The 1947 swing vote
The memorable history of the Philippines as the only nation in Asia that voted for the prophesied rebirth of the State of Israel 70 years ago on Nov. 29,1947 at the United Nations General Assembly was a “swing vote.”
The Lord says, Nations, listen to Me, and proclaim My words on the far-off shores, I scattered (Diaspora) My people Israel, but I will gather them and guard them as a shepherd guards his flock. Jeremiah 31: 10
Yes, we never forget the Holocaust but we ought to remember also the historical swing vote in 1947 (Facebook page: The Swing Vote 1947).
Historical records show that even before the Spanish Galleons in search of spice islands acci- dentally discovered the Philippines, Jews had already been here, the socalled biblical land of Ophir. In a report by Don Pacheco Maldonado to the king of Spain in 1570, he wrote, “The greater part of the inhabitants of Luzon are Muslims and Jews” (The Christianization of the Philippines, University of San Agustin, Manila, 1965). Implicitly, the reason why we do have an extant generation of Filipinos who have a Jewish ancestry or family names (it runs in the blood), and for identification purposes like the Filipino Chinese, we call “Jewnoy” for a Filipino and “Jewnay” for a Filipina (Facebook page: Jewnoy Tribe-Fil Jews), and most of them identified themselves publicly as Filipino lovers of Israel. Our timeless, perpetual and irrevocable message to all of our Jewish friends here and abroad, particularly to Israel: “You are not alone!” Some of our Jewnays: Tacloban Mayor Christina Gonzales Romualdez, Davao Mayor Sara Zimmerman Duterte, actress Pinky De Leon (Strauss), actress Nikka Valencia (Rosenfeld) and others.
The Frieder brothers, four Jewish businessmen who owned and operated the Helena Cigar Factory in Manila, sought the support of first Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon and High Commissioner Paul McNutt to help Austrian and German Jew refugees. (See YouTube) 2009, Philippines has an “open doors” monument at the Holocaust Memorial Park, Rishon, Le’Zion, Israel for the Holocaust survivors. In 1992 I met Abraham Neeman, a Holocaust survivor. Filipinos were the “only foreigners” in the world to protest through a rally in front of the German embassy in Manila in 1938 against the atrocities perpetrated on “Kristallnacht!” when Nazis vandalized, torched and destroyed Jewish homes, schools, businesses and synagogues. More than six million Jews were brutally massacred during World War 2 Holocaust.
Because the Philippines and Israel are twin brothers with historical memorabilia, the Jewcia organization conceptualized a dream: Duterte trip to Jerusalem, to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to visit the Philippines.
The Filipino lovers of Israel also celebrated and promoted the 50th jubilee year of Jerusalem, commemorating the 1967 Six Day War last May 24. Jerusalem is the undivided eternal Jewish capital city of Israel. The Philippines is the only nation that created the Guinness World Records’ largest flag of Israel.
I remember the inspiring felicitation of former deputy chief of mission, embassy of Israel in the Philippines dated May 5, 2008, Hon. Yaniv Revach ...
“There have been many instances where the Philippines has shown its unfaltering support to our beloved nation (Israel); but two significant events always stand out. First, during World War 2, when President Manuel Quezon allowed thousands of Jews to enter Philippine soil as they try to escape from oppression. And second is the historic Participation Plan Vote on Nov. 29, 1947, in which the Philippines was the ONLY Asian country who voted in our favor amongst 33 voting nations.
“In appreciation, the Israeli government has been sharing its knowledge and resources in agriculture, medicine and economic development, to name a few. And we will continue to do so, especially now that we are commemorating over 50 years of Philippine and Israel diplomatic ties.
“We at the embassy join our Christian friends in the Philippines as we stand up and be proud of what Israel has accomplished for the last six decades ... we THANK the Filipinos for welcoming us in your land and in your hearts. Thank you and Mabuhay!”
The JEWCIA remembered that after Typhoon Yolanda wreaked havoc in the Visayas region in November 2013, Israel was among the first responders, flying all the way from Tel Aviv, to build a mobile hospital within a few days of the tragedy and giving rescue and relief to thousands of Cebuanos.
Tomorrow is the 70th year of the “swing vote” in 1947, on behalf of the JEWCIA organization and the Jewnoys-Jewnays of the Philippines, allow us to say “Toda Raba” (Maraming Salamat Po) to the State of Israel, to Ambassador Ephraim Ben Matityau, and the deputy chief of mission Hadass Nisan.