Transcripts For CSPAN3 President 20240703

Id like to begin the program today. The birth of israel truman. And the birth of israel. Celebrate in commemorating the 75th anniversary of president trumans decision to recognize israel. And id like to have cantor, hasan, tal benyehuda join me on the stage. Shell be singing the National Anthems of israel and the United States of america america. You know what to do. Please join me. Oh, say, can you see me by the door concert . Live . All right. Whats so proudly we held at the twilight lights . Last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright star eyes through the power of lust forward or the ramparts we watched were so color. World, listerine, ing and the raw guts for glue that bursting in give proof through the no side that our flow back was still there. Oh, say does that star spy angled ben . I had. Or the land of the offer and home of the bar pray pray. Corps o lord above never penny more never share who did home me oh oh the for ten is at all cordial more are in see on sophie oh oh oh oh oh dear god. Hey, no heart here. Oh god, snow the poor live. Hell turn the hopes she there her turn who read see on the rose sha la him live here time hope she but her its hey do address on rose la he. You may be seated. Thank you that was amazing at at. Id like to invite rabbi michaels attic up to the stage rabbi is going to make a few comments. Thank you. Inviting a rabbi to make a few comments. I was told to give you an invocation, but before, in the immortal words of every rabbi from time immemorial, before i speak, i do want to say a few words. Its raining outside in jewish tradition. Thats a good sign. Thats a good omen. Its a good thing. Oh, i didnt want to invoke her name, but whats whats the, you know, their housekeeping expert . Its a good thing. Martha stewart, thank you very much. Now, now, now, lets get serious. Its a grave moment in the exodus drama. Yom suf, the sea of reeds, blocks to the israelite advance as the chariots of yul brynner are in hot pursuit. Moses tries to play the newly liberated slaves panic. And then the torah informs us. He turns to god, at which point the text says, god says my itzhak eli, deborah, albany, israel. The east saw. Ooh, why do you cry out to me . Tell the children of israel to go forward. For those whose hebrew is a little rusty, i thought should translate it in may. The awesome legacy of president harry truman. Remind us forward. May the historic rebirth of a National Sovereignty marking now the 75th year of a reestablish 3000 years young state of israel challenge us both here and there for there is always room to go forward forward to be better forward to form an even more perfect union. Forward to do better. And may this gathering urge us to join in that in may. The sacred dimension all around us in the holiness, even the holy one within us, inspire all that we all that we may make a fractured a little better, a little more and a little more still, for then we shall do what prayer always insists that we rise up to become better persons than we were moments ago on that day. Perhaps god may suggest that we have done what we must Going Forward and that we shall have done that work very well. Can you hear us soon . May that be gods will. Amen. Thank you, rabbi. And cantor benyehuda. Thank you for those lovely songs you sang united us in song and spirit. My name is alex burden. Good morning. Thank you for being with us. Im the executive director of the Truman Library institute and its wonderful to see so many friends, so many friendly faces. I think i see some grumpy faces. Theyre like, here comes alexs standard speech again. But its not. Well have some thank yous and it will have some recognition. But i really appreciate you all being here. Theres a couple of special groups that i want to identify. I acknowledge the Truman Library institutes board of directors, led by our board chair, Pat Ottensmeyer, whos down on the front row, our former board members. I see one of you smiling up at me now. Donors, members and volunteers, there are several really prominent local jewish institutions with us today. I appreciate you coming to celebrate this special day with us, the jewish federation, the Midwest Center for holocaust education, the hyman brand, hebrew academy, and the Jewish Community relations bureau. American jewish committee. Thank you for being with us. There are also several members of jewish war veterans post six over five, led by adjutant greg quinn. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your service. I appreciate it i also want to welcome and salute Susan Jacobson who is with us today. Susan is the grandniece of Eddie Jacobson, the close friend of germans who played such a pivotal role in convincing the president to recognize israel. About 75 years ago today. Thank you all for being with us on this historic occasion and how appropriate for us to be here to do this at the truman president ial library and museum in this historic auditorium on a stage where so many know worthy things have happened. Today we are reflecting on the 75th anniversary of one of the most politically courageous decisions in the history of the american presidency. As you know, the april 12th, 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of Harry Trumans rise to the presidency and the Truman Library institute and our partners, the Truman Library, are utilizing the 70th anniversary to not only honor and