38. King George Street, Tel-Aviv
or by mail P.O.B. 23110 Tel-Aviv, 61230.
phone: 972-3-6210618; 972-3-6210642
e-mail: office@jabotinsky.org

Ze'ev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky was born on October 18, 1880 in the city of Odessa, Russia.

At the age of 18, he left for Italy and Switzerland to study Law, and served as a correspondent for several well-known Russian newspapers. His reports and articles were widely read and soon became recognized as one of the brilliant exponents of Russian journalism.

The pogrom against the Jews of Kishinev in 1903, spurred Jabotinsky to undertake Zionist activity. He organized self-defense units and fought for Jewish minority rights in Russia. Jabotinsky was elected as a delegate to the 6th Zionist Congress, the last in which Theodor Herzl participated. During this period, Jabotinsky was active in spreading the Hebrew language and culture throughout Russia, and the establishment of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, he left for the front as a newspaper correspondent. While in Alexandria he met Joseph Trumpeldor; and from then onward, worked for the establishment of the Jewish Legion. Jabotinsky was not interested in the creation of an auxiliary unit; and upon reaching London, took energetic steps until the final confirmation was received in August 1917 of the creation of the first Jewish Legion. Jabotinsky also served as a Lieutenant and participated in the assault of the Jordan River crossings and the conquest of E-salt in the campaign to free Eretz Israel (Palestine) from Turkish rule. During Passover, 1920, Jabotinsky stood at the head of the Hagana in Jerusalem against Arab riots and was condemned by the British Mandatory Government to 15 years hard labor. Following the public outcry against the verdict, he received amnesty and was released from Acre prison.

From 1921 onwards, Jabotinsky was a member of the Zionist Executive and one of the founders of "Keren Hayesod". After a series of policy disagreement on the direction of the Zionist Movement, he seceded and in 1925, established the Union of Zionists-Revisionists (Hatzohar) which called for the immediate establishment of a Jewish State.

In 1923, the youth movement Betar (Brith Joseph Trumpeldor) was created.

The new youth movement aimed at educating its members with a military and nationalistic spirit and Jabotinsky stood at its head. During the years 1928-1929, he resided in Palestine and edited the Hebrew daily "Doar Hayom" while at the same time undertaking increased political activity. In 1929, he left the country on a lecture tour after which the British administration denied him re-entry into the country. From then onwards he lived in the Diaspora until his death.

Jabotinsky was fluent in many languages and translated into Hebrew some of the best known classics of world literature.

During 1939-1940, Jabotinsky was active in Britain and the United States in the hope of establishing a Jewish army to fight side by side with the Allies against Nazi Germany.

On August 4, 1940 while visiting the Betar camp in New York, he suffered a massive heart-attack. In his will he requested that his remains may only be interred in Eretz Israel at the express order of the Hebrew Government of the Jewish State that shall arise. His will was fulfilled by Levi Eshkol, Israel's third Prime Minister. In 1964, Jabotinsky's remains and those of his wife Jeanne were reinterred on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

Jabotinsky's image, the essence of his thought and his political and ideological path, are presented in the exhibit in a graphic and communicative language appropriate to our contemporary times and the young generation. Individual visitors can view the exhibit without guidance while, at the same time, groups can be provided with tour guides.

The visitor is introduced to the many phases of Jabotinsky's life within their historical context, from his childhood in Odessa until his untimely death in New York and his state funeral in Jerusalem twenty-four years later. A special emphasis is placed in the exhibit on his political and educational activity in the service of Zionism, and amongst the highlights were the founding of the Jewish Legion, the Revisionist movement and the New Zionist Organization and the planning of a rescue program for European Jewry, with the crowning achievement being the Betar youth movement which commands a central position in the exhibit.

The exhibit is three-dimensional, comprising 14 showcases fashioned so that they stand by themselves but at the same time, act as a background for the audio-visual presentation.

The audio-visual presentation is a 15-minute film shown by two projectors on six ascending and descending screens. The film's theme is an imaginary conversation that takes place between Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the father, with Eri Jabotinsky, his son. The actor, Asher Tsarfati, plays the father and Eri is played by Gil Soriano.

The film is currently in a Hebrew version only and we hope to be able to locate the donors who will enable us to insert an English-language dubbing.

Concept and design: Bat Sheva Graphic Art Ltd and Architect Uri Stern-Shaviv
Curator: Sarah Harel-Hoshen

e-mail: office@jabotinsky.org

Registered Non-Profit Organization No. 580028736

Founder and First Director: The Late Dr. Yosef Paamoni

Chairman of Executive Board: Peleg Tamir

September 2, 2005