Happy 60th

This Thursday night, Israel will celebrate her 60th year as an independent country. So, in honor of this tremendous feat, which has come with many highs and lows, I offer a short picture journey through some of the highs:

David Ben Gurion reads the Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948



Israeli soldiers hang the flag at Eilat



850,000 Jewish Refugees arrive in Israel after expulsion from the Arab World



Sallah Shabati, with a starring role from Chaim Topol, is nominated for an Oscar and wins a Golden Globe award



Jerusalem is reunited



Israel's famous lyricist, Neomi Shemer



Israel survives the devastating Yom Kippur War



Yitzchak Rabin, Israel's first Israeli born Prime Minister, strolls with Gerald Ford



The Miraculous Entebbe Raid



Tal Brody and Macabbi Tel Aviv with the 1977 European Cup Championship



Izhar Cohen and the Alphabet win the 1978 Eurovision with Abanibi



Begin & Sadat talk peace



Bye Bye Osirak



Ethiopian Jewry arrives home



Russian Jewry begins their return to Israel in 1989



Reuven Atar stuns France in the 92nd minute with the winner in a 3-2 classic. Click here for 10 minutes of highlights



Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut



Gal Fridman wins Gold in Athens Olympics (2004) becoming 1st Israeli to do so



There are obviously some major events I've left out but please leave a comment if you want me to add a specific picture ... Here's to the next 60 ...