Learning from Menachem Begin

Key Findings:

The author encourages the post-October 7 Jewish community to learn from Menachem Begin’s life and draw strength from his example – especially with the rise of antisemitism online and on college campuses. 

Begin lived his life through the lens of “hadar,” a Hebrew word translating to glory and dignity. He was shaped by his mentors, his father Ze’ev Begin, as well as Revisionist Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky, who both acted with the spirit of hadar and defiance in the face of oppression and cruelty. They vehemently rejected the narrative placed upon Jews by their oppressors, that of a weak and fearful people. Instead, they believed in a resilient Jew who fights back. 

Begin grew up in Belarus, which at the time was an exceptionally cruel place for Jews, and joined Jabotinsky’s youth movement, Betar. He was eventually arrested for his involvement with the group and sent to the Gulag, where he was imprisoned in squalor for a year. Throughout his imprisonment and experiences of persecution, Begin maintained his dignity and identity as a Jew.

When Begin eventually arrived in Mandatory Palestine and started working on rebuilding the Jewish state, he proved himself to be a leader of the highest caliber, throughout many years and various challenges. Begin prevented a civil war amongst Jews in Israel, helped move peace forward with Egypt, and lead with willingness to take risks for Israel’s security during critical moments, like Operation Opera.

The author encourages Jews today to act with hadar in the face of challenges like antisemitism, just like Begin did.