The 29th of November is a funny date in Israel -- it is the only date on the secular, solar calendar (as opposed to the lunar Hebrew calender) that is commemorated with Hebrew letters. That is, the date is called Kaf Tet (letters equivalent to the number 29 in Hebrew numerology) B'November, instead of the 29th of November -- a practice usually reversed for Hebrew dates, the dates of Jewish festivals and holidays.

That's because Kaf Tet B'November, 1947, the United Nations passed General Assembly Resolution 181, by a vote of 33 to 13, with ten abstentions. The resolution, known as the partition plan, divided the area administrated by the british under the British Mandate for Palestine into a jewish state and an Arab state. The Arabs rejected the plan, but the Jewish Agency Executive accepted, making this the first explicit call for a Jewish state by a UN Resolution. Of course, we know the rest -- British withdrawal, a War of Independence, and an Israel bigger and better than the Jewish Agency Executive had dared to hope for.

Rham Israel Emanuel, President Obama's Chief of Staff, is the son of a Jerusalem born pediatrician and Irgun member. His name last name was actually adopted by the family in honor of his father's brother Emanuel Auerbach, who was killed in Arab- Jewish fighting in Jerusalem. Rahm Emanuel was born on the 29th of November, exactly twelve years after the UN voted for partition of Israel and the creation of a Jewish State.

Thank you so much Hudson Terrace for hosting our exciting event - "The Largest Falafel in the world" more details to follow...

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