Israel's schools to commemorate Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky
Activities will include a competition between schools awarding prizes for musical adaptations and music clips of Jabotinsky's songs, virtual tours and a virtual quiz.
By TOBIAS SIEGALjabotinsky 311(photo credit: courtesy)
Israel's education system commemorated Zionist leader and renowned poet Ze'ev Jabotinsky on Sunday by marking major milestones of his life and offering Israeli students various activities revolving around his character.Throughout Sunday and during the upcoming week, Israeli students will learn about the person who became one of the most important Zionist thinkers and leaders, and whose endeavors prepared the ground for the future Jewish state. Jabotinsky's life and vision will be celebrated by marking three major milestones: 140 years since his birth, 80 years since his passing and 100 years since the establishment of the paramilitary organization Haganah, Jabotinsky being one of its founders.The vast majority of the content will be studied in classrooms, with documentaries, historical materials and special activities being combined. Such activities will include a competition between schools offering prizes for musical adaptations and music clips of Jabotinsky's songs, virtual tours in various museums depicting Jabotinsky's life and a virtual quiz for middle school students.Such activities and others will be available following collaboration between the Education Ministry and the Jabotinsky Institute.Jabotinsky dedicated his life to the Zionist cause, and is celebrated as a hero, almost a forefather, in the Israeli narrative. He was elected to the Zionist Congress in 1915 and together with Joseph Trumpeldor, established the Zion Mule Corps, a Jewish legion consisting of several hundred men who fought the Ottoman Empire in Gallipoli.After the British government formally established the Jewish Legion in 1917, Jabotinsky took action in Palestine in 1918.He was later elected to the executive council of the Zionist Organization, until he left the mainstream Zionist movement in 1923 over differences with then chairman Chaim Weizmann. He established a new revisionist party called the Alliance of Revisionist Zionists, as well as its youth movement, Betar, which still plays an active role in Israel today and is the forebear of today's Likud.Alex Winston contributed to this report.
