75 years ago, on Iyar 5 of the Jewish calendar (which falls on April 26 this year), the State of Israel was founded in Tel Aviv.
From Tuesday evening the country will be celebrating its anniversary with a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
In BILD top celebrities explain their love for the Jewish state and what connects them personally with the birthday boy ISRAEL.
Top model Bar Refaeli (37) from Israel
Model Bar Refaeli
“I fly all over the world for work, but my true homeland has always been and always will be Israel. That’s why I live here with my family, my husband and my children. I love Israel with all my heart and wish my country a happy 75th birthday. May we soon reach understanding and understanding and stand together as one, for this is our unique and special country!”
TV star Susan Sideropoulos (42, grandparents fled the Nazis in 1934)
Susan Sideropoulos with her husband
“For me, Tel Aviv is the coolest city I know. My family and I go there at least once a year. My husband Jakob’s sister lives there. Usually we travel as a large group with many friends. It feels like home to us. For me, Israel is one of the most diverse countries. You can see three seas alone: Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Dead Sea. The country is so diverse – the north is very different from the south. Above all, for me, the joy of life in this country. Maybe it’s also because of how this country lives. Hardly a day goes by when it is not exposed to some kind of danger. Due to its history, people in this country live totally in the now. That’s something you feel immediately when you’re there. People celebrate and live more intensely there. There is so much for children in Israel. You are welcome everywhere. And I don’t think there is a better place to eat than in Israel. It is also the country with the most start-ups. The people there are so innovative, they have a lot of ideas. And you can feel that when you are there.”
KISS singer Gene Simmons (73, mother survived the Mauthausen concentration camp)
KISS frontman Gene Simmons’ real first name is “Chaim” (Hebrew for “life”, like his murdered grandfather). His mother hardly spoke about her time in the concentration camps: “I knew almost nothing”
“I was born in Israel. My hope for the country is that it becomes a beacon of free thought. And that it develops into a place where Muslims, Christians and Jews can live together and respect each other’s cultures. Democracy is not easy, but without it there is only dictatorship. I pray for a better Israel and also support the good neighbor Palestine. I believe this can be real, thanks to a new generation of free-thinking young people of all faiths.”
Acting legend Iris Berben (72) has been fighting against hatred of Jews since she was young
Actress Iris Berben visiting the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem in 1998, with the golden dome of the Dome of the Rock in the background
“A small country – where many things are big: the tech industry, start-ups, agriculture, healthcare, curiosity, the culture of debate, resistance, lust for life, but above all the hope for peace and unconditional preservation of democracy.”
Michel Friedman (67), former deputy head of the Central Council of Jews
The Frankfurt publicist Michel Friedman
“Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. Even if the current government is trying to change that, we are seeing what democracy really is: resilient citizens from all walks of life demonstrating in their hundreds of thousands against the government and its plans. Democracy needs active democrats, there are millions of them in Israel. Free elections, a functioning rule of law. I am convinced that the anti-democrats will be put back in their place. And one last thing: there are demonstrations and discussions in Israel. Every day the government is questioned. Citizens are protected and free to say whatever they want. In Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Russia and China, people who criticize the government are imprisoned or killed. In Israel they are protected by the police and come back the next day to demonstrate.”
Star-Mentalist Uri Geller
Uri Geller has his own museum in Tel Aviv
“My heart beats for Israel because it is a land of wonder, hope and inspiration, where energy oozes from every stone, where feelings of unity are stronger than all divisions, the invisible pull of which has brought me back around the world after many years, and is the A place I can proudly call home.”
