9
mron Rena Aharoni Eli Sheetrit David Orlovsky Avraham Bachar Shulamit Shamir Betzalel Tidhar Moshe Lev Nechemiah Ben Tor IE Millstone Harold Isaacs Norman Lamm Avraham Ban Hador Refael Ben Aroyah Ira Ziva Arbel Sol Baskin Menachem Schiff Joe Rabinowitz Gershon Horowitz Ezra Yachin Shraga Alis Elie S alit Avraham Riklin Temima Bar-Ilan Yisrael Cohen David J. Azrieli Sima Cohen Chaya Bareli Yaffa Dermer U vinsky Nachum Bosmi Uriel Bachrach Miriam Ben Peretz Moshe Ben Peretz Avraham Shapira Moshe Gers Yitzchak Avinoam Ben Brown Eliezer Ben Ami Alex Merston Bertha Merston Yitzchak Berman Shlomo Du Betzalel Amitzur Shlomo Lev-Ami David Mizrachi Amos Shefi Pesach Zisin Binyamin Gepner Yiftach Leyze witz Chaim Ahisar Arthur Ben Natan Yitzchak Navon Avraham Timor Gershon Gafni Yechiel Kadishai Uzi O uv Cohen Gidon Niv Rachel Alexander Peleg Tamir Yoash Tzidon Ruth Low Meshulam Riklis Geula Cohen a Shatil Simcha Haruvi Shmuel Tankus Chaim Tivon Yehuda Ahuvi Shosh Habas Efraim Ilin Tzvi Ben Ari Ah m Rosenthal Alex Raab Yosef Reuveni Yehudit Cohen Ben Amotz Yitzhak Pundak Mordecai Chertoff Yocha am Peled Chayk Motlo Uri Lubrani Meir Rosenne Rachel Avnon Ephraim Gilan Shlomo Shaked Ephraim R tein Yehuda Lapidot Elisheva Shavit Zimra Peled Shmuel Enav Elad Peled Moshe Dolgin Azriel Livnat Suz er Eliezer Ben Yakir Yaakov Shiretzky Atuda Ben Shemen Romik Fine Zadok Ophir Mira Fine Yiska Shadmi min Vilotovsky Menachem Solomon Avraham Elkayam Emmanuel Elgavish Menashe Harel Natan Rahav U insky Mordechai Segel Naftali Siletski Uri Ramon Reuven Alon Ezra Siton Yitzhak Michaeli Yaakov Rota Sh hifra Terem Lili Lahav Nahum Admoni Zvi Elazri Zvi Porat Rina Porat Moshe Rush Don Domingo Oded Ne an Amos Dolev Yitzhak Ben Uri Y air Cohen Shlomo Tabory David Ziv Asher Levy Mordechai Garsani Mes mo Oppenheim Yaakov Yaniv Shalom Zisser Alex Zur Shmulik Segel Zvi Raski Dan Bar-On Leah Yossilson Yaakov Friedman Itta Shoshan Elimelech Danziger Esther Benovitz Elkanah Gali Ahuvia Malkin Yossi Dror alit Nierenberg Eliahu Morag Miriam Taasa Glazer Ephraim Rosen Ezra Agai Shmuel Albek Yosef Duriel Me Kalman Chaim Alkutzer Esther Narkis Yitzhak Arad David Dror Aryeh Monzon Y echezkel Ravia Eliahu Kop Baruch Tirosh Binyamin Geiger Morris Ben Dror Menachem Weisel Eliezer Shlomi Yonatan Dotan Natan H m Moshe Zoltziger Menashe Penso Ahron Spektor Eliahu Weinberg Moshe Yotvat Eshel Nimrod Yisrael Pe nski Avraham Ronen Chaim Yechiel Haim Ladin Yeshayahu Brot Shmuel Lahis Yehoshua Shapira Mordech on Lev Tov Amos Horev Zomik Samsanov Tuvia Goldman Penina Sharon Shlomo Anshel Hanan Sever Efra ha Nir Alex Aviram Zofia Danieli Yosef Levy Amikam Alon Eliezer Hernik Benzion Cohen Hannah Sela Avrah dit Freud Steiner Yehuda Tagar Gidi Eilat Yohanan Dor Ami Zvi Abramowitz Eliezer Wilkenfeld Yosef Yefat Ya a Roi Avital Wilkenfeld Avraham Adler Mordechai Eshel Mordechai Ben Porat Yaakov Heruti Zvi Avidror Zipp h Handler Yael Ben Dov Yehudit Yarkoni Musa Yarkoni Harold Katz Dov Landau David Shomron Rena Ahar Orlovsky Avraham Bachar Shulamit Shamir Betzalel Tidhar Moshe Levy Jack Levy Nechemiah Ben Tor IE d Isaacs Norman Lamm Avraham Ban Hador Refael Ben Aroyah Ira Kahn Itamar Arbel Ziva Arbel Sol Bask Joe Rabinowitz Gershon Horowitz Ezra Yachin Shraga Alis Elie Schalit Yehuda Margalit Avraham Riklin Te el Cohen David J. Azrieli Sima Cohen Chaya Bareli Yaffa Dermer Uzi Tzizling Zev Ivinsky Nachum Bosmi U m Ben Peretz Moshe Ben Peretz Avraham Shapira Moshe Gershuni Tamar Eshel Yitzchak Avinoam Ben Bro Ami Alex Merston Bertha Merston Yitzchak Berman Shlomo Duar Shraga Gafni Betzalel Amitzur Shlomo Le chi Amos Shefi Pesach Zisin Binyamin Gepner Yiftach Leyzerovitch Fred Horowitz Chaim Ahisar Arthur Be hak Navon Avraham Timor Gershon Gafni Yechiel Kadishai Uzi Ornan Shaar Yashuv Cohen Gidon Niv Rac Tamir Yoash Tzidon Ruth Low Meshulam Riklis Geula Cohen Shlomo Arel Celina Shatil Simcha Haruvi Sh m Tivon Yehuda Ahuvi Shosh Habas Efraim Ilin Tzvi Ben Ari Ahron Doron Miriam Rosenthal Alex Raab Yose dit Cohen Ben Amotz Yitzhak Pundak Mordecai Chertoff Yochanan Peltz Avraham Peled Chayk Motlo Uri L nne Rachel Avnon Ephraim Gilan Shlomo Shaked Ephraim Ravid Moshe Edelstein Yehuda Lapidot Elishev Peled Shmuel Enav Elad Peled Moshe Dolgin Azriel Livnat Suzy Eban Tzvi Lichter Eliezer Ben Yakir Yaako a Ben Shemen Romik Fine Zadok Ophir Mira Fine Yiska Shadmi Ahron Dagan Benjamin Vilotovsky Menach am Elkayam Emmanuel Elgavish Menashe Harel Natan Rahav Uri horvitz Meir Kochinsky Mordechai Segel ki Uri Ramon Reuven Alon Ezra Siton Yitzhak Michaeli Yaakov Rota Shmuel Even Or Shifra Terem Lili Laha 500 INTERVIEWS

