Any anniversary is a piece of history. If you don'r celebrate it, you forget your roots. If you forget your roots, you turn up to be nothing.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." -Albert Einstein. And Groucho Marx said "He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot." The wisdom of our 'sages' still applies. Shabbat Shalom!

They are right! It is a waste of money! That money can go towards helping people and we can publicize that it is being cancelled for that purpose. There could be some small celebration; and individual communities can do what they want. But the lavish ones of the past - NO WAY!!

It's always possible to identify something that can be dropped in favor of something else more "worthy". But I suspect there's something else going on. This is a celebration of the country's very existence, despite the trials and tribulations of the last sixty years, despite the ongoing wars against it. perhaps THAT is what these folks don't want to celebrate. They're proudly ashamed of their country, so pretend they're just being fiscally responsible. Question for Prof. Zahor of Sapir: Have you finally sacked your professor who won't teach soldiers in uniform? THAT could save some money.

These shining bulbs in the marquee of Israeli higher education do not mention the anticipated income to be generated by the celebrations and how that income may be directed toward their "social projects." So inane and misquided.

How many people have made travel plans to visit Israel for her 60th birthday? A lot of money is being poured into the country by visitor's supporting Israel by being present for her birthday. Canceling the parties will will cause a tourism backlash that will cost the country more. Don't sign this stupid short-sighter petition.

See how many rich private citizens pony up the money from around the world. There are enough Jewish billionaires or multi millionaires and our supporters to throw a great bash that is a great moral booster. Make part of the theme geared towards the Arabs. If you work with us, see what can be acheived. Stop fighting against peace and prosperity.

i am sure there is money for both........................................ ask our government - they are all corrupt and have millions in their bank accounts.

Guess what? I'm going to be in Israel for the 60th. You know why? Because it will be great! historic! once in a lifetime! There will be a large influx of Israelis, Jews, supporters. Lots of money will be poured in. It will easily pay for itself in tourism and publicity. The exact same thing has happened with the last 3 olympics. MASSIVE investment projects (2012 is expected to cost 16.5 BILLION DOLLARS), but it's expected to pay itself off, or nearly. So lots of improvements for free basically. To anyone who thinks that this won't be a historic moment in our nation, and that it won't bring in the tourists, you are 99.999% wrong. There will be a big influx of cash to the Israeli economy as a result of this. So it won't cost anything, or at most will cost very little for a historic occasion. Great value 4 money! Cancelling it is a really bad idea that makes no sense.

Really, Israel must slow down the giving of gifts Hizbullah. They are not able to open them all so quickly.

I am tired of giving my hard earned tax money to various social projects. I do not care about the poor and their families. Go to work! I am tired of working seven days a week and having part of my salary paying for people who refuse to work. As for Sderot,give them an artillery barrage in gaza for a fireworks show now!

27 million is really not that much. in a budget of billion of dollars, Israel can afford to splash out a little on celebrating its birthday. lighten up!!

What about the elderly??? Can they go to work?? Programs are needed to help people train for jobs. What about people living in development towns where there aren't enough jobs? I believe that some of this money should go for training programs and to help the elderly and those who physically cannot work.

Any money left over / saved will not be forwarded for life saving medications for the Cancer striken, nor for the rehabilitation of disabled IDF soldiers or civil disabled, Hitler's victoms / Terror victoms will not be aided, poverty striken family units will not see a red cent, mentally challenged + Blind + deaf + dumb and 1 parent family units will not be aided either, nor will the new imagrant + animal shelters + drug addicts reform groups won't receive any of the none spent cash, it will all be redirected just like the donations from 700,000,000 Christians and world Jewery donations are redirected as are most of the Jewish agency donations are redirected to OLMERTS PERSONAL PRIORITY FUNDS, NO NATIONAL PRIORITY FUNDS ARE CONSIDERED EVER. All those in the Kadima party and appointed by that corrupt party should never be voted in again ever, Bibi will take any of them back to or into the Likud party, SO VOTE FOR ARCADI GAIDOMAK, ONLY ARCADI CARES ONLY ARCADI DOES WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE SECURITY AND SALVATION OF ISRAEL. I am voting for him !!!

