Laying a cornerstone

Foundation Scroll

    Today, on the 19th of the month of Sivan in the year 5709, one year after our settling on the land we lay this cornerstone in this place.
    On the eve of the invasion by the Arab countries we broke the ground of this land with a Hebrew plough and on the anniversary of Israel's victories we build a home which will not fall for a Hebrew village of liberated labour.
    From the towns and woods of Roumania, from the diaspora of Bulgaria, from Israel's towns and settlements we united fired by the pioneering vision of making this earth fertile.
    Ashrafieh! When the invasion threatened and the pressure of the enemy grew you were a shelter for us. We found a hiding-place in your trenches and when the thunder of the guns on Mount Gilboa increased we breathed the smell of your soil.
    You yielded to the Hebrew ploughman, the farmer praying for produce, you watched the march of the rifle accompanying the plough, you became aware that we thirsted for you and you responded.
    Peace hasn't come yet, enmity around rules but through our love for you and this country, through the strength of the arms and the Hebrew labourer relief will come and we will leave the dug-outs and shelters and safely dwell on your foundations, we and our children after us.
    This house that we are building will be a place of absorption for the masses of Israel's diaspora coming together in the homeland.
    This foundation shall be witness, your fruitful fields shall be witness to the true pact we have concluded with you.
As there is hope to labour.