Toldot Yisrael - 500 Interviews

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Toldot Yisrael's newest brochure documenting its accomplishments and first 500 interviews.

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Page 1: Toldot Yisrael - 500 Interviews

Zvi Avidror Zipporah Porath Aryeh Handler Yael Ben Dov Yehudit Yarkoni Musa Yarkoni Harold Katz Dov Landau David Shomron Rena Aharoni Eli Sheetrit David Orlovsky Avraham Bachar Shulamit Shamir Betzalel Tidhar Moshe LevyLevy Nechemiah Ben Tor IE Millstone Harold Isaacs Norman Lamm Avraham Ban Hador Refael Ben Aroyah Ira Kahn Arbel Ziva Arbel Sol Baskin Menachem Schiff Joe Rabinowitz Gershon Horowitz Ezra Yachin Shraga Alis Elie Schalit Margalit Avraham Riklin Temima Bar-Ilan Yisrael Cohen David J. Azrieli Sima Cohen Chaya Bareli Yaffa Dermer Uzi Tzizling Zev Ivinsky Nachum Bosmi Uriel Bachrach Miriam Ben Peretz Moshe Ben Peretz Avraham Shapira Moshe Gershuni Eshel Yitzchak Avinoam Ben Brown Eliezer Ben Ami Alex Merston Bertha Merston Yitzchak Berman Shlomo Duar Gafni Betzalel Amitzur Shlomo Lev-Ami David Mizrachi Amos Shefi Pesach Zisin Binyamin Gepner Yiftach Leyzerovitch Horowitz Chaim Ahisar Arthur Ben Natan Yitzchak Navon Avraham Timor Gershon Gafni Yechiel Kadishai Uzi Ornan Yashuv Cohen Gidon Niv Rachel Alexander Peleg Tamir Yoash Tzidon Ruth Low Meshulam Riklis Geula Cohen Celina Shatil Simcha Haruvi Shmuel Tankus Chaim Tivon Yehuda Ahuvi Shosh Habas Efraim Ilin Tzvi Ben Ari Ahron Doron Miriam Rosenthal Alex Raab Yosef Reuveni Yehudit Cohen Ben Amotz Yitzhak Pundak Mordecai Chertoff Yochanan PeltzAvraham Peled Chayk Motlo Uri Lubrani Meir Rosenne Rachel Avnon Ephraim Gilan Shlomo Shaked Ephraim Ravid Edelstein Yehuda Lapidot Elisheva Shavit Zimra Peled Shmuel Enav Elad Peled Moshe Dolgin Azriel Livnat Suzy Eban Lichter Eliezer Ben Yakir Yaakov Shiretzky Atuda Ben Shemen Romik Fine Zadok Ophir Mira Fine Yiska Shadmi Benjamin Vilotovsky Menachem Solomon Avraham Elkayam Emmanuel Elgavish Menashe Harel Natan Rahav Uri horvitz Kochinsky Mordechai Segel Naftali Siletski Uri Ramon Reuven Alon Ezra Siton Yitzhak Michaeli Yaakov Rota Shmuel Even

