Now, before the ceremony began, Ben-Gurion called him aside and told him Dr. Osendrum.

I have a request, so my grandfather said, yes, what is your request?

He said, you know, this is a very important day, and this statement of independence is

going to stay with us for many, many years.

And I think that signing by the name of Frozendrum is not the right thing, because this name

is basically has to do with the diaspora.

I would like you to sign with an Israeli name.

So my grandfather told him, yes, but my name is Rosendrum, and my father was called Rosendrum,

and his father before was called Rosendrum.

So I'm not sure exactly what are you asking me to do, and I don't feel really comfortable

with it.

But Ben-Gurion was very insistent, and he told him, please reconsider.

I really would be happy if you can sign by the name of Vardi.

Now Rosendrum is the bloom of the roses, and Vardi, ferret in Hebrew, is also a rose.

So basically he translated his name for him, and my grandfather decided that he just doesn't

want to argue with Ben-Gurion, and this is how he signed by the name of Dr. Herzel Vardi.

That's the on-rosendrum, the eldest grandchild of Herzel Rosenblum, aka Herzel Vardi, a revisionist

and a prize-winning journalist who stood at the helm of the Yadiyotachonot Daily for

no less than 38 years, a period during which he penned, wait for it, some 11,400 editorials.

Hey Amishiharman, and this is Israel Story.

Israel Story is brought to you by the Jerusalem Foundation and the Times of Israel.

So Israel is 75, and we feel this is a moment for us to step back and take stock, to ask

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