Dana International (54, won the ESC for Israel in 1998)
Dana International 2019 in Tel Aviv
“Immediately after winning the Eurovision Song Contest, the record company asked me to move and live in England to further my international career. I tried. After three months I broke down and returned to my apartment in Tel Aviv. From there I continued my career in the world. With many flying hours and the knowledge that I will pay a price for this decision. I don’t know if it’s a weakness or a pride, but it’s been in my head for many years. Israel is the country that made my dream of becoming a singer come true. For me it is the land of unlimited possibilities. I love this place and I’m fighting to make it better and fix what needs to be done. I’ve often been offered the opportunity to go into politics, but I don’t want to do that. I influence in my way as a singer. This year I’m celebrating 30 years of career in Israel and around the world. That’s far more than I ever dreamed of and I’m grateful for that. The first sentence I said after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in England was: ‘God is with me’. A great rabbi was once asked where God is and he answered; ‘God is everywhere you let him in’. Divinity is the conscience, the good in us, the love of people, the values. So I believe that God is with me in my heart and I wish the country that I love so much and that is my homeland that this God enters the hearts of everyone. In two months I will be performing in Berlin. Comes!”
Star chef Uri Buri (75), Israel’s most famous fish chef
Star chef with a bushy beard: Uri Jeremias, known as Uri Buri, in the Israeli port city of Akko
“Israel is a unique meeting place for all cultures, religions and worldviews. This crucible has brought blessings in many areas. I see it mostly in the areas of food, wine and music. There you can really feel the diversity of influences and how they come together to create contemporary Israeli cuisine, which is gaining worldwide recognition. We use a variety of spices and techniques from around the world, but most importantly, our team is made up of people of all cultures, colours, beliefs and religions. We are a ‘proof of concept’ that people can live and work together unconditionally in friendship. The main component is respect. Because you can achieve more with respect than with weapons. I really hope that we can spread this spirit widely and reach all levels of society in Israel.”
sex therapist dr. Ruth Westheimer (94, parents murdered by Nazis)
dr Ruth Westheimer was a sniper in the 1946 Palestine War
“The land of Israel is very important, not only for the Jewish people. It is very good to know that people who have to flee, like I had to flee from Frankfurt am Main, have a place that takes them in and gives them a home. I wish Israel a happy birthday. I used to travel to Israel at least once a year, gave many lectures there and talked about love and sex. I will continue to do so.”
US Ambassador Amy Gutmann (73), daughter of a German-Jewish refugee
US Ambassador Amy Gutmann in February 2022 at Bellevue Palace in Berlin
“As the daughter of a German-Jewish refugee who managed to escape Nazi Germany, I have as strong and passionate a bond with Israel as I do with my country, the United States. The establishment of the State of Israel holds special significance for me, as it created a sanctuary that helps ensure ‘never again’. I have always liked to travel to Israel often, the first time as a student with my mother, then I traveled the country with my daughter after her bat mitzvah together with our Israeli friends and later I was there as a scientist, who in Jerusalem held discussions on philosophy and the Talmud. I love the vibrancy of Israeli culture, admire the warmth of the Israeli people and enjoy the culinary diversity of the extraordinary cuisine, which reflects the diversity of the population.”
Star chef Chef Haya Molcho (68, born 1955 in Tel Aviv)
Haya Molcho 2017 in Berlin
“If Israel were a dish, it would be a sabich – an absolute street food classic. It is eaten in pita bread with lots of herbs, spices and a mango curry sauce. Everyone in Israel loves it. However, the variations are many. Some like it spicy, others with more tahini (sesame butter) or without an egg. There are many ways to enjoy Sabich. One thing is certain: it is always a pleasure and just as diverse as the people in Israel. For me, that is clearly the taste of Israel.”
Sänger’s Netta Barzilai (30)
Netta Barzilai
“Since winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018, I have had the privilege of flying around the world and receiving overnight recognition as an international artist. Since then I have insisted on incorporating my Israeli culture and character into every aspect of my art. Whether in my Mediterranean beats, with Hebrew lyrics and in my interviews all over the world. Despite the constant complexities of life as an Israeli human, I have refused to hide or blur the place from which I always dream and create. My home. Congratulations to the State of Israel, may we know better and calmer days, may we know how to rediscover the path to our special unity.”
Our ambassador in Israel: ex-government spokesman Steffen Seibert (62)
Steffen Seibert during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem on July 17, 2022
“After centuries of exile, suffering and longing, Jews have had what they always dreamed of for 75 years: a state in which they can live independently and safely. A great deal has been achieved: a vibrant democracy and a successful, innovative economy.”