Shifra Terem Lili Lahav Nahum Admoni Zvi Elazri Zvi Porat Rina Porat Moshe Rush Don Domingo Oded Negbi Noiman Amos Dolev Yitzhak Ben Uri Yair Cohen Shlomo Tabory David Ziv Asher Levy Mordechai Garsani Meshulum Nagar Shlomo Oppenheim Yaakov Yaniv Shalom Zisser Alex Zur Shmulik Segel Zvi Raski Dan Bar-On Leah Yossilson Matityahu Peleg Yaakov Friedman Itta Shoshan Elimelech Danziger Esther Benovitz Elkanah Gali Ahuvia Malkin Yossi Dror Margalit Nierenberg Eliahu Morag Miriam Taasa Glazer Ephraim Rosen Ezra Agai Shmuel Albek Yosef Duriel Meir SchwartzRena Kalman Chaim Alkutzer Esther Narkis Yitzhak Arad David Dror Aryeh Monzon Yechezkel Ravia Eliahu Kopolovitz Ofek Baruch Tirosh Binyamin Geiger Morris Ben Dror Menachem Weisel Eliezer Shlomi Yonatan Dotan Natan Hitin Haram Moshe Zoltziger Menashe Penso Ahron Spektor Eliahu Weinberg Moshe Yotvat Eshel Nimrod Yisrael Peleg Kaplinski Avraham Ronen Chaim Yechiel Haim Ladin Yeshayahu Brot Shmuel Lahis Yehoshua Shapira Mordechai Ben PoratSharon Lev Tov Amos Horev Zomik Samsanov Tuvia Goldman Penina Sharon Shlomo Anshel Hanan Sever Efraim SteinbergSimcha Nir Alex Aviram Zofia Danieli Yosef Levy Amikam Alon Eliezer Hernik Benzion Cohen Hannah Sela Avraham Akavia ehudit Freud Steiner Yehuda Tagar Gidi Eilat Yohanan Dor Ami Zvi Abramowitz Eliezer Wilkenfeld Yosef Yefat Yaakov Eshel

Elisha Roi Avital Wilkenfeld Avraham Adler Mordechai Eshel Mordechai Ben Porat Yaakov Heruti Zvi Avidror Zipporah PorathAryeh Handler Yael Ben Dov Yehudit Yarkoni Musa Yarkoni Harold Katz Dov Landau David Shomron Rena AharonDavid Orlovsky Avraham Bachar Shulamit Shamir Betzalel Tidhar Moshe Levy Jack Levy Nechemiah Ben Tor IE Millstone Harold Isaacs Norman Lamm Avraham Ban Hador Refael Ben Aroyah Ira Kahn Itamar Arbel Ziva Arbel Sol BaskinSchiff Joe Rabinowitz Gershon Horowitz Ezra Yachin Shraga Alis Elie Schalit Yehuda Margalit Avraham Riklin Temima Bar-Ilan Yisrael Cohen David J. Azrieli Sima Cohen Chaya Bareli Yaffa Dermer Uzi Tzizling Zev Ivinsky Nachum Bosmi Uriel Bachrach Miriam Ben Peretz Moshe Ben Peretz Avraham Shapira Moshe Gershuni Tamar Eshel Yitzchak Avinoam Ben BrownBen Ami Alex Merston Bertha Merston Yitzchak Berman Shlomo Duar Shraga Gafni Betzalel Amitzur Shlomo Lev-Ami Mizrachi Amos Shefi Pesach Zisin Binyamin Gepner Yiftach Leyzerovitch Fred Horowitz Chaim Ahisar Arthur Ben Natan Yitzchak Navon Avraham Timor Gershon Gafni Yechiel Kadishai Uzi Ornan Shaar Yashuv Cohen Gidon Niv Rachel Alexander Peleg Tamir Yoash Tzidon Ruth Low Meshulam Riklis Geula Cohen Shlomo Arel Celina Shatil Simcha Haruvi Shmuel Tan

