodge, including …. John Paul Jones, He also helped create from within the lodge a group somewhat akin to his American Philosophical Society, known as the Societe Apollonienne.”  Similar societies in England and elsewhere are fine examples of the Enlightenment.

America’s Behavior Since its Founding

• The Declaration of Independence: “…that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
• The U. S. Constitution with its Bill of Rights
• Abolition of slavery, first in the North, then by a ghastly and costly Civil War, the entire nation.
• Woman suffrage
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the elimination of Jim Crow.

America’s Behavior towards Jews and Israel

• A haven for Jews ever since its founding, excepting immigration quotas set by the Immigration Act of 1924 (which limited a vast number of Jews and others escaping Germany) and finally reversed by the Immigration Act of 1965.
• Defeat of the Nazi regime in World War II, saving most of the world’s Jewry.
• The foundation of an independent Palestine, partitioned between Jews and Arabs, by vote of the United Nations General Assembly
  • A great majority of Americans supported a Jewish homeland
  • Passed on Nov. 29th, 1947
  • the US Congress had also passed in 1922 the Lodge-Fish resolution, the first joint resolution stating its support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”  The same day, the British Mandate of Palestine was approved by the Council of the League of Nations.
  • 2/3 Majority required, 33 of 49 countries voting for, against were all Moslem countries, Greece and Cuba, and ten abstentions, including Britain.
  • the United States signed the Tripartite Declaration of 1950 with Britain and France. In it, they pledged to take action within and outside the United Nations to prevent violations of the frontiers or armistice (between Arabs and Jews, 1949) lines; outlined their commitment to peace and stability in the area and their opposition to the use or threat of force; and reiterated their opposition to the development of an arms race in the region.
  • See Appendix-C for Harry Truman’s efforts to carry the UN Resolution establishing an independent Palestine partitioned between Jews and Arabs.
• There was great resistance from the State Dept. (Sec’y General George C. Marshall and the Defense Dept. (Sec’y James Forrestal).  This was because
  • In case of the Cold War turning Hot, the allies would not have access to Mideast oil.
  • Europe was receiving 80% of its oil from the Mideast, the loss of which would destroy the rebuilding of Europe under the Marshall Plan.
• The U.S. did not provide military support for the Israelis during its war of independence, but did send much financial support from individual Americans.  This was perhaps done to nollify the enmity of the Moslem states.
• The U.S., under President Eisenhower, intervened in the 1956 Suez Canal war, resulting in the Soviets not entering on behalf of the Egyptians (who seized the Canal from the Europeans and refused passage of Israeli commerce), and the French, English and Israelis retreating from the Canal.
• The U.S. began openly providing arms to Israel in 1960.  The Soviets had been and continued to arm Israel’s Arab enemies.
• The U.S. strongly supported Israel in the 1967 “Six Day War” and the 1973 “Yom Kippur War.”
• In 1979 the U.S. under President Carter arranged a successful peace agreement between the Israelis and the Egyptians.  Part of the agreement was that the U.S. was to give each of the combatants $3 Billion per year.
• The US and Israel are engaged in extensive strategic, political and military cooperation. This cooperation is broad and includes American aid, intelligence sharing, and joint military exercises. American military aid to Israel comes in different forms, including grants, special project allocations, and loans.
• In December 2017, the U.S. under President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capitol and moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
• In September 2020, the U.S. under President Trump achieved a successful milestone in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict by arranging peace and mutual recognition between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other Arab states may follow.

Conclusion

The United States of America qualifies to be the Jewish Messiah because:

• Given the nature of the American people and their leaders, the United States was a virtuous nation who continues to correct its faults, and
• The United States has an outstanding history as a haven for Jews and for the support of Israel.

If this document is correct, it shows that the Jewish Messiah (U.S.A.) could not have existed without the Christian Messiah.

APPENDIX -A
Britannica’s Description of Messiah and Messianism

The following is taken from The Encyclopedia Britannica, which treats messianism as “eschatology” which is defined as follows: “1: A branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of humankind. 2: a belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humankind specifically – any of various Christian doctrines concerning the Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the Last Judgment.”

