Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

The nation of Israel was born May 14, 1948 in Tel Aviv. We know the time within about an hour based on history and it seems that, perhaps, Siderealists have had the accurate time in hand since the 1960s.

The historic information is summarized pretty well on Astro.com, mostly quoted from Nick Campion (though I'm going to end up disagreeing with their 4 PMN conclusion). The relevant part is:

In the atmosphere of crisis, and an invasion by the Arab Legion at dawn on 12 May, the Jewish leaders arranged a meeting to proclaim independence at 4.00 pm on 14 May in the Tel Aviv museum... The meeting began precisely at 4.00 pm, as arranged, when Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister, struck the table with his gavel. The audience then rose spontaneously and burst into the Hatikva, the anthem of the Zionist movement. It is clear that Ben-Gurion himself regarded 4.00 pm as the critical time...Ben-Gurion finished reading the independence statement and manifesto at 4.24 pm. The scroll of independence was then signed by the 24 members of the National Committee who were present and the meeting concluded at 4.32 pm when Ben-Gurion spoke the words 'Israel has been born!'.

So, at most, we have between 4:00 and 4:32 PM. One could theoretically pick the beginning moment and ending moment (declaration) for good reasons. However, in the 1960s in Spica, Alexander Marr gave his rectification of 4:15 PM. Starkman says he lived in Israel for many years and tested this against many events, and it had his full endorsement. It's the chart for Israel I've kept in my files since the '70s.

But I hadn't pulled it out and checked it against the Hamas attack on Israel October 7, 2023, approximately 6:30 AM EEDT. A year ago we might not have detected that this was going to be one of the most gigantic events in Israel's history, but it clearly has become that by now. Starting with the longer-range techniques that also mark the biggest landmarks across the life of a chart, we find the following:

Solar arcs:
4°29' Lib - d Saturn
4°36' Can - r MC [+7']

16°34' Vir - r Neptune
16°41' Vir - d MC [+7']

Note that this combination immediately tells us that the natus has MC = Sa/Ne 0°07', which is correct. If made exact, this would roll the time back about 28 seconds - less than half a minute.

Secondary progressions:
Nothing gigantic. Progressed Moon on natal WP-a (in longitude; I haven't checked it in RA). Progressed Saturn has squared natal Sun for many years and was within 12' at the time. p Venus opposed r Jupiter 9', which is entirely wrong. Quotidian Asc crossed natal Uranus for the day.

Transits:
2°13' Lib - r Asc [-37']
2°50' Cap - t Pluto

Other transits that do not reflect on the time but are important include t Jupiter sq r Pluto (10'), t Neptune sq r Uranus (23'), t Venus sq r Mars (57'), and t angles crossing natal Neptune at the moment of the attack.


The two main solar arcs and Pluto's transit across the Ascendant surely confirm the accuracy of this chart - at worst - to within three minutes, and perhaps to the exact minute.

General coordinates for Tel Aviv are usually given as 32N04, 34E46. TM pulls up 32N05'07", 34E46'55". We can get slightly (barely) better by using the location of the original meeting - Israel's version of our Independence Hall - which was the Tel Aviv Museum of Art at 32N04'30" 34E47'12".

I've always had a mixed reaction to solunar returns for national charts. I find I can't rely on them and yet I look at the U.S. SSR every year and - sometimes - they are remarkably dead on! One must constantly think about what the particular chart marks, e.g., whether it is the establishment of a government, the tone and character of a people, a member of an international community or whatever, and this tone may affect how we should interpret its returns. In any case, being particularly confident of birth chart for the Zionist, militant, nation of Israel - well shown by its Aries Sun square Mars and culminating Cancer Moon, born at a 0°00' octile of Jupiter-Pluto with all three benefics background - we should check the returns for this significant event to see what we might find.

SSR 5/15/23
It's a terrible chart for the event. The most angular planet is natal Venus 1°24'. SSR Moon squares solar Venus and Jupiter and natal Venus. There are some negative PVP aspects (two kinds of Venus-Saturn); yet, even if they are counted in the mix, I have to regard them as less important than the precision benefic angularities and close solar Moon aspects. I have to mark this an entirely wrong SSR.

SLR 9/11/23
This is closer to what we expect. Interpreting it is compounded by the fact that almost ALL aspects are PVP aspects - 12 of them! - and I'm still keeping a skeptical arm's length from these. I will say, though, that they are remarkably accurate, including both luminaries with Saturn and Neptune, Moon to natal Mars-Saturn, and more. [Mike, if you see this, the chart has one quirky PVP aspect with orb 180°00'. Fringe case.] Pulling back to just listing the angularities and conventional aspects:

r Jupiter IC -6°18'
t Neptune Dsc -3°17'
r Uranus -2°56'
---------------------
t Sun Asc +4°56'

t Neptune sq r Uranus 0°20' M
t Neptune sq r Jupiter 2°12'

Demi-SLR 9/25/23
Disappointing. Not exactly wrong, certainly catching the "caught unaware" and psychological disorientation of the day, but not what I'd call descriptive. [Mike, there are some header issues I think - I'll note these in the TM thread.] Here is the breakdown (and Pluto square r Mercury PVP). The aspects are both Class 2 and might be better ignored, but they're the closest we have:

t Neptune IC -9°20'
r Mercury Dsc -5°58'
-------------------------
t Mercury MC +2°36'

t Mercury sq r Mercury 3°14'
t Neptune sq r Mercury 3°22' M

Today (10/1/204), Iran launched about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel. They were effectively neutered. I don't know what time they were launched but I saw one picture of Israeli defenses deflecting them at 7:41 PM IST (which would be 12:11 PM EDT or 6:11 PM in Israel). Casualties were limited to one Palestinian civilian's death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2 ... nst_Israel

Transiting Pluto remains not only close to square Israel's MC for this birth time but, in fact, was a mere 0°01' from square natal MC! (Transiting Pluto and Saturn were semi-square within 21' at the time.) Transiting Jupiter was semi-square natal Moon 0°30', showing their successful defense. Neptune continues to square Israel's natal Jupiter as its respect and standing among world nations is eroded. Progressed Moon remains within 0°47' of square progressed Pluto and is about to enter orb of square natal Saturn: A national sadness is about to overtake Israel in the next few weeks, deeper than what is already there. (Progressed Saturn, in long-term aspect, is only 0°05' from square natal Sun.)

Israel's September 27 SLR is a chart of successes, especially with transiting Sun 0°10' from MC, transiting Jupiter 0°43' from Descendant, and the two in 0°53' mundane square (paran). Natal Venus is also in the mix. At the same time, transiting Neptune square natal Jupiter, Uranus, and Mercury is foreground.