haim Tivon Yehuda Ahuvi Shosh Habas Efraim Ilin Tzvi Ben Ari Ahron Doron Miriam Rosenthal Alex Raab Yosef Yehudit Cohen Ben Amotz Yitzhak Pundak Mordecai Chertoff Yochanan Peltz Avraham Peled Chayk Motlo Uri Lubrani Rosenne Rachel Avnon Ephraim Gilan Shlomo Shaked Ephraim Ravid Moshe Edelstein Yehuda Lapidot Elisheva Shavit Zimra Peled Shmuel Enav Elad Peled Moshe Dolgin Azriel Livnat Suzy Eban Tzvi Lichter Eliezer Ben Yakir Yaakov ShiretzkyAtuda Ben Shemen Romik Fine Zadok Ophir Mira Fine Yiska Shadmi Ahron Dagan Benjamin Vilotovsky Menachem SolomonAvraham Elkayam Emmanuel Elgavish Menashe Harel Natan Rahav Uri horvitz Meir Kochinsky Mordechai Segel Siletski Uri Ramon Reuven Alon Ezra Siton Yitzhak Michaeli Yaakov Rota Shmuel Even Or Shifra Terem Lili Lahav

500 INTERVIEWS

Page 2: Toldot Yisrael - 500 Interviews

Toldot Yisrael: Their Stories—Our Legacy Two monumental events in the 20th Century changed the face of Jewish History forever: the Shoah, incomprehensible in its enormity and catastrophic in its horror; and the founding of the State of Israel, the glorious story of a people’s return to its homeland. Yad Vashem and Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation have recorded over 50,000 survivors’ testimonies and made them available to the public. !ese landmark undertakings will preserve the "rsthand authoritative memories of the Holocaust forever.

Unfortunately, until a few years ago, the individual stories of the founding of the State of Israel were not being captured and preserved for posterity. !e State of Israel is over 60 years old and our ability to record these inspiring stories will soon draw to a close.

Founded in 2007, Toldot Yisrael is a Jerusalem based nonprofit dedicated to recording and sharing the firsthand testimonies of the men and women who helped found the State of Israel. Toldot Yisrael has conducted over 500 video interviews so far with those who were involved during the pre-State struggle and the momentous events of 1948. !ese unedited oral histories form an extensive archive that is already being used by scholars, educators, and documentary "lmmakers to bring authentic accounts of the founding of the State of Israel to the general public—both in Israel and the Diaspora.

““— Ken Burns,

Aryeh Shachar, born in Poland in 1926, aliyah in 1936, served in Palmach.

Avraham "Bren" Adan, Toldot Yisrael interviewee, raises the "Ink Flag" in the battle for Eilat, 1949

When a veteran dies without his story being told, that’s like a library burning down.

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InterviewsRacing against the clock, Toldot Yisrael has conducted over 500 interviews, totaling close to 2000 hours of footage, with men and women in Israel and North America. Our greatest challenge is the march of time. With every day that passes, the generation of 1948 is disappearing. Toldot Yisrael’s pool of interview candidates has decreased by 50% since we "rst began the project. Israel’s Jewish population in 1948 on the eve of Statehood numbered 630,000. Four years ago, demographers estimated that there were 120,000 potential Toldot Yisrael interviewees alive. Today there are less than 60,000. Statistically, one in five interview candidates will not live through the coming year.

Interview CandidatesToldot Yisrael is recording the stories of Israel’s founders, including:

> native born sabras who took up arms to defend their homes and farms; > survivors who escaped the Holocaust or their native Arab countries to rebuild

their lives in Israel; > WWII veterans who volunteered and helped build the #edgling Israeli Air Force

and Navy; > the brave men and women who spent months of the War of Independence

under siege;> and the ordinary people who lived through the Jewish People’s extraordinary

return to their homeland and the founding of the State of Israel.

Many of Toldot Yisrael's interviewees went on to hold key positions in Israel's leadership, including Ambassadors, Generals, Speaker of the Knesset, Director of Military Intelligence, Mossad Director, Supreme Court President, and President of the State of Israel.

Finding CandidatesExpert historians on the pre-State period have helped generate lists of the most signi"cant people to interview and will continue to oversee representation from all segments of Israel’s founding generation. !e veterans associations of the Haganah, Palmach, Etzel, and Lehi have provided lists and contact information of potential interviewees. World Machal and American Veterans of Israel have o$ered their help in locating volunteers from overseas who fought in 1948.

