Adopted name of David Gruen (1886-1973) Israeli statesman and socialist politician, one of the founders of the state of Israel, the country's first prime minister 1948–53, and again 1955–63.
He was born in Poland and went to Palestine 1906 to farm. He was a leader of the Zionist movement, and as defense minister he presided over the development of Israel's armed forces into one of the strongest armies in the Middle East.