Thursday, February 21, 2008

Center Bulletin, Vo. 4, No. 19

Volume 4, Issue 19
February 21, 2008

Total Number of Visitors Since October 2004: 377,107


Archivists from US and Canada at the Center

Leading world archivists spent four hours in the Menachem Begin Heritage Center on Sunday where they were received and accompanied by the Founder and President of the Begin Foundation, Harry Hurwitz, and the Chairman of the Begin Center, Herzl Makov. They were extremely impressed by th e building, its features, the archives, the location and activities about which they heard. The picture shows them on the main open-air terrace. In it are (from left to right): Dr. Yehoshua Freundlich, head of the Israel State Archives; Mr. Michael R. Carlson, Director of the Electronic and Special Media Records Services Division of the National Archives and Records Administration of the United States; Mr. Allen Weinstein, Chief Archivist of the United States; Mr. Harry Hurwitz; Mr. Ian E. Wilson, Librarian and Chief Archivist of Canada, Iris Berlazky, Head Archivist of the Begin Center; and Mr. Herzl Makov.

The archivists said "You have created an extraordinary Institution here," and "This is a remarkable contribution to future generations." The technical expert was highly impressed by the technology in the archives, museum and auditorium.

The Jerusalem Post, in an article by Greer Fay Cashman, featured the visit of the archivists.



(Photo by Yisrael Medad of the Begin Center.)


Sir Martin Gilbert to Speak at Book Launching

The appearance of Sir Martin Gilbert, the official biographer of Winston Churchill, at the Begin Center the end of next week is eagerly awaited. He will be the guest speaker at the launching of Shmuel Katz's new book, The Aaronsohn Saga, published by Gefen Publishers.

In his recent book, Churchill and the Jews, Gilbert describes meetings of Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Churchill, whose positive response to Jabotinsky's appeal to oppose the 1937 Partition Plan was a major political event at the time.

Next Commander of IAF From Irgun Family

Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan has been appointed the next commander of the Israel Air Force. In an official announcement the IDF Spokesperson's Office said that Defense Minister Ehud Barak confirmed the de cision of Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi. Maj. Gen. Nechushtan will succeed Brig. Gen. Eliezer Shkedi in the next few weeks.

The Begin Center has congratulated the new commander and his father, Mr. Ya'acov Nechushtan on this high distinction. Ya'acov Nechushtan was a member of the Irgun, a prisoner of the British in Gilgil, Kenya, and a member of the First Knesset. When the Begin Center was established Ya'acov Nechushtan was appointed the legal advisor to the committees. His late wife, Dvora, was a prominent Irgun fighter who was imprisoned by the British in the women's prison in Bethlehem.

In Memoriam

When Congressman Tom Lantos took ill recently the Begin Center wrote to him to wish him well and to express the hope that he would recover from his serious illness.

Unfortunately, this was not to be. Tom Lantos, who was known as one of the best friends of Israel in Congress, was a great admirer of Menachem Begin and a willing and very ready supporter of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. He is deeply mourned by all elements of the leadership of Israel.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and seventeen grandchildren.

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