Hundreds of other candidates have important recollections of the events of 1948. Advertisements will be placed in newspapers, websites, and on radio and television in order to reach them.

Toldot Yisrael is also exploring the acquisition of small collections of interviews conducted by others in the past, including several conducted with people who have since passed away.

“ “Toldot Yisrael is a history lesson come alive.— Daniel Gordis,

¥ µ

Avraham Dar, born in Jerusalem in 1925, served in Palmach and Aliyah Bet.

200920082007 2010

378 100

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

355

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InterviewersToldot Yisrael’s interview methodology is modeled on the successful e$orts of Yad Vashem and the Shoah Foundation, and several of our interviewers are graduates of their training programs. Interviewers are historians, tour guides with expertise in Israel’s battle sites, educators, and documentary "lmmakers. Professional videographers with broadcast quality professional equipment serve as single person crews responsible for "lming, sound, and lighting.

In addition to our regular cadre of 25+ professional interviewers and videographers, we also had several “guest” interviewers, including award winning Israeli journalist and author Shlomo Nakdimon and former Shoah Foundation Executive Director Michael Berenbaum.

MethodologyMost interviews average 2–3 hours; some, however, are as long as 12–15 hours and are conducted over the span of multiple sessions. Interviews are not scripted but proceed chronologically, covering recollections of home life, education, community, youth movements, aliyah to Israel (if relevant), and focusing on the period up to and including the War of Independence. During the "nal section, interviewees can re#ect back, and display photographs, documents, and mementos.

Videotaped interviews are preserved in their entirety and not edited. Immediately following the interview, the footage is digitized, copies are made as a backup, and every interviewee receives a complete copy of the interview. While interviewees maintain the rights to their individual life stories, Toldot Yisrael owns the copyright and all intellectual property rights to the videotaped interviews themselves. !is allows the interview material to be used for educational material, academic research, and documentary "lms.

ImpactToldot Yisrael has begun to bring the incredible stories captured in our interviews to the general public, both inside and outside of Israel.

ScholarshipA front-page story in Ha’aretz by award winning journalist Yossi Melman highlighted the contribution Toldot Yisrael's interviews are already having on contemporary historical debate. !e olei hagardom, the twelve members of the pre-State Jewish undergrounds who were tried and hanged by the British, are among Israel’s most revered heroes. Based in large part on Toldot Yisrael’s interviews and research, Mordechai Schwartz, a 13th oleh hagardom was recently acknowledged. Schwartz was recognized in several ceremonies held last year at cemeteries and museums, and, for the "rst time, his family was invited to participate in a special commemorative session of the Knesset.

Media CoverageSeveral newspaper articles and television appearances have brought word about Toldot Yisrael to a much wider audience. !e New York Times published a story in its front section about the project which underscores the importance of capturing the Israeli narrative, particularly in light of a very well-funded e$ort to document Palestinian experiences. Israel’s Channel Two News ran a very complimentary segment on the work Toldot Yisrael is doing. Columns in Ha’aretz and the Jerusalem Post have lauded Toldot Yisrael’s role in protecting the Zionist narrative.

Documentary Films!e History Channel in Israel and Toldot Yisrael produced !e Founders: !e Story of the 1948 Generation, a series of 20 two-minute segments using Toldot Yisrael’s interview footage. !e History Channel premiered these segments as part of their 2010 Israel Independence Day programming, and have continued broadcasting them as lead-ins to their shows or in between programs.

““

There is nothing like a living witness who can give a picture of what really happened and that’s why this is so important.

— Miriam Ben Peretz,

!Nahman Raz, born in Ein Harod in 1924, Secretary of the Noar Ha'Oved Youth Movement 1947-8.

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Television NewsToldot Yisrael’s interview footage has proved to be a very valuable commodity, both for current event stories, as well as for, unfortunately, obituaries. In the past few months, all three major networks in Israel have used Toldot Yisrael’s footage in news stories on three di$erent subjects.

Educational ProgrammingPlans for an education pilot in Israel are underway, working together with the Center for Educational Technology (Matach). Matach develops state-of-the-art textbooks and digital content which are studied by 75% of Israel’s pupils yearly and whose websites attract 2,000,000 visits monthly.

In the United States, Toldot Yisrael and !e iCenter, a Chicago based non-pro"t educational organization aimed at enhancing the "eld of Israel Education, have launched an educational pilot that brings Toldot Yisrael’s work to schools, camps, community centers, and youth groups. !e program has been made possible through the generous support of the Jim Joseph Foundation and others.

