Abba Eban
The silver-tongued diplomat whose eloquent English defense of Israel became the voice of a young nation on the world stage.
1915–2002 (age 87)·Israeli diplomat and politician·Birthday: February 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Abba Eban possessed a weapon more potent for a nascent Israel than any tank: a commanding, polyglot intellect and a gift for oratory. Born in South Africa and raised in England, he was a Cambridge scholar fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian before he ever set foot in Palestine. After serving as a British intelligence officer in World War II, he threw his fortunes in with the Zionist cause. As Israel's first ambassador to the UN and the United States, he became the face of the state, explaining its struggles and justifying its actions with a rhetorical flourish that captivated allies and disarmed critics. His speeches during the 1967 Six-Day War crisis are legendary. While his political star faded at home, where his dovish views and intellectual air were sometimes mistrusted, his legacy remains that of the man who taught the world how to listen to Israel.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Abba was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Abba Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Abba's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2002Died at 87
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
Key Achievements
- Served as Israel's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and later as its Foreign Minister.
- Played a crucial role in securing United States support for Israel during its early decades.
- Was a key advocate for and drafter of the 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine.
- Authored several books on Israeli history and Middle Eastern diplomacy.
Did You Know?
His original surname was 'Aubrey Solomon', which he Hebraized to 'Abba Eban'.
He served as a translator for the Jewish Agency while secretly working for British intelligence during World War II.
He was fluent in ten languages.
He hosted a television series called 'Heritage: Civilization and the Jews' in the 1980s.
“History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.”
