110 | MAY 20 • 2021 

Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Ben-Gurion in Detroit
S

eventy years ago, on May 21, 
1951, the city of Detroit and its 
Jewish community hosted the 
Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben-
Gurion, for a 36-hour visit. He was not on 
holiday. Along with other Israeli leaders, 
Ben-Gurion was traveling across America 
for a critical Israel Bond Drive. As an 
editorial in the May 18, 1951, issue of the 
JN stated: “The small state 
of Israel remains in danger. 
Ben-Gurion’s visit here is 
not a social event …
” But 
his visit was a big deal.
Ben-Gurion was the first 
prime minister of Israel. 
Born in Poland in 1885, 
he became a Zionist as a 
young man and immigrated to British 
Mandate Palestine in 1906. Ben-Gurion 
was a self-educated person, a voracious 
reader and bibliophile and, above all, 
a highly skilled, determined politician, 
who made the creation of Israel his life’s 
mission. He served as prime minister 
from 1948-1954 and 1955-1963 and was 
defense minister during Israel’s War of 
Independence from 1948-49. It is not an 
overstatement to say that Ben-Gurion is 
to Israel what George Washington is to 
the United States.
Both the Detroit Jewish Chronicle and 
JN covered Ben-Gurion’s visit and related 
events. There are numerous reports and 
editorials from the May 18 and 25, 1951 
issues, which can be found in the William 
Davidson Digital Archive of Detroit 
Jewish History. There were also plenty 
of greetings to Ben-Gurion from various 
local organizations. For anyone interested 
in the history of Israel and its relation to 
Detroit, this is excellent reading.
Ben-Gurion, his wife, Paula, and their 
entourage arrived at Willow Run Airport 
on Sunday, May 20. Their motorcade 
then proceeded to drive through Detroit’s 
Dexter-Davidson area, the heart of the 
city’s Jewish community at that time.

Everyone in the community was 
invited to the official reception for Ben-
Gurion on Monday at Detroit City Hall. 
Mayor Albert Cobo and Gov. G. Mennon 
Williams welcomed the prime minis-
ter, who gave an address about Israel’s 
status and needs. It was also pro-
claimed Ben-Gurion Day in Detroit. 
Later that day, Ben-Gurion visited 
the Kaiser-Fraser automobile facto-
ry in Ypsilanti — KF had recently 
built a plant in Haifa, Israel — 
before he headed to his next stop, 
Chicago.
 I found two other interesting 
reports. After Ben-Gurion’s 
visit, there was a story in the 
May 25, 1951, Chronicle about 
Norman Cottler, owner of the 
Dexter-Davison Market. Cottler
knew Ben-Gurion in 1916, when 
both joined the famous “Jewish 
Legion” formed by the British to fight 
in WWI. He gave $5,000 to kick-off 
a $2 million Israel Bond drive in 
Detroit — this would be $50,000 and 
$20 million today.
There were also reports in both the 
Chronicle and JN about an event held a 
week before Ben-Gurion’s visit, a rally 
for Israel’s third anniversary at the State 
Fairgrounds in Detroit. On May 13, 
more than 9,000 Detroiters attended the 
rally. Golda Myerson was the featured 
speaker. Myerson later changed her sur-
name to Meir and would be prime minis-
ter of Israel, 1960-1974.
David Ben-Gurion’s visit to Detroit 
was historic and a great success. It is fur-
ther evidence of the important role that 
Jewish Detroiters played in the growth of 
Israel. And his visit is well-documented 
and preserved in the William Davidson 
Digital Archive. 

Want to learn more? Go to the 
DJN Foundation archives, available for free 
at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

Williams welcomed the prime minis-
ter, who gave an address about Israel’s 

claimed Ben-Gurion Day in Detroit. 
Later that day, Ben-Gurion visited 
the Kaiser-Fraser automobile facto-
ry in Ypsilanti — KF had recently 

before he headed to his next stop, 

knew Ben-Gurion in 1916, when 

about an event held a 

for Israel’s third anniversary at the State 

more than 9,000 Detroiters attended the 
rally. Golda Myerson was the featured 