!e Eyewitness 1948 short "lm series, produced by Toldot Yisrael and the History Channel, is the centerpiece of the educational pilot. !e "lms present stories that address the heroism of the era, as well as the complex moral dilemmas confronted as the young nation battled for its existence. Films are accompanied by discussion guides and educator training developed by !e iCenter. !e first two films in the Eyewitness 1948 series have received over 250,000 views on YouTube since the program launched in September 2010!

E c h o e s o f a S h o f a r

In 1929, the British forbade Jews from blowing the shofar at the Kotel (Western Wall). For the next seventeen years, shofars were smuggled in to the Kotel where brave teenagers de"antly blew them at the conclusion of the fast every Yom Kippur. Six of these teenagers are still alive and recently returned to the scene of their “crime,” armed with shofars. !is "lm tells their heroic story.

N o v e m b e r 2 9 , 1 9 4 7 : T h e S t o r y o f a V o t e

A vote that lasted a mere three minutes on November 29, 1947 changed the course of Jewish History and brought 20 centuries of Jewish homelessness to an end. !is powerful "lm tells the story of the dramatic UN vote for the Partition of Palestine.

2"

““

It is the most dramatic and most important event in the past 2000 years of Jewish History. If we do not record it... it will be lost. You [Toldot Yisrael] are accomplishing a very important and vital contribution to history. I am grateful that I am part of it. — Yitzhak Navon,

#

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Next StepsWeb based technology a$ords the greatest opportunity for Toldot Yisrael to bring the founders’ testimonies to the general public and properly showcase this material.

IndexingIndexing all of the data will transform the interviews from raw material to a useful and accessible product with academic and educational value. Interviews will be reviewed and tagged with keywords, names, and places. Chapter headings and summaries will be prepared for each interview.

Enrichment!e enrichment process will enhance each interview by linking it to resources such as Wikipedia, Google Maps, and a detailed historical timeline. Individual interviews will be cross-referenced with other interviews in Toldot Yisrael’s archive, as well as with other oral history archives.

ViewingAn online platform will be the entry point for users around the world. Interviews will become fully searchable (i.e. by name of Aliyah Bet immigration boat, War of Independence battle, country of origin, etc.) !e search engine will allow researchers and academics the opportunity to pinpoint speci"c areas of interest without having to sift through hours and hours of footage.

Education!is comprehensive process will unleash the full educational potential of the archive, opening the door to a myriad of educational possibilities for museums, classrooms, and libraries. Special multimedia curriculum about Israel’s founding will be produced and distributed for use in schools, community centers, and youth groups.

2±$ ±±

FundingIn 2010, Toldot Yisrael raised close to $500,000, surpassing what we had raised in the previous three years combined. In the coming years, Toldot Yisrael aims to double our donation income so that we can not only increase the pace of interviews, but also add new educational programs, catalogue and index the material to make it more accessible, and develop a cutting edge website.

With every day that passes, the generation of 1948 is disappearing. Ten years from now, there will be very few of these heroes still among us, capable of sharing their own personal stories with Israelis and Jews around the world. Toldot Yisrael will have documented the varied narrative of Israel’s founders and secured an appropriate home for its preservation and widest possible method of dissemination. Users around the world will be able to watch and listen to the stories of Israel’s “Greatest Generation” for themselves.

Time is running out for this project. !e narrative of Israel’s founding generation is so momentous, so dramatic, so passionate, it is incumbent upon everyone to hear it for him or herself. Yet the opportunity to hear this story first hand is slipping away, and with it, our opportunity to preserve this legacy for the future.

$550,000

$550,000

& Website$900,000

General &

$500,000

2007 2008 2009 2010

— Norman Lamm, “

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Founding Supporters!is project has been made possible through the generous support of the following funders:

Founding Benefactors ($250,000 and above) Jim Joseph Foundation

Founding Sponsors ($100,000–$249,999) Milken Family Foundation

Founding Partners ($50,000–$99,999) !e Natan Fund Lauren and Martin Geller Shaula Alexander Yemini Tova and Howard Weiser

Pioneers ($25,000–$49,999) David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation Charles H. Revson Foundation Saban Family Foundation Jewish Funders Network - Anonymous Donor

Patrons ($10,000–$24,999) Henrietta Rosen Trust Renee and David Golush Alexander Charitable Foundation MZ Foundation Marcia Riklis Tali and Boaz Weinstein Foundation

Toldot Yisrael can accept tax deductible contributions in the US through FJC – A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds (www.%c.org). Checks can be made out to FJC and should be designated for Toldot Yisrael in the memo line. !eir address is:

FJC – A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds 520 8th Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10018

2

— Michael B. Oren,

±%

The extraordinary story of Israel’s War of Independence is rapidly being forgotten or replaced by claims of Zionist aggression and ethnic cleansing. It is therefore crucial that we recover and record the Zionist narrative while we still can by interviewing those who witnessed it first-hand. Toldot Yisrael meets that urgent need.

