This letter, written in both English and Hebrew, was sent to King George V and Queen Mary on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of their coronation from the “Jewish city of Tel Aviv in the Holy Land.” The letter was signed by Meir Dizengoff, the mayor of Tel Aviv. In this letter he designated the British Empire as the saviour of the Jewish people, by allowing them to return to the land of their ancestors after centuries of exile.
The letter contains numerous examples of flowery language and biblical expressions used to instil the letter with a deep sense of history. In addition to the deep sense of gratitude, the letter also depicts the British as international emissaries of justice, equality, and peace.
The letter refers to the Balfour Declaration, which was written in 1917 during the early years of King George’s reign, and connects it to other significant events in Jewish history:
But the love of British People to the People that gave the world the Bible, has found the finest and most energetic expression, during Your Majesties’ reign, in the Balfour Declaration for the founding of a National Homeland for the Jewish People in its own land. Like Cyrus, King of Persia in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, so have Your Majesties called out to this People, scattered and dispersed: Whosoever there is among you whose heart is to Zion, let him go up and build his National Home!
The intention to name a street in Tel Aviv after the King is also expressed, emphasizing that this street was to be in an area of streets named after people who were instrumental in Jewish history, such as King David and King Solomon.
King George V became King of England on May 6, 1910 until his death on January 20, 1936. The king's health was shaky in his last years, and it is possible that this is implied within the letter as it says that the city of Tel Aviv should pray for the peace of the Kingdom of Great Britain (although that phrase is a common expression).
The letter makes reference to Cyrus the Great’s decree to liberate the Jews and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. It is significant that the authors of the letter chose to compare the Balfour Declaration to Cyrus’s edict, both inspiring new hope for the Jewish people’s return to their homeland.
