David Ben Gurion (1886-1973)


David Ben-Gurion was born in the town of Plonsk in Poland (Czarist Russia) on October 16, 1886. Paula Ben-Gurion was born in the Russian city of Minsk in April 1892.

1906 - Immigrated to the land of Israel, and began working as
          a farm hand on the early Hebrew settlements.

1912 - Studied law in Turkey with the intention of being
          elected to the Turkish parliament as representative of
          the Hebrew settlements in the land of Israel.   

1915 - Expelled from the land of Israel by order of the ottoman
          government; sailed for the United States where he became
          active in the Zionist "Hehalutz" organization.   

1918 - Enlisted in the Jewish Legion annexed to the British Army.

1919 - Returned to the land of Israel with the Jewish Legion.

1921 - Elected secretary of the Histadrut (Jewish Labor Federation).

1935 - Elected chairman of the Jewish Agency.

1948, May 14 - Announced the establishment of the state of Israel.

1949 - Elected the state of Israel's first prime minister and defense minister.

1953 - Resigned from office and became a member of kibbutz Sede Boker.

1955 - Called back to office as defense minister and later also as prime minister.

1963 - Resigned from office and returned to live on kibbutz Sede Boker.

1973, December 1 - He died and was buried at the Sede Boker campus.