±&

Geulah Cohen, born in Tel Aviv in 1925, served in Etzel and Lehi.

Page 8: Toldot Yisrael - 500 Interviews

2 ±µ±¥

Yehuda Avner former Israeli Ambassador to the UK, advisor to several Prime Ministers

Michael Berenbaum former CEO, Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation and Executive Editor, Encyclopedia Judaica

Ralph Goldman Honorary Executive Vice President, JDC

Sarah Kass Director of Strategy, AVI CHAI (NA)

Yigal Lossin Writer and Producer, Pillar of Fire documentary series

Michael Oren Israel’s Ambassador to the US; Historian and NY Times bestselling author of Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle East and Six Days of War

Elad Peled (Major-General, Ret.) former Director General, Israel’s Ministry of Education

Renen Schorr Founder and Director of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School

Yair Stern former Director General, Israel Television

Howard Weiser Partner (retired), PricewaterhouseCoopers

Ruth Wisse Professor of Yiddish Literature, Harvard University

Aryeh Halivni (Eric Weisberg) Founder and Executive Director

Peleg Levy Director of Production Mordechai Ben-Porat, born in Baghdad in 1923, aliyah in 1945. Architect of Operation Ezra and

Nehemiah, which brought 120,000 Iraqi Jews to Israel.

Page 9: Toldot Yisrael - 500 Interviews

Shomron Rena Aharoni Eli Sheetrit David Orlovsky Avraham Bachar Shulamit Shamir Betzalel Tidhar Moshe LevyJack Levy Nechemiah Ben Tor IE Millstone Harold Isaacs Norman Lamm Avraham Ban Hador Refael Ben Aroyah Ira Kahn Itamar Arbel Ziva Arbel Sol Baskin Menachem Schiff Joe Rabinowitz Gershon Horowitz Ezra Yachin Shraga Alis Elie Schalit Yehuda Margalit Avraham Riklin Temima Bar-Ilan Yisrael Cohen David J. Azrieli Sima Cohen Chaya Bareli Yaffa Dermer Uzi Tzizling Zev Ivinsky Nachum Bosmi Uriel Bachrach Miriam Ben Peretz Moshe Ben Peretz AvraShapira Moshe Gershuni Tamar Eshel Yitzchak Avinoam Ben Brown Eliezer Ben Ami Alex Merston Bertha Merston Yitzchak Berman Shlomo Duar Shraga Gafni Betzalel Amitzur Shlomo Lev-Ami David Mizrachi Amos Shefi Pesach Zisin Binyamin Gepner Yiftach Leyzerovitch Fred Horowitz Chaim Ahisar Arthur Ben Natan Yitzchak Navon Avraham Timor Gershon Gafni Yechiel Kadishai Uzi Ornan Shaar Yashuv Cohen Gidon Niv Rachel Alexander Peleg Tamir Yoash Tzidon Ruth Low Meshulam Riklis Geula Cohen Shlomo Arel Celina Shatil Simcha Haruvi Shmuel Tankus Chaim TivonAhuvi Shosh Habas Efraim Ilin Tzvi Ben Ari Ahron Doron Miriam Rosenthal Alex Raab Yosef Reuveni Yehudit Cohen Ben Amotz Yitzhak Pundak Mordecai Chertoff Yochanan Peltz Avraham Peled Chayk Motlo Uri Lubrani Meir Rosenne Rachel Avnon Ephraim Gilan Shlomo Shaked Ephraim Ravid Moshe Edelstein Yehuda Lapidot Elisheva Shavit Peled Shmuel Enav Elad Peled Moshe Dolgin Azriel Livnat Suzy Eban Tzvi Lichter Eliezer Ben Yakir Yaakov ShiretzkyAtuda Ben Shemen Romik Fine Zadok Ophir Mira Fine Yiska Shadmi Ahron Dagan Benjamin Vilotovsky Menachem Solomon Avraham Elkayam Emmanuel Elgavish Menashe Harel Natan Rahav Uri horvitz Meir Kochinsky Mordechai Segel Naftali Siletski Uri Ramon Reuven Alon Ezra Siton Yitzhak Michaeli Yaakov Rota Shmuel Even Or Shifra