By Joshua Goldstein, Chairman Herut North America
The purpose of ‘Ze’ev Jabotinsky—In His Words’ is to familiarize the reader with the great Zionist leader whose ideas and principles inspired the founding of the Herut movement at the start of the Zionist revolution. These ideas were so impactful that they ultimately and irrevocably changed the Zionist world.
Before we look at Jabotinsky’s words, however, we must look at the man himself. Ze’ev Jabotinsky was born in Odessa, Russia, in 1880 and raised in an assimilated cosmopolitan Jewish environment. A product of his time, he was interested in law, literature, and Nationalism.
In 1902, Jabotisnky was arrested by Tsarist police and jailed for 50 days for illegally possessing literary material. With rumors of pogroms spreading, Jabotisnky co-founded a self-defense movement in Odessa, along with Meir Dizengoff and a students’ group. The bloody 1903 Kishinev Pogrom thrust Jabotinsky into the world of Zionist activism. His emphasis on self-respect, self-defense, and discipline quickly made him a force to be reckoned with. That same year, he was elected to the 6th World Zionist Conference, where he met Theodore Herzl.
Later, his prominence led him to become ambassador of the World Zionist Organization to the Ottoman Empire, which, at the time, controlled the Land of Israel. The same empire he would wage war against in 1915 when he organized the first Hebrew fighting force in 2000 years that would aid the British in defeating the Ottomans in WWI.
His cooperation with the British was based on the hope that the British would stay true to their promise to reestablish a Jewish homeland in the land of Mandatory Palestine. In 1920, after Jabotinsky was briefly arrested for illegally bearing arms during anti-Jewish riots, he came to understand that the British were betraying their commitments and the Zionist community.
Undeterred and anticipating the looming genocide in Europe, in 1930, he proposed a plan to bring more than a million Jews from Europe to British Palestine. Unfortunately, most Jews in Europe failed to heed his call. Sadly, Jabotinsky did not live to see the fulfillment of his dream of an independent Jewish nation-state. He died of a heart attack while in New York City in 1940.
Some may mistakenly see only Jabotinsky’s militant philosophy because they are unaware of his other ideals and writings. Jabotinsky was multifaceted but also saw the grave importance of raising a Jewish army and promoting the idea that Jews must know how to and be able to protect themselves.
Jabotinsky’s Legacy
Herut North America’s activists and communities are the direct descendants of this movement, though we are not the only Zionists who claim to be so. Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s legacy is often misinterpreted and twisted to suit specific political postures in today’s polarized political scene, both in Israel and in the Diaspora. Herut North America’s communities work to provide an alternative to these binaries; we are motivated by Jabotinsky’s legacy, working to heal the divisions between the Jewish people.
The rise of antisemitic violence coupled with apathy and assimilation within the Jewish community means we can no longer safely retreat into our fragmented Jewish reality, nor can we simply hope for an external savior. Rather, we must enact the change that we want to see.
Jabotinsky spoke and wrote as Diaspora Jews were attempting to return to the Land and rebuild the Jewish State. This begs the question: Are his words outdated since that very Jewish state was established 76 years ago? The answer is no. In fact, Israel is ever-changing, both as a state and an ideal, necessitating Israel to continuously grow and adapt. Jews must commit to making Israel a place where all Jews can live with self-respect and dignity. A place where non-Jews are embraced and treated honorably and a place that inspires the Diaspora to defend. Itself against physical and spiritual threats to life and survival.
Jabotinsky’s vision for a model society and a strong and egalitarian Jewish polity in the undivided Land of Israel speaks to people across the political-ideological spectrum. It is our hope that his words will help rekindle the torch of Jabotinsky’s legacy, inspire new conversations in our communities, and have profoundly positive implications on the current Zionist reality.
Some Jabotinsky Quotes
“We are a people as all other peoples; we do not have any intentions to be better than the rest. We do not have to account to anybody, we are not to sit for anybody’s examination, and nobody is old enough to call on us to answer. We came before them and will leave after them. We are what we are, we are good for ourselves, we will not change, nor do we want to.
“We hold that Zionism is moral and just. And since it is moral and just, justice must be done, no matter whether Joseph or Simon or Ivan or Achmed agree with it or not.”
“I am in favor of an agreement with the Arabs. We will tell them that under our autonomy, they too will be provided for…No nation will agree that upon their return after two thousand years, another people will come to the land and multiply. This is indeed most unfortunate, but we have to present the topic not as a ‘question’; between the Jewish nation and the Arab inhabitants of Palestine, but rather between the two nations – the Jewish and the Arab. The Arab nation, numbering 35 million, possesses territory half the size of Europe, while the Jewish nation, numbering 10 million, is a homeless vagabond, without even a stone to call its own, but with a wish to stake its claim ‘on this land’”
““It is incredible what political simpletons Jews are. They shut their eyes to one of the most elementary rules of life that you must not ‘meet halfway’ those who do not want to meet you.”
Enjoy more quotes, questions to help you think about after reading those quotes, and an interview with Karma Feinstein-Cohen, the Executive director of World Herut and World Magshimey Herut, to honor Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s legacy and get a better glimpse into revisionist Zionism. PLEASE go to this page at the Herut North America website- https://herutna.org/who-is-jabotinsky/
Joshua Goldstein is the chairman of Herut North America (and my friend). This morning, a Herut North America newsletter with the above article was sent to our members and other unapologetic Zionists. Jeff Dunetz (The Lid) is the director of special projects for Herut North America and joins Joshua on the Herut North America leadership board. Herut North America is an international movement for Zionist pride and education dedicated to the ideals of pre-World War II Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky. More about Herut can be found on our website, www.HerutNA.org. When on the site, click on this link to join Joshua and me in Herut North America, the Unapologetic Zionists.
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