Celebrating 80 years ...

On this day in 1966, the Jewish Western Bulletin published its special Israel issue in honor of the state’s chai year. The page featuring this map and accompanying legend celebrated that Israel, at 18, “has an operational oil pipeline from Eilat to Haifa, has a railroad from Nahariya to Beersheva and is bringing water from the Jordan to the Negev.”

The issue itself was 28 pages, filled with “birthday” greetings from community members and organizations and, of course, several stories about Israel. A large celebration was scheduled to take place at the Jewish Community Centre, with the centre’s executive director, MLA Dave Barrett, presiding, and a few other groups participating; there were also smaller community get-togethers.

Most interesting was a two-page “photostory” of Israel’s 18th year, including photos of the seventh World Maccabia, new lasers being used at Hebrew U, the atomic reactor at Nahal Sorek and a new archeological find at Masada.