celebrate president trumans legacy and more importantly, to explore the complex Global Global challenges he faced, as well as the lessons that can be gleaned from his principled leadership, his unwavering commitment to democratic ideals, and world defining decisions. Chief amongst those was president trumans official recognition of israel. Just 11 minutes after its creation on may 14th, 1948. And what a tremendous honor it is to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the birth of israel and the recognition with each of you and with our special guest, ambassador michael herzog, israels ambassador to the United States. The story of truman in israel and the life and times of harry truman, for that matter, need to be shared now more than ever. And this is the Truman Library institutes mission to share trumans story and to teach important lessons from his life and presidency. Im sure you all saw the dozens of kids that were in the building today getting in our way. But here with their excitement and thats what its all about, teaching a new generation about these lessons. The new 30 million exhibition that hopefully youve all seen. If you havent, its right out there. Please go through it on. Your way out of the building does a wonderful of sharing these stories and these lessons, including the chapter about the creation of israel. The exhibition now includes the shirley and barnett c helzberg junior recognition of israel gallery. This stunning gallery details how the dream of a jewish homeland became a reality through a carefully curated selection of text panels, wall graphics documents, artifacts and photographs from the truman collection, as well as a dramatic film. The recognition of a jewish homeland. Surely, on behalf of all of us involved with the Truman Library, i want to thank you and your family for helping us properly share this important story through your generous support. Thanks to for the Additional Support we received for that gallery and for the new museum from all of you. Thank you. If you have not seen the museum, if youve not seen the helzberg gallery, please see it. Not today. Come back. Just let us know. Wed love to host you. Wed love to have you here. Museum attendance has been fantastic. But finally, i want to thank the friends who made this mornings gathering possible. Todays program and keynote address, as well as the elegant reception we enjoyed this morning, were made possible by the truman and israel 75th anniversary title sponsor, the karen and steve park family. Thank you, karen. Thank you, karen. Yes, im going to try to make you cry for your passion, for your generous city, your leadership, and your unfailing nagging devotion to president truman. His legacy and his library. We are grateful. Additional thanks to two other Institute Board members for their help with todays event, marilyn berenbaum and harvey kaplan, appreciate what youve done very much. And now id like to introduce an individual who is committed to justice and understands the impact that prejudice has on democracy. Daniel album is head of north america at the Jewish Agency for israel and the president and ceo of Jewish Agency international development. Daniel has worked closely with members of congress, foreign leaders and diplomats and has appeared in Media Outlets ranging from nbc dateline to al jazeera me and has published Opinion Pieces in the new york times, the Chicago Tribune and other publications in the United States and israel. Thank you again for joining us. Enjoy the program. And gentlemen, please join me in welcoming daniel. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, beth. Your excellency, ambassador herzog, members of the truman family. Members of the benyehuda family and members of the jacobson family. Honored guests. It is a privilege to be here. Its for me. Perhaps even a little bit of a special privilege. I came to the Jewish Agency a little over two years ago in my first meeting as head of north america for the Jewish Agency, was a week before i started at the Jewish Agency. And that was because of a call i received from the then chairman of the Jewish Agency, isaac herzog, who said, i know you dont work for me yet, but i need you to join this call with the Truman Museum tomorrow. And something about karen peck insisting that it that i join. I agreed. And so my start with the Jewish Agency has been inextricably linked with the Truman Museum and for anyone in the room who doesnt know. And i most of you do know my boss, the chairman of the Jewish Agency at the time, is the president of the state of israel. And im sure youll hear from the ambassador sends his regards certainly about this event. But i know how important it was to him two years ago and remains important to him today. It is appropriate that this event happens in the month of may, not just because it is the month of Harry Trumans birth or the month of the state of israels birth. But it also happens to be jewish heritage. Jewish American Heritage month and the story of israels creation is, of course, a story of Theodore Herzls vision. Its a story of David Bengurions tenacity. The story of is a story of Harry Trumans political courage. But it is also, in many real ways, the story of american jewry, personified by a moment, by a person whos already been mentioned here today, and i imagine will be mentioned a few more times. One Eddie Jacobson, a proud son of kansas city who had the good fortune during his time