Jabotinsky movement celebrates its centennial.
Betar, the worldwide Zionist youth movement founded and operated by Ze'ev Jabotinsky in 1923, marks its centennial this year.
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Jabotinsky (1880-1940) was a Zionist philosopher, author and journalist who founded and lead the Revisionist movement.
He was prompted into Zionist thought by the pogroms against the Jews in the Russian Empire and within a short while was one of the leading Zionist thinkers in Russia.
In 1925, he established the Union of Zionists-Revisionists (Hatzohar) which called for the immediate establishment of a Jewish State.
He is the forefather of Zionist activism and greatly influenced the political vision of the political right in Israel.
Betar, the movement's name, derives from the acronym of the group's full name Brit Yosef Trumpledor (the alliance of Joseph Trumpledor), who was a leader of the Jewish settlement in Mandatory Palestine and was killed at the Battle of Tel Hai in 1920. Trumpledor was an inspiration for Jabotinsky, who idolized his actions and the Jewish settlement.
"Betar helped to mold a generation of believers and fighters for Israel, and it also influenced my generation in the United States," said Bobby Brown, of the World Betar Movement.
"Jabotinsky taught us Zionism, social justice and how to live as proud Jews, and this is something that we need more of, not less of," he added.
"Our Goal is to bring the heritage and values of Jabotinsky to the younger generations who didn't know him with a new heritage center that will bring his values to the younger generation with the help of the older generation," said Elad Popovich, Director of the Jabotinsky Institute in Israel.
Jabotinsky's great-granddaughter, Tamar Rubin, attended the centennial celebrations at the Jabotinsky Institute. "To know that his legacy continues to this day and lives on for the next generations is important."
"I think it's important that all Jews from Israel and abroad, whether from the U.S., Europe or Africa, will continue this legacy," she added.