Invitation to the Knesset's birthday party, Tu Bishvat (February 11), 1952

Deputy Knesset Speaker Zeev Shefer:

Members of the Knesset, you surely remember that today is the Knesset's birthday. Our honorable Speaker has sent the Knesset members a greeting, which I will read to you now:

"Members of the Knesset, I thank you for the blessings that were given to me. The wealth of emotions, words of affection and trust that were passed on to me, these are what obligate me to get well and they will strengthen my will and ability to return quickly to my daily work.

I do not know whether it is a common parliamentary procedure in other countries, but it is a fact that we have set a tradition of celebrating each year the Knesset's birthday as a day dear to us, as a holiday of the rebirth that is being created in Israel.

The Knesset's birthday is celebrated on the New Year of the Trees. At the closure of the Constituent Assembly I have felt the need to say that ‘By the charge of past generations, and for generations to come, we have planted today the tree of Israel's independence. It is the responsibility of the Constituent Assembly to groom this tree and make sure that it will grow, bear fruit, and provide shelter and safety to the people, the inhabitants of the State of Israel.'

Three years have passed since the Knesset's establishment, and like in every New Year of the Trees, we find that this is the time for examining the growth of this fine tree – the tree of independent Israel, and to what extent it is truly appropriate for the independence of Israel.

This past year was undoubtedly a year of important work for the Knesset. We have had several governmental crises, held new elections, and established the Second Knesset. At a later time we have had great inquiries, of great importance to the inquirers, and have come to effective conclusions of those matters.

However, Members of the Knesset, it will not be fair of me to be satisfied with such a routine and formal definition, and not detail my deepest thoughts on the essence of the past year. It is my duty to say that I believe the third year was a tough and dangerous year for the development and future of the house of Israeli representatives.

As I say this I do not necessarily aim to those unattractive times we have gone through in the Knesset, when stones and projectiles were thrown from the street towards the Knesset building. Those who have done so, or were driven to do so, have brought their verdict upon themselves. The stones they have thrown have stoned them and their public image. It is not necessary to elaborate on this matter.

My thoughts are on the work procedures that have taken place in the Knesset during the past year – the introduction of subject-matter, the character of discussions, the articulation, and the ease in which the ridiculing of the dignity of the members has become rooted in the Knesset; and how each slip of the tongue turns quickly into a riot and threatens with a terrifying fight.

These make light of the impression that the Knesset is the people's house of representatives, and that it is one of a kind among past generations and among today's people around the world. It forms an impression that all of its problems are light and easy to solve.

Even the order of discussions does not always fit the weight of the topic at hand. The parties set numerous hours for a discussion, and there is no longer "awe of speech" – as if the speaker is guaranteed in advance that "his words will flow as dew."

During the past year we have had several serious situations, worry, expectation, and anxiety for bringing up certain questions, examining them and drawing conclusions; and we have had several times that the time allocated for discussion has become a burden on those who asked to inquire the matter and thought highly of its importance.

We have among us those who comfort and those who are being comforted, for such is the way of parliamentarism.

Will such words of consoling help us? Are we busy with plain parliamentarism? Are we so-called parliamentarism-filled for centuries? What is the comparison to another parliamentary way of conduct? For we are occupied for only three years with the Hebraic house of legislatures; for we speak of the Hebraic house of representatives that has been yearned for and must attend to the problems of many generations.

It is almost natural, based on the essence of the Jewish people, that two elements will be in conflict in the Knesset – the element of the historic Jewish eternity and the element of current affairs. The latter is definitely the main one when speaking of a house of representatives. A successful solution to actual problems gathers and provides strength to the eternal power of the people. However, the way in which actual events are being brought before the Knesset in recent times may weaken the power of our eternal foundation, which was expressed by the establishment of the State and of the Knesset itself.

The Knesset acquired a high status for itself since its early days, from its first day. The people from across the Diaspora, and not the government or Members of the Knesset, have raised the Knesset to its high status of a Hebraic house of legislators, with no order or propaganda, but by its national perception. The Knesset merges everything together – the State, the Hebraic government, the power of the Hebraic legislator, and his emotional enthusiasm of a Hebraic independence. This high perception of the Knesset is also found among non-Jews, and the Knesset is a significant and standing fact to them, despite its young age.

The national level to which the Knesset has reached in the eyes of the people obligates us all to fear for its dignity. All that is said in it should be accepted as a statement of significant moral value, and not only a constitutional and legislative one, and it should be clear that the Knesset reaches its conclusions following a deep process of thought and in fear that any other conclusion will make light of the people's value, their renewal and their universal hope.

Members of the Knesset, I speak now out of great anxiety to the greatness of the Knesset, and in the belief in all those who came through the Zionist vision and became the people's representatives, the people of the Knesset.

It is not through a consistent display of differences of opinion, and not through the passion of collision and sterile political struggles, will we be able to tend to the needs of our people at these times, times of creation and fortification of the life of the state and of the gathering of the Diaspora.

Out of the depths of Hebraic history, after many generations, a new and reviving wind has come to us; the wind inspired by the pioneers of construction – the fighters and liberators of Israel. We shall keep this good wind with all of our efforts, for only it can help us face our wounds. It will enable us to come together and work towards, the blessed revival of the State of Israel.

Members of the Knesset, the Knesset's high status is as one as the high status of the life in the State.

Therefore, may the new year, the fourth of the Knesset, be a year of a joint effort to us all: Returning the Knesset to its educational and moral crown."

These are the words of the Knesset Speaker. I think I will speak for us all if I say that we have felt the absence of the Speaker and regretted it. I am happy to inform the house that his health is much better. He left the hospital and went on to the sanatorium. I wish him a full recovery and a quick return to work. We all await him and expect his return.