in the army to befriend a young lieutenant wearing glasses unusual at the time, named harry truman, who went on to become a judge in missouri, then elected to the u. S. Senate. Then very short period time Vice President and then president. And suddenly mr. Jacobson, who was not by any means known to be involved in politics or zionism or anything else, found himself to be among the most american , not in america at that time. Perhaps one of the most important in history, because he found himself with that opportunity, that closeness to power, that the most eloquent speakers for zionism simply didnt have. And he made one request. He made the request that his friend, the president , the most powerful man in the world, meet with signed weitzman, who im told that harry truman first called him because, of his inability to understand that the language at the heart which is not uncommon american challenge. Lets not we shouldnt simplify history. President s dont make decisions because their friends ask them to. And credit for that decision belongs with the president. The president s have to face a multitude of affairs, both political, moral and what is in the best interests of their country in the world. But we should have no doubt that at that critical moment in time when that meeting occurred, that a role been played by mr. Jacobson, when harry truman told the story years later, he said something that was not factually correct. He said that Eddie Jacobson was in the room in that meeting. The white house records show that Eddie Jacobson wasnt there. He was a recognized figure. The meeting was trying to be helped relatively secret from the press. So he was not invited. That meeting. But i think 75 years in a very real sense, we can say that harry truman got it right, that jacobson was in that room and that in a very real sense, all of us as american were in that room hoping and praying for the fulfillment of a dream of 2000 years, to have the creation of a state of israel, which harry truman then lended the power of the United States, the indispensable power in the world at that time and today, in friendship and in recognition, a power we continue to rely upon this day. As those of us who love the state of israel know they can rely upon the United States at these times. I was not asked to give an invocation or a prayer. So, rabbi, i think it has and youll forgive me and perhaps help me if i can conclude my remarks by saying the piano, the prayer that we say when we reach a happy time. Those you. In other words, please do join in for us. Tired and i yellow hand my last harlem share s. A. T. And everything. I know this man has. Thank you all, lord our god, for helping us, keeping us and sustaining us so we can enjoy this time. Thank you all much. Hello, clifton. I like to invite Clifton Truman daniel as president trumans eldest grandson and the honorary chairman of the Truman Library institute to the stage. That wasnt in my script. Alex. Thanks. Thank you for being here today. And welcome and you, daniel. Thanks for being with us today. As Harry Trumans grandson, i often get asked to share my grandfathers perspective on his presidency, and people frequently asked, what would i think . Would his opinion, his reaction, be to events happening today . I have no idea. In this instance, though, i dont have to wonder what he would say if he could be here. He considered his decision to recognize israel. One of the proudest of his life. Lee, the first secretary general, the United Nations made the assertion that if there had been no harry truman, there would be no israel. Today, id like to add that the same could and should be said of that other remarkable kansas city and Eddie Jacobson, my grandfathers friend and Business Partner. They met in 1906 when grandpa was 22 and eddie was 15. Grandpa was, a vault clerk at Union National bank in kansas city. And eddie daley delivered a day deposit of the days receipts for burger, hannah and munger, a nearby dry goods store. Despite that significant gap in their ages, at that age, they saw something in each other and became friends. They went their separate ways. Later that year, didnt meet again until 1917 at oklahoma. Fort sill. Both were training to fight in world war one. With his in retail and grandpas in banking they had the only successful canteen on the base. Grandpa said that at one point they were earning 641 just like standard oil. When the war was over, they sailed home together on the same troopship and reportedly both of them were seasick. So while theyre hatching their plan, you can imagine them going, you want to open a Mens Clothing store . Sure. And they did. They open truman and jacobson clothing store. And they were the postwar recession. Tanked the business. They did very well the first year, but it got them eventually. Eddie became a traveling salesman. Grandpa went into politics. Throughout his career, though, as a county judge, a senator, Vice President and president , eddie, if ever, traded on their friendship. Nor was he envious when grandpa joked one day to him, he said, why dont you enter politics . Eddie said, no im going to make an honest living. What he did ask a favor it was always for someone else, never himself. In 1948, with pressure mounting to recognize the nation state of israel, grandpa was beset by both sides. The state department, chiefly in the person. Secretary of state george marshall, feared alienating the arabs and their oil. And