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Even casual students of history know of Harry Truman's immediate recognition of the state of Israel. Far fewer, however, are aware of Truman's friendship with the man who served as the president's conscience during the controversy surrounding Israel's founding.

"Harry & Eddie: The Birth of Israel," to be staged on Oct. 18 at Temple Beth El in Somerset, dramatizes the four-decade relationship between two Kansas City, Mo. natives, Edward Jacobson and former President Harry Truman, which culminated with the United State's diplomatic recognition of the newborn Jewish state in May 1948.

"It is a story that people should know, and unfortunately it's something that many people don't know," Michael Ross, the show's producer and director, told The Jewish State.

The play, written by Mark Weston, has been performed throughout the country. Weston, a lawyer and journalist for ABC News, is the also the author of "The Land and People of Pakistan," a nonfiction book about Pakistan, and "The Last Man in Europe," a two-act drama about the life of George Orwell. This month's production at Temple Beth El will star Michael Wright as Jacobson, Jack Rosemaron as Truman, Barbara Braun as Jacobson's wife, Blumah, and Jack Straw as UJA leader Dewey Stone.

Though Jacobson and Truman had met as young men in their shared hometown of Kansas City, it was not until World War I, when they served together in the 129th Field Artillery, that they became close friends. When Truman and Jacobson were coincidentally stationed at Camp Doniphan in Oklahoma, the two soldiers operated the regimental canteen, which proved quite successful. The two young men decided that upon their return from the battlefields of Europe, they would go into business together.

Truman and Jacobson opened a men's clothing store in downtown Kansas City in November 1919. However, due to the nationwide economic downturn of 1921, the store went out of business. Yet, the two men's friendship survived the failure of their business, and they remained close as Truman rose through the ranks of local, state, and national politics.

As depicted in the play, Truman's door was always open to Jacobson, who lobbied the senator-turned-vice president-turned-president on behalf of the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. It was Jacobson that orchestrated the famous meeting between Dr. Chaim Weizmann and President Truman on March 13, 1948, where Weizmann made the case for the creation of a Jewish state to the sitting American president. Two months later on May 14, 1948, the United States became the first country to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation.

"Jacobson was extraordinary in the fact that he provided the impetus in convincing Truman through the fact of their friendship," Ross said.

The play, Ross explained, deals with the ups and downs of this complicated, and sometimes fraught, relationship that had a dramatic impact on the creation and survival of Israel.

"The play deals with a great friendship and of learning to do what's just," he said. "[Jacobson] helped [Truman] find the way to do the just thing at the time, regarding the creation of the state of Israel."

"Harry & Eddie: The Birth of Israel" will be shown at Temple Beth El of Somerset on Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m, followed by a dessert buffet. The temple is located at 1489 Hamilton St., Somerset. Tickets are $36 per person. To RSVP, contact Elaine Wasserman at (732) 873-2325 or templebethelsomerset@comcast.net.