The Israeli Declaration of Independence is made in Tel Aviv, a few hours before the British Mandate is due to expire. At midnight the British Mandate of Palestine is officially terminated and the State of Israel comes into being.

Israel's War of Independence ends with an armistice; Arab countries still refuse to recognize Israel.

Israeli, French, and British forces invade Egypt following the closing of the Suez Canal and Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. Subsequently, Israel withdraws from the Sinai.

National Water Carrier completed, bringing water from Lake Kinneret in the north to the semi-arid south.

Six-Day War; Jerusalem reunited.
Annual Campaign nearly doubles in response to Six Day War, reaching a record $11.5M

Interfaith study mission to Israel

Yom Kippur War; highest campaign achievement in Federation history is one phase of tremendous community response

Federation begins partnership with Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neve Sharett in Project Renewal program, linking Jews in Cleveland to Jews in Israel

Clevelanders contribute $1.5M to Operation Moses to rescue Ethiopian Jews; another $1M raised in Operation Solomon in 1991

Cleveland one of the few to send missions to Israel during Intifada

Federation selects Beit Shean, Israel for Partnership 2000 program to forge new definition of Israel-Diaspora relations

Ohio-Israel Cultural Exchange program created with governor’s office

Federation Overseas Connections Committee is formed to handle overseas distributions and co-sponsor programs including PACT, a literary project for Ethiopian immigrants in Beersheba, and ISHA, a women's health partnership between medical professionals in Cleveland and Israel

Parents and Children Together (PACT) program begins in Be’er Sheva, Israel, to aid absorption of Jewish Ethiopian preschoolers.

Ohio-Israel Cultural Exchange program created with governor’s office

Cleveland plays a major role in the restructuring of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI)

Formation of the Beit Shean Valley Community Foundation

Cleveland sends largest single community solidarity mission of the year – 200 people – to Israel in its time of crisis; repeats record-setting mission in 2002

Israel’s health minister comes to Cleveland to kickoff the ISHA program, a $3M initiative to improve women’s health in Israel with Cleveland volunteer participation

Israel Emergency Campaigns raise $8,904,560 in two years, which includes $1M Endowment Fund Grant

Cleveland sends a delegation of 54 young adults on a national Tel Aviv One mission to Israel, in an effort to strengthen the connection of the next generation to the Jewish community

Israel Emergency Campaign is launched

Launch of I-Connect to connect young Clevelanders to Israel travel experiences

Federation launches Bridge to The Future, an Israeli community revitalization organization in Beti Shean to transform disadvantaged communities

icnext (Israel.Cleveland.Next) is established to engage the next generation of Jewish Clevelanders and Israelis