Terem Lili Lahav Nahum Admoni Zvi Elazri Zvi Porat Rina Porat Moshe Rush Don Domingo Oded Negbi Hillel Noiman Dolev Yitzhak Ben Uri Yair Cohen Shlomo Tabory David Ziv Asher Levy Mordechai Chaim Tivon Garsani Meshulum Nagar Shlomo Oppenheim Yaakov Yaniv Shalom Zisser Alex Zur Shmulik Segel Zvi Raski Dan Bar-On Leah YossilsonMatityahu Peleg Yaakov Friedman Itta Shoshan Elimelech Danziger Esther Benovitz Elkanah Gali Ahuvia MalkinDror Reva Yisrael Margalit Nierenberg Eliahu Morag Miriam Taasa Glazer Ephraim Rosen Ezra Agai Shmuel Albek Duriel Meir Schwartz Rena Kalman Chaim Alkutzer Esther Narkis Yitzhak Arad David Dror Aryeh Monzon Yechezkel Ravia Eliahu Kopolovitz Shaul Ofek Baruch Tirosh Binyamin Geiger Morris Ben Dror Menachem Weisel Eliezer Shlomi Yonatan Dotan Natan Hitin Shmuel Haram Moshe Zoltziger Menashe Penso Ahron Spektor Eliahu Weinberg Moshe Yotvat Eshel Nimrod Yisrael Peleg Shimon Kaplinski Avraham Ronen Chaim Yechiel Haim Ladin Yeshayahu Brot Shmuel Lahis Yehoshua Shapira Mordechai Ben Porat Sharon Lev Tov Amos Horev Zomik Samsanov Tuvia Goldman Penina Sharon Shlomo Anshel Hanan Sever Efraim Steinberg Simcha Nir Alex Aviram Zofia Danieli Yosef LevyAlon Eliezer Hernik Benzion Cohen Hannah Sela Avraham Akavia Yehudit Freud Steiner Yehuda Tagar Gidi Eilat Yohanan Dor Ami Zvi Abramowitz Eliezer Wilkenfeld Yosef Yefat Yaakov Eshel Elisha Roi Avital Wilkenfeld Avraham Adler Mordechai Eshel Mordechai Ben Porat Yaakov Heruti Zvi Avidror Zipporah Porath Aryeh Handler Yael Ben DovYarkoni Musa Yarkoni Harold Katz Dov Landau David Shomron Rena Aharoni Eli Sheetrit David Orlovsky Avraham Bachar Shulamit Shamir Betzalel Tidhar Moshe Levy Jack Levy Nechemiah Ben Tor IE Millstone Harold Isaacs Lamm Avraham Ban Hador Refael Ben Aroyah Ira Kahn Itamar Arbel Ziva Arbel Sol Baskin Menachem Schiff Rabinowitz Gershon Horowitz Ezra Yachin Shraga Alis Elie Schalit Yehuda Margalit Avraham Riklin Temima Bar-Ilan Yisrael Cohen David J. Azrieli Sima Cohen Chaya Bareli Yaffa Dermer Uzi Tzizling Zev Ivinsky Nachum Bosmi Bachrach Miriam Ben Peretz Moshe Ben Peretz Avraham Shapira Moshe Gershuni Tamar Eshel Yitzchak Avinoam Brown Eliezer Ben Ami Alex Merston Bertha Merston Yitzchak Berman Shlomo Duar Shraga Gafni Betzalel Amitzur Shlomo Lev-Ami David Mizrachi Amos Shefi Pesach Zisin Binyamin Gepner Yiftach Leyzerovitch Fred Horowitz Ahisar Arthur Ben Natan Yitzchak Navon Avraham Timor Gershon Gafni Yechiel Kadishai Uzi Ornan Shaar Yashuv Cohen Gidon Niv Rachel Alexander Peleg Tamir Yoash Tzidon Ruth Low Meshulam Riklis Geula Cohen Shlomo Arel Celina Shatil Simcha Haruvi Shmuel Tankus Chaim Tivon Yehuda Ahuvi Shosh Habas Efraim Ilin Tzvi Ben Ari Doron Miriam Rosenthal Alex Raab Yosef Reuveni Yehudit Cohen Ben Amotz Yitzhak Pundak Mordecai Chertoff Yochanan Peltz Avraham Peled Chayk Motlo Uri Lubrani Meir Rosenne Rachel Avnon Ephraim Gilan Shlomo Shaked Ephraim Ravid Moshe Edelstein Yehuda Lapidot Elisheva Shavit Zimra Peled Shmuel Enav Elad Peled Moshe Dolgin Azriel Livnat Suzy Eban Tzvi Lichter Eliezer Ben Yakir Yaakov Shiretzky Atuda Ben Shemen Romik Fine Zadok Ophir

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