The biblical Old Testament never speaks of an eschatological messiah, and even the “messianic” passages that contain prophecies of a future golden age under an ideal king never use the term messiah.  Nevertheless, many modern scholars believe that messianism grew out of beliefs connected with their nation’s kingship.  When actual reality and the careers of particular historical Israelite kings proved more and more disappointing, the “messianic” kingship ideology was projected on the future.

After the Babylonian exile, Jews’ prophetic vision of a future national restoration and the universal establishment of God’s kingdom became firmly associated with their return to Israel under a scion of David’s house who would be “the Lord’s anointed”.  In the period of Roman rule and oppression, the Jews’ expectation of a personal messiah acquired increasing prominence and became the center of other eschatological concepts held by various Jewish sects in different combinations and with varying emphases.  In some sects, the “son of David” messianism, with its political implications, was overshadowed by apocalyptic notions of a more mystical character.  Thus some believed that a heavenly being called the “Son of Man” (the term is derived from the Book of Daniel) would descend to save his people.  The messianic ferment of this period, attested by contemporary Jewish-Hellenistic literature, is also vividly reflected in the New Testament.  With the adoption of the Greek word “cristos” (Christ) by the church of the Gentiles, the Jewish nationalist implications of the term messiah (implications that Jesus had explicitly rejected) vanished altogether, and the “Son of David” and “Son of Man” motifs could merge in a politically neutral and religiously highly original messianic conception that is central to Christianity.

The Roman destruction of Jerusalem’s Second Temple and the Jews’ subsequent exile (the Diaspora), persecution, and suffering, however, only intensified their messianism, which continued to develop theologically and to express itself in messianic movements.  Almost every generation had its messianic precursors and pretenders – the best-known case being that of the 17^th century pseudo-messiah Shabbetai Tzevi.  Belief in and fervent expectation of the messiah became firmly established tenets of Judaism and are included among Maimonides’ 13 Articles of Faith.  Modernist movements in Judaism have attempted to maintain the traditional faith in an ultimately redeemed world and a messianic future.

Islam, too, though it has no room for a savior-messiah, developed the idea of an eschatological restorer of the faith, usually called the Mahdi (Arabic: “Rightly Guided One”).  The doctrine of the Mahdi is an essential part of the Shi-ite creed.

Eschatological figures of a messianic character are known also in religions that are uninfluenced by biblical traditions.  Even as non-messianic a religion as Buddhism has produced a belief, among Mahayana groups, in the future Buddha Maitreya, who would descend from his heavenly abode and bring the faithful to paradise.  In Zoroastrianism, with its thoroughly eschatological orientation, a posthumous son of Zoroaster is expected to affect the final rehabilitation of the world and the resurrection of the dead.

Many modern movements of a millenarian character, particularly among primitive peoples (e.g. the cargo cults of Melanesia), have been called messianic; but as the expectation of a personal savior sent or “anointed” by a god is not always central to them, other designations (millenarian, prophetic, nativistic, etc.) may be more appropriate.

APPENDIX-B
Biblical References to the Messiah

(from New International Version of the Old & New Testaments)

Torah (Five Books of Moses) References

Deuteronomy 18:15 ¹⁵ The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me (Moses) from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

Genesis 49:10 ¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he to whom it belongs shall come
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.

Hebrew Prophets (Nebiim) References

Isaiah 7:14-17: ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ¹⁵ He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, ¹⁶ for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. ¹⁷ The Lord will bring on you and your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

Isaiah 11:1-5: ¹A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse (Line of David);
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
³ and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;
⁴ but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
    with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
    with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
⁵ Righteousness will be his belt
    and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

Micah 5:2-4  ² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.”

³ Therefore Israel will be abandoned
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.

⁴ He will stand and shepherd his flock
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
    will reach to the ends of the earth.

Malachi 3:1-4: ¹I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.  ² But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. ³ He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, ⁴ and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

Daniel 7:13-14    13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,[a] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Author’s Note:

Jewish and Christian Interpretations of “The Virgin”, from Isaiah 14:7 ff

The intent of the word in the passage from Isaiah is inconclusive.  The word for “virgin” as translated into Christian versions of the Book of Isaiah is the Hebrew word “almah”.  In Hebrew, the primary translation of almah is a young woman, a lesser interpretation is virgin.  But in Isaiah she is written as “h’almah”, which is a contraction of “ha almah” being the young woman or virgin, referring to a specific woman, who is not mentioned elsewhere in Isaiah.  Otherwise if written as only “almah” indicates a young woman or virgin.

