Though they may have played important roles in helping Israel achieve statehood, these 75 people deserve recognition for what they did after Israel’s Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. Everyone on this list either is dead or has largely retired from the area of greatest influence. Those still playing an active role in shaping Israel appear on our separate list of current essential Israelis. Those whose greatest influence came before statehood appear on our list of Zionist founders, and we have lists of current Israelis and non-Israelis, plus a list of Zionist and Israeli artworks.

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