Israel's History:
1953

1953:
by Noah Mencow, 2002-2003 NERUSY Israel Affairs VP

1952 in Israeli History:

• Yad Vashem Established
  Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust memorial) is established in Jerusalem. Yad Vashem's goal is to "perpetuate the legacy of the Holocaust to future generations so that the world never forgets the horrors and cruelty of the Holocaust."
• Security and Water Disputes
  The security situation on the border with Jordan worsens; many infiltration incidents occur. Many of the problems arose over water disputes. That issue is still not resolved today, with the Hazzbani water dispute several months ago as a clear example of it.
• Relations with USSR
  Diplomatic relations between Israel and the USSR are broken off. The massive aliyah from the USSR to Israel had strained relations between the two countries; combined with the Cold War and support from the U.S., enough reasons were found to cut relations. There are now an estimated 1 million former USSR immigrants living in Israel.
• New IDF Chief of General Staff
  Moshe Dayan is appointed Chief of General Staff of the IDF. He served from 1953 through 1958. Later he went on to be elected to the Knesset and sit in numerous Minister positions.
• Academy of the Hebrew Language Founded
  The Academy of the Hebrew Language, which guides the formal linguistic development of Hebrew, is founded. The Academy was established as "the supreme national institution for the Hebrew language" by a special law of the Knesset.
• Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel Established
  The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, dedicated to the protection and conservation of nature and the environment in Israel, is established. SPNI is Israel's largest environmental NGO. They believe that "the best way to make people understand that nature, the land, its history and/or environment are important, is to bring them to it - through hikes, holidays and trips - to bring it to them through magazines, summer programs, and lectures."
• Ben Gurion Retires
  Prime Minister David Ben Gurion retires to Kibbutz Sde Boker. After serving as Israel's first ever Prime Minister, Ben Gurion rested from the political life for awhile. He could not stay away, however, and returned to politics in 1955, assuming the post of Defense Minister and later the premiership.