Learn How to Pronounce David Ben-Gurion | YouPronounce.it
How to Pronounce David Ben-Gurion
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Meaning and Context
David Ben-Gurion, born David Grün in Plonsk, Poland in 1886, was the preeminent Zionist statesman and the principal architect of the modern State of Israel. Emigrating to Ottoman Palestine in 1906, he became a central figure in the Labor Zionist movement, leading the Jewish community, or Yishuv, through the pivotal years of the British Mandate. As the Chairman of the Jewish Agency and later the leader of the Mapai party, Ben-Gurion masterminded the strategic preparations for statehood. His defining moment came on May 14, 1948, when he proclaimed the Israeli Declaration of Independence, a seminal event in Middle Eastern history, and he immediately became the fledgling nation's first Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. His tenure, which spanned from 1948 to 1963 with a brief hiatus, was marked by the monumental challenges of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the absorption of massive Jewish immigration, and ambitious nation-building projects like the National Water Carrier. His legacy as Israel's founding father is inextricably linked to his vision of a sovereign Jewish state and his formidable, often uncompromising, leadership.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
The name "Ben-Gurion" is the subject of frequent misspellings and stylistic variations. The most common error is the omission of the hyphen, rendering it as "Ben Gurion" (which is often accepted informally but not the official spelling). Other frequent typos include "Ben-Gurion" (incorrect capitalization), "Ben-Gurion," and "Ben Gurion." Some may mistakenly write "David Ben Gurion" without the hyphen. It is also sometimes abbreviated in historical texts as "D.B.G." His original surname, Grün, is occasionally referenced but is not a spelling variation of his chosen Hebrew name. The correct and authoritative spelling, used in all official documents and historical records, is David Ben-Gurion with a hyphen and a capital 'G'.
Example Sentences
Historians often debate David Ben-Gurion's decision to accept the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947 as a calculated diplomatic triumph.
During the austerity period of the early 1950s, Ben-Gurion's government instituted strict rationing to ensure food for the influx of new immigrants.
In his later years, Ben-Gurion retired to Kibbutz Sde Boker in the Negev desert, which he saw as symbolic of pioneering the country's future.
A famous photograph shows David Ben-Gurion standing on his head, an exercise he practiced daily for his health.
The main international airport in Israel, Ben Gurion Airport, bears his name as a lasting tribute to the nation's first prime minister.
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