The primary Hebrew word for virgin is pronounced “bethulah”, very different from “almah”.  But bethulah can also mean a maiden or bride.

Imanu El (Emmanuel) is the Isaiah 14:7 name for the messiah, translates as “God is with us” where “El” is God, “im” is “with”, and “anu” is “us” (notice similarity of anu with Spanish “nos” and French “nous”) 

APPENDIX-C

The Influence of Freemasonry on the American Character

A small part of Revolutionary America were Masons, but they had great influence on the character of the nation and the success of the revolution.

Among the English immigrants to America were many Freemasons.  Freemasons were very influential in building the English colonies from the mid 1700’s on, and eventually the United States.  Prominent Freemasons of the colonial period were George Washington, William Penn, Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, the colonial governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, four colonial mayors of Philadelphia, two governors of Pennsylvania, the founder of the first English settlement in Georgia, and Lord Baltimore’s (leader of Maryland) son.

Important to the development of the tolerant nature of America, there evolved in colonial times two types of Masonry: Ancient (Traditional) and Modern.  The Modern type was populated by many wealthier and some aristocratic Masons.  The Ancient more by American born Masons.  The Ancient type eventually prevailed.

The development of the American character in colonial times is described as follows, from J. D. Carver, Masonry in Texas, 1958:

 “Of the dissatisfied elements in Europe, only those who were brave enough to break with the past and to face the dangers and rigors of the journey to and life in a frontier environment established themselves on these shores.  Of those who came, only those who were alert, versatile, and strong were able to survive.  The constant levelling influence of the frontier upon social intercourse prevented the stratification of society along the lines that had existed in the Old World, even though deliberate attempts were made in some colonies to establish a semi-feudalistic order.  The change in the point of emphasis in economic competition on the frontier plus the harshness of life incident thereto, stimulated the practical application of brotherhood as exemplified by Masonic philosophy.  The emphasis on the importance of the individual, of work and its honorable status, of the constant necessity for the revision and readaptation of old concepts and methods to the new environment opened the minds of the colonials to the philosophy of Freemasonry.”

“Through their lives, the Masons were the teachers of their philosophy to the entire population.  Historians have pointed out the great influence of Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac which was more widely read in colonial times than any other book, with the possibility of the Bible.”

Much the same can be said of the creation of the modern State of Israel, in which there are 70 active lodges, 9 of which were founded before Israeli independence.

Many Masons were part of the pre-revolutionary “Sons of Liberty” and also of the Boston Tea Party, which met in the area used for lodge meetings: the second floor of the Green Dragon Tavern.

When the Continental Congress, formed in 1774, Masonry quite influential.  Of the 56 delegates, at least 20 were Masons, including its President (Peyton Randolph of Virginia).  Of the 217 delegates to the revolutionary Second Continental Congress, over 60 were Masons and led by John Hancock.  There were at least 30 signers of the Declaration of Independence, including John Hancock.

Masons in the American Revolution:

• George Washington, commander of the Continental Army.
• Nathan Hale, American spy executed by the British (“I only regret….”)
• Thomas Paine
• Paul Revere
• Col. Tadeusz Kosciuzco, Polish immigrant, military architect and victor at Saratoga.
• Ethan Allen, captor of Ft. Ticonderoga
• Benedict Arnold, captor of West Point
• Jeremiah O’Brien seized four British ships in Maine
• Numerous officers and men at the Battle of Bunker Hill and the following capture of Boston
• The Marquis de Lafayette
• John Paul Jones
• Baron von Steuben, Prussian immigrant who trained and disciplined the Continental Army at Valley Forge
• Andrew Jackson (then a teenager)
• Daniel Morgan, leader of major defeat (Cowpens) of British in southern U.S.

There were about 3,400 Masons in the American Revolution, most of whom were officers.  In 1776 the U. S. population was about 2.6 Million, approximately 0.2% of which were Masons.