marshall, whom greatly admired went so far as to tell grandpa if recognition was granted, he wouldnt vote for him. In the 1948 election. On the other side, the american zionists, led by rabbi abel silver, who was a great orator and great leader, but also very aggressive and uncompromising. The story that he pounded on grandpas desk in the oval office is apocryphal, untrue, but apparently he did everything up to that. And as a result, the lost access. So in a panic, they turned to eddie him to convince grandpa. See dr. Weitzman. It was at that point, former head of the world zionist organization, the movements spiritual leader. For the first few minutes of that meeting, grandpa and eddie chatted like friends. And then brought up israel. And grandpa became so annoyed that his former Business Partner actually said it was the closest hed ever seen his old friend come to being an antisemite. Sitting behind his grandpa swiveled in his chair, turned his back on eddie. And in desperation, eddie scanned the room and found that small statue of andrew jackson. That is on. That is on pedestal near the end near his desk in the oval office recreation. And he said, harry, you have a hero. Andrew jackson. I, too, have a hero haim weitzman. He is the greatest who ever lived. He is an old and sick man. And he just wants to talk to you. You wont see him. Thats not like you. And at that point, grandpa started drumming his fingers on his, which eddie knew from long was a sign that he was changing his mind. And grandpa swiveled around in his chair, and he what eddie described, he wrote this what eddie described as the most beautiful words hes ever heard. Grandpa said, all right, you bald headed son of. You win. Ill see weitzman at 11 minutes after midnight on may 14th, 1948, the United States, the first country to recognize the independent state of israel. My grandfather, he always he always bemoaned the fact that he thought he too emotional. But there are only three instances that i know where people have seen tears in his eyes. One was at the death of his old friend and press secretary ross. The other was at the death of his Eddie Jacobson. And the third was when the ambassadors grandfather, rabbi herzog, told him that god had put him in his mothers to help bring about the founding of in 1952. In the waning months. Grandpas presidency. Israel was still very much on his heart and mind. I have tried, he said in a speech to the jewish board to write some of the injustices and to lift some of the suffering the jewish people experienced so bitterly during the war. I did not do this as an act of kindness or charity, but in defense of the great principle on which democracy is based, the principle that freedom resides in respect for the equal worth and dignity of each person. And now it is my honor to introduce our keynote speaker, an individual who works those principles and ideals daily. Michael herzog israels ambassador to the united and i are connected by history, by the branches of our family trees. And ambassador herzog ill take just a second off my script. You and i were trading a story earlier today when the ambassadors father, haim herzog, was at Fort Leavenworth in the early fifties with a group of Army Officers learning how to the lance Missile System that we were to israel. They by to see my grandfather with Eddie Jacobsons help. They went mike. He had a cold, apparently a head cold, slight cold. And my grandmother had said, no, dont do that. And then eddie called back after shed gone to church and said, get in the car, get in the car. Come get me. Were over to the house. But haim herzog, knowing that grandpa was not well, decided, im not going to take everybody in the house and overburdened the president. So he took moshe dayan into the house, but he left rabin in the car. Ambassador herzog is the grandson of israels former chief rabbi yitzhak halevy. Herzog, the son of israels sixth president , haim, and older brother of israels current president isaac herzog, his great uncle, albert, perhaps the countrys most famous, was israels foreign and ambassador to the United Nations and to the u. S. His summation of this movement, of this moment 75 years ago was profoundly. Quite simply, he said, harry truman changed the world. He also noted that history us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all alternatives. Sometimes, however people surprise us. And today we honor exemplars of courage. Who knew right from wrong and stood for justice. These individuals, including members of my family and hertzog family, are a source of inspiration and hope for our shared future. It is a privilege to have ambassador herzog reflections and insights on the 75th anniversary of israels founding. He was appointed israels ambassador, the United States in 2021 by Prime Minister naftali bennett. Following a 40 year career in the israeli where he served as head Strategic Planning and later as a chief of staff and military secretary to four former defense ministers for 25 years. Ambassador herzog also actively participated in backchannel peace negotiations with israels neighbors, including the palestina ions and from 20 from 2009 to 2014 was an official peace envoy. More recently has spent the past decade at the washington for near east policy and the Jewish People Policy Institute at researching and writing extensively about the issues he is now tackling in washington. I embed. I imagine ambassador herzog might echo my grandfathers words. I wish for peace. I work for peace. I pray for peace continually. Ladies and gentlemen, is my honor to welcome to the podium. Ambassador michael herzog. Thank you very much, dear friends, distinguished guests, it is a pleasure for. Me and my wife, shireen, to be here with all of you today for what is truly a great, special gathering. