About us
The Betar Movement is a world Zionist youth movement founded 85 years ago by Ze'ev Jabotinsky. Betar members played important roles in the creation of Israel. Today the Betar Movement is active in many world branches and is involved in Jewish and Zionist activism.
| Noble Zionism |
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Excerpt from Jabotinsky's speech at the founding of the New Zionist Organization (Vienna, 1935)
...I conclude: We are nowadays, most probably, nearing oblivion, standing before a holocaust as the world serves as our ghetto - at a time called traditionally the "Messianic age," or at least the "suffering preceding the advent of the Messiah." Considering this global avalanche, Judaism stands unarmed in many ways: Minimal goals, negligible alliances, a regime that is itself an obstacle, and zero politics in Zionism… When a call was first made several months ago for creating a new popular basis for Zionism, many doubted that the people will follow, for at this time the dangers of Eretz Yisrael’s reality have hidden behind the golden rain of prosperity. … The Jewish public does not allow the passing radiance to blind its eyes. It sent us here in anticipation for the great yearning. Not for passing criticism, not for competition, not for "doing better." "Altneu"* is our mission! A thing which is as big as the storm at its peak, as the suffering preceding the advent of the Messiah: Noble Zionism. A piece of land in Palestine is not an amendment to the Diaspora, but a termination of the Diaspora: An "exodus" for all those yearning for a national home – and, eventually, nothing less than the end to life in exile. Or it might even be no more than a humble goal, only the normalization of the Israeli people. That it should be normal as the great French nation or as the small Danish nation: All in states of their own; all free, with no exile. On the other hand, it is a difficult job, but it is the job; its size is shaped by reality and we do not have the power to change it. Even the Jewish state is not an ultimate goal: The Jewish state is nothing but a first step in realizing Noble Zionism. It will be followed by a second step: The return of the people to Zion, the liquidation of exile, a solution to the Jewish quest. And the true final goal of Noble Zionism will not appear until the third step – what actually great nations exist for: The creation of a national culture to share its glory with the world, as written: ‘From Zion goes forth Torah.’ * "Old-New", according to Herzl’s book "Altneuland". |
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Israel Sheli Program
"Israel Sheli" (My Israel) is a unique program for young Jewish people who wish to visit Israel. The program gives variety of options to build a self-designed schedule for your once in a lifetime visit in Israel.