That after 2000 years of diaspora, persecution, Inquisition pogroms and holocaust the Jewish People returned to its ancient homeland it is something that has to be celebrated by all mankind, and that after 60 years of constant strugle against continuos agression it has prospered and maintained its spirit and it is a showcase of the resilience of the Jewish people is another reason to celebrate BIG, I mean BIG, as for those defeatist people with that dumb petition........... well you will always find dumb people

How about a normal anniversary celebration, like every year, and then using all the unused leftover-big-bash money to fortify the homes and schools in Sderot? And to house the homeless? And to look out for the survivors of the Shoah? Just for starters.

government? I agree w/ #1 and the like.

Why only help the holocaust survivors? All elderly people, which includes us all sometime in the future, should receive higher monthly payments. What about veterans? Don’t they deserve to be helped? People who immigrated when Israel was nothing but desert , people who fought in wars, spent three years doing army services, then miluim, year after year, people who were drafted or volunteered to fight in wars. Don’t' they deserve a nice pension in their old age? Don’t' these people deserve to enjoy their last years on earth? I'm fed up hearing about the holocaust survivors. Some people suffered terribly in their childhood, without the holocaust, yet there are no organizations helping those victims in their old age. Holocaust survivors should receive the same financial assistance as the rest of the elderly generation (which we will all be a part of one day). I suggest everyone should petition for better payments and conditions for the elderly, then hopefully, by the time, we will get to that age, we may receive better conditions than our elderly parents are receiving today.

60 yrs and no peace Israel is still not a safe haven for jews israel treats non jews as second class citizens a corrupt goverment Sderot is being bombed off the face of the earth The religious (shas) are trying to destroy democracy The former President is a Sex offender............. gee what a party this is going to be!

I say Celebrate and be happy for what God have done for you. God will bless you even with more! Untill now they didnt care about sderot, now suddenly they do? Who is keeping them from going against Barak and Olmert for helping Sderot in real?

social activism from her Bat Yam mirpeset? Such a doer she is. Her emailing fingers change lives.

there are plenty of other countries you can move to. I'm ready for a nice big party for this wonderful country of ours.

every nation has it's idiots, look at US, we have bush but, we still celebrate America and her birthday as many Jews and gentiles find peace equally in America. No one's asking you to list her citizens with bad reputations, only to celebrate Israels existence, is that OKAY with you? I see you live in Tel Aviv, would you rather it be an arab nation?

What are you celebrating but 60 years of an illegal occupation of Palestine? Cancel this racist celebration and use the money to resettle Palestinian refugess back in their homeland of Palestine

There is always something else to spend money on,personally and nationally.The State needs to celebrate its birthday just as private people do.Everything is a trade off : the signatories to the online petition should contribute money to a good cause privately and come and enjoy the party.

or is the proffessor who wouldnt allow a miluimnik into his class still on payroll?

And please don't speak on behalf of humanity. And honestly no body cares!!!

Money is allocated to various sectors such as defense, social welfare, infatructure etc. This part of the budget for 2008 ALONE alocates some of that money towards 60th aniversry celebrations ( the 60th anversry only comes once ) if we are going to be saying alocate the money for the celebrations to the poor then lets say alocate any money ever put asside for celebrations to the poor. We then become a country who never has celebrations for all we simply give the money we would have spent celebrating to the poor. The poor of course have their needs which must be provided for but they are not the only part of society and most people want a good party now and again forget the troubles of everyday life. Once and a while its ok to spend a little bit of money on having fun. Good news is that the poor can enjoy the party as well. Even better there is alot of tourism expected then because alot of outsiders want to come join in the celebrations so that means more mony coming into the country and more money to share out next year.

Let the arabs worry about their palestian brothers if they really do care so much and the bleeding heart western countris let them sort out the palestian problem. Let Israelis party & celebrate 60 years since the countries indipendence and the REBIRTH of the jewish state. Stop the bleeding heart if the people who defend the palestians were seriously interested in their welfare then they will give them homes, give them money to live off and leave Israel alone ... we dont need them, we dont want them so let us enjoy the celebrations the majority of Israelis do want