For readers in Britain – a sovereign kingdom from time immemorial – seventy years of independence may seem almost to be embryonic. For the Jewish people in the context of our historical roots in the Land of Israel, 70 years is a mere spec on the monitor, too. A point evidenced just this week when, during a school archaeological outing in the Galilee, students unearthed among other artefacts a 1,400-year-old lamp engraved with an ancient Jewish symbol, the Menorah, the seven branched candelabra.

However, as short a time as 70 years may seem even in modern history, when we mark today – according to the Hebrew calendar – seven decades since the founding of the State of Israel, there is no denying the true significance of the day: not just to Israel, but for the whole world.

Yes, it is true, we are marking the realisation of the dream of Jewish independence in our homeland for the first time in two millennia. But this significant step for the Jewish people also represents a giant leap for mankind. As Israel enters its eighth decade, we mark 70 years of a vibrant democracy and a strong and independent civil society – the first of its kind in the Middle East.

Read the full story at the Telegraph.