The birth date of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, has become the subject of unexpected controversy following a recent archival discovery. For decades, October 16, 1886, has been universally accepted as Ben-Gurion's birth date. However, a birth certificate unearthed in the archives of Płońsk, his Polish hometown, points to a different date entirely: February 18, 1887.
This startling find came to light during a family history research project conducted by Dr. Doron Burstein. While delving into his connection to Ben-Gurion, Burstein stumbled upon two compelling pieces of evidence. In addition to the Płońsk birth certificate, he discovered a US entry form from 1942 that lists Ben-Gurion's birth date as February 16, 1887 – just two days off from the Polish document.
Monika Kopenska, who oversees the Płońsk archives, has vouched for the authenticity of the newly discovered birth certificate. After a thorough examination, her team concluded that the document was genuine. Kopenska noted that it was issued in 1924 at the family's request by Płońsk's chief priest.
Dr. Gili Gofer, a historian affiliated with the Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute, offered a plausible explanation for the conflicting dates. She pointed out that birth date recordkeeping for Jews in Eastern Europe was often a complicated and imprecise process. It was not uncommon for Jewish families to deliberately provide incorrect dates to authorities, either to postpone conscription into the Russian Tsar's army or due to superstitions about warding off the evil eye.
Eitan Donyets, CEO of the Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute, echoed this interpretation. "Throughout his life, Ben-Gurion consistently maintained that he was born on the 17th of Tishrei 5647, which corresponds to October 16, 1886, during the Sukkot holiday," Donyets explained. "We have no reason to doubt his word on this matter."
Despite the questions raised by these newly discovered documents, the Ben-Gurion Heritage Institute remains committed to commemorating the iconic leader's birthday on October 16, in keeping with the date Ben-Gurion himself observed throughout his life.