Fourteen of the forty-five Presidents of the United States were Masons:

  1^st   George Washington
  5^th  James Monroe
  7^th  Andrew Jackson
11^th James Polk
15^th James Buchanan
17^th Andrew Johnson
20^th James Garfield 
25^th William McKinley 
26^th Theodore Roosevelt
27^th William Howard Taft
29^th Warren Gamaliel Harding
32^nd Franklin Delano Roosevelt
33^rd Harry S. Truman, 33rd Degree
38^th Gerald R. Ford

Appendix E
Harry Truman and the Founding of the State of Israel

Zionism is the advocacy of the Jewish state Israel.

For centuries the Ottomans (Turks) occupied what was then called Palestine, now the State of Israel (specifically named “Cisjordan” by the British (Transjordan being what is now the Kingdom of Jordan), and were defeated by the Allied Powers (USA, France, England) in World War I.  Cisjordan eventually was referred to as “Palestine.” That land then became a protectorate, or mandate of England.  The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during the First World War announcing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, then an Ottoman region with a small minority Jewish population.  After the War, the Moslems of the Middle East were strongly opposed to the Balfour Declaration, having as leverage much of the world’s oil supply, and the land remained the British Mandate of Palestine.  There was conflict between Arabs and Jews and terrorism against the British in Palestine, causing British PM Clement Atlee in 1947 to turn the Palestinian problem over to the United Nations.  Atlee was against the creation of a partitioned Palestine, Churchill was for it, calling himself a “Zionist.”  The Figure 1 is a map of an independent Palestine partitioned among Arabs and Jews, which the UN approved in 1947.

On 14 May 1948, one day before the end of the British Mandate, the leaders of the Jewish community in Palestine led by the future prime minister David Ben-Gurion, declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.  After the UN resolution to create a partitioned Palestine in November 1947, per that resolution the British pulled out on May 15, 1948, The armies of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq marched into the territory of what had just ceased to be the British Mandate, thus starting the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The nascent Israel Defense Forces repulsed the Arab armies, and extended Israel’s borders beyond the original Resolution 181(II) boundaries for the proposed Jewish state. By December 1948, Israel controlled most of the portion of Mandate Palestine west of the Jordan River. The remainder of the Mandate came to be called the West Bank (controlled by Jordan), and the Gaza Strip (controlled by Egypt). Prior to and during this conflict, 711,000 Palestinians Arabs were expelled or fled their homes to become Palestinian refugees.  One third went to the West Bank and one third to the Gaza Strip, occupied by Jordan and Egypt respectively, and the rest to Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and other countries.

After the establishment of Israel, immigration of Holocaust survivors from Europe and a large influx of Jewish refugees from Arab countries had doubled Israel’s population within one year of its independence. Overall, during the following years approximately 850,000 Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews fled or were expelled from Arab   countries, Iran and Afghanistan. Of these, about 680,000 settled in Israel.

President Harry S. Truman had great difficulty within his administration, but was very instrumental in getting the UN resolution passed.

The following are quotes of or about President Harry S. Truman regarding the establish of the Jewish state, from Douglas McCullough, Truman, 1992:

Staff Advisor David K. Niles …. A holdover from the Roosevelt Administration, sensed in Truman a fundamental sympathy for the plight of the Jews that he had never felt with Roosevelt.  Had Roosevelt lived, Niles later said, things might not have turned out as they did.

Staff Advisor Clark Clifford …. “I remember him talking once about the problems of displaced (by WWII) persons.  ‘Everyone else who’s been dragged from his country has someplace to go back to, but the Jews have no place to go.”

When confronted by Secretary of Defense Forrestal regarding the need for Saudi oil, Truman said he would handle the situation in the light of justice, not oil.

Per very good hometown friend and business partner Eddie Jacobson: “he (Truman) and he alone was responsible for swinging the votes of several (UN) delegations.”

“(American Jewish) individuals and groups  asked me, usually in rather quarrelsome and emotional ways to keep the British from supporting the Arabs, to furnish American soldiers, to do this, that and the other.  I think I can say that I kept the faith in the rightness of my policy in spite of some of the Jews.”

Regarding Chaim Weizman, leader of the world Zionist movement, Truman said “He was a wonderful man, one of the wisest people I think I ever met… a leader, one of the kind you read about.”

“The United States recognizes the provisional government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel.”  May 1948. The first country to do so.

Harry Truman was a Mason, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and was very active in Masonry before and after his presidency.