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to mr. Clifton truman daniel. Thank you for your wonderful words, mr. Alex burden and the team members of the truman president ial library and the board for organizing this event. To mark my moment in the history between, our two countries. And i want to thank all of you for joining us today. On a personal note, as was noted here, my grandfather was the first chief rabbi of the state of israel. And my father came here to was israels First Defense attache, the us, and later became israels sixth president. Both the honor of meeting truman and both were impressed and inspired by him and their stories running down and our family for generations about these meetings we are commemorating here today. The initial spark of what has become 75 years of a deep, unique bond between our two countries. This is a bond anchored in shared values interest as well as in a special affinity between peoples. I feel honored to have been invited to speak and reflect on these 75 years of friendship the miracle of the story of israel, which continue to evolve and develop is linked to a few distinct historical moments. 75 years ago, only 11 short minutes its birth president truman became the first world leader to formally recognize israel as a nation state of the jewish people. The historical shows, as was mentioned, that this was not an easy for president truman. He faced opposition from syrian senior officials, the department of state, from among his advisers, as well as allies from across the globe. Some of them outlined to him why it was not beneficial to u. S. Interests to recognize the state of israel. Yet truman resolute, seize the moment and took the first step in a joint journey characterized by a very close, ironclad alliance, alliance and partnership between our countries presented. Truman did so first and foremost. Out of the deep conviction, believing that the jewish deserve the right to selfdetermine nation in their ancestral homeland. He did not do only what he perceived as beneficial, but more importantly, what he perceived be fundamentally right. Truman was avid, avid reader of history. Once, when he reflected to a jewish audience on his decision to recognize israel, he told them that he was informed, among other things, by his deep impression a child reading the bible with father of king cyruss decision in the year 538 b. C. To allow the jewish people to return to their homeland from exile in babylon and to rebuild the temple in jerusalem. Truman was also well aware of the horrors of the holocaust just a few years earlier. It was not lost on him that the jewish people having just emerged from a systematic effort to exterminate them, were ever more longing, willing to fight for their independence. Ultimately, president truman has been proven right rather than his opposing advisors because of strong sense of history and morality, and also because his lifes experience as a worker farmer, dealer and above all a brave military leader in war, one all made him connected to real life histories constituted by certain defining moments as president truman created several such moments, and we are proud to be included them. It is no exaggeration to say that his decision recognize israel was critical point in the history of the jewish people. People do not realize how easily it could have gone the other way. Yet that decisive moment he courageously signal to the world that the United States will committed to the idea of jewish statehood. To this day, president truman is well recognized in israel and very much. Now lets look at what that statehood has achieved over the past 75 years. Israel has written an unparalleled Success Story against all odds. We built a thriving Democratic Society all while being forced to fight wars and confront campaigns of terror and boycotts. We absorbed immigrants from over 70 countries around the world with over 70 languages. We created an amazing melting pot of cultures and traditions. We built formidable state institutions has become the startup nation and turned into a powerhouse creativity and innovation. All the while, we fostered our Close Partnership with the United States. I strongly believe that the values and ideas that underscored president s truman decision and values and ideas that underpin the unique partnership between our two countries and at the core, liberty, freedom and equality remain as strong today as they were 75 years ago. Notwithstanding significant challenges, the United States and israel stand today as because of equality and democracy in a turbulent world. In practical terms, Partnership Extends much further than ideas and values. Our alliance has yielded enormous, enormous achievements together, we stand at the front lines of fighting violent extremism and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the threat of terrorism. Our cooperation in. The fields of defense, intelligence and cyber is unparalleled. Our collaboration in the fields of science, technology, agriculture and many more areas of critical, critical to humankind is breathtaking. American and israeli