David Ben-Gurion

He was born David Gruen in Plonsk Poland and as an ardent Zionist moved to Palestine in 1906. He first worked as a journalist and adopted his pen name Ben-Gurion as he began his political career.

Ben-Gurion was at the political forefront of the Labor Zionist movement during the formative years leading to the creation of the State of Israel. He led Israel during its War of Independence and, except for nearly two years of interruption between 1953 - 1955, became Prime Minister on January 25, 1948 and served until 1963. Ben-Gurion was among the founders of Israel's Labor party which governed Israel during the first three decades of its existence.

During the pre-statehood period in Palestine Ben Gurion also committed acts of 'resistance,' having given the order to Menachem Begin to execute the bombing of the King David Hotel. During the first weeks of Israel's independence, gave the order to bomb and sink the ship named "Altalena", which carried ammunition for "Etzel" resistance group. That command remains controversial to this day.

He was voted by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 people who shaped the 20th century.