collaboration in the tech sector is already making strides on many fronts, including in security. Securing the vital supply chain. Fighting climate change. Tackling food. And preventing next pandemic. These advancements make a difference in the lives of millions americans and israelis. Showing the power of technology. Repairing the world in action. Unfortunately not everything is rosy. 75 is on. They are still significant regional and International Actors who refuse to accept israels existence and openly call for destruction. First among them is iran. Here we have a regime espouses an extreme anti western antiisrael ideology. Nuclear and regional hegemony ambitions and a constant drive to realize these ambitions all while brutally living brutally repressing its people. They seek to so through the development of, Nuclear Capabilities and the build up of heavily armed proxies across the middle, and especially in countries enveloping israel. As we speak, the islamic, the palestinians, Islamic Jihad and internationally Terror Organization and proxy of iran has been indiscriminately firing hundreds of rockets from the gaza strip, aiming at israeli civilians in the face of the threat from iran and its proxies. We have no choice but to be strong and resolute, to defend by ourselves, to enhance our deterrence, and to continue to work closely with the United States of america. We have said time and again and we mean it, that we are determined to prevent iran from acquiring Nuclear Weapon capabilities such a reality would gravely our country the stability of the middle east and the world. Furthermore, lessons a century after the holocaust, antiisrael, semitism is once again raising its ugly head in you dangerous ways here in the United States and around the world. The hateful rhetoric spewed by public figures, the targeting of students, College Campuses and outright attacks on jewish persons and institutions across. The country are expressions of a centuries old hatred that has long sought to tear us down. The newest form of this ancient hand hatred is taking aim not only at the individual and the jewish collector, but also at the jewish state, implying that it has right to exist. I am here to say that the idea of israel as a National Home of the jewish people, which was recognized by president truman, 75 years ago, is just as and valid today as it was then. Its one thing to criticize size. Certainly israel policies. It is something totally to question the very legitimacy of the jewish state alongside the challenges. There are also opportunities. A major opportunity lies in the historic Abraham Abraham accords and whose second anniversary was celebrated late last year. What we achieved in this short period is quite remarkable. Together with our american allies, we are working to deepen, expand israeli arab normalization, which holds an important key to improving the world, being of the citizens of our region, and secure a Better Future for next generation. My friends, israel is an imperfect democracy and we, like you, have our own set of internal challenges as a young nation, only five years old. We are still grappling with important questions relating to our democratic system. But let me assure you, i am confident that israel will remain a strong, vibrant democracy as we celebrate this momentous occasion. It would be my ask a few whether you are jewish or not. Tell your children and grandchildren about israel. Take them to israel. If you can show them that our country is so more than our complexities and conflicts. We are a beautiful, modern country with a rich history. We are a country of a strong and diverse people. My friends, more and more Young Americans and israelis are growing up without an of the importance of the alliance between israel and the United States or the values and history in which it is rooted. They do not know the incredible story of the moral courage demonstrated by president truman in 1948. We have a duty to educate the next generation and pass this down. And i want to commend the Truman Library for carrying this mantle. I want to conclude by reflecting on the following quote from president truman and i quote, i had faith in israel because before it was established, i knew it was based on the love of freedom, which has the guiding star of the jewish people since the of moses. I believe it has a glorious future before it. Not just as sovereign nation but is an embodiment of the great idea of our civilization and of quote. I would like to believe that 75 years after president truman took the valiant step to recognize the state of israel, you would also agree that what our countrys has accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. Thank you all for your. May we all to go from strength to. Strength. May god bless the United States of america. And may god bless the state, israel. Thank you to the alabama alabama. Please bear us. One more minute, ambassador. If youd come back up onto the stage and Pat Ottensmeyer and. Clifton, we have a special gift for the ambassador wed like to present to him in gratitude for you being with us. It is a framed copy of the recognition israel document that is here in the truman collection. One wonderful if you havent seen this document, its in the museum. Cruise through. That which is in the flowers. Its exciting. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you all for coming. Appreciate it. Have a wonderful day. Thank you, ambassador