Arieh Handler
Encyclopedia
Arieh Handler was a Zionist leader. He was most famous for the being one of the main founders of the Religious Zionist movement in the UK as well as being the last person alive to have been present at the declaration of the State of Israel.
Arieh Handler was born in Bohemia
and grew up in Germany
. In his early life, he was heavily involved in helping Jews escape from Germany in the years leading up to the Holocaust. In the 1930s, he came to Britain and was one of the founders of the British branch of the Religious Zionist youth movement Bnei Akiva
. He was also for many years the President of the adult Religious Zionist organisation Mizrachi
.
Shortly before the establishment of the State of Israel, Handler made Aliyah
to Israel and became heavily involved in the Zionist movement in Israel, developing close friendships with many Zionist leaders including David Ben-Gurion
. As a representative of the Religious Zionist movement, he attended many high-level secret meetings of the Zionist leadership in the lead-up to the establishment of the State of Israel. He was invited by David Ben-Gurion to attend the declaration of Israel’s independence in Tel Aviv. Until his death in May 2011, Arieh Handler was for many years the last person alive to have been present at the declaration of Israel’s independence.
Handler lived in London for many years afterward doing various jobs for the Israeli government and Israeli and Zionist institutions and was heavily involved in the building up of the Zionist movement in Britain. Whilst in Britain, Handler was also involved in the Labour Party
and had close connections with Harold Wilson
.
In 2006, Handler returned to Israel and lived until his death in the Kiryat Moshe
neighbourhood of Jerusalem.
Arieh Handler was born in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and grew up in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In his early life, he was heavily involved in helping Jews escape from Germany in the years leading up to the Holocaust. In the 1930s, he came to Britain and was one of the founders of the British branch of the Religious Zionist youth movement Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine in 1929.-History:...
. He was also for many years the President of the adult Religious Zionist organisation Mizrachi
Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)
The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
.
Shortly before the establishment of the State of Israel, Handler made Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel and became heavily involved in the Zionist movement in Israel, developing close friendships with many Zionist leaders including David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
. As a representative of the Religious Zionist movement, he attended many high-level secret meetings of the Zionist leadership in the lead-up to the establishment of the State of Israel. He was invited by David Ben-Gurion to attend the declaration of Israel’s independence in Tel Aviv. Until his death in May 2011, Arieh Handler was for many years the last person alive to have been present at the declaration of Israel’s independence.
Handler lived in London for many years afterward doing various jobs for the Israeli government and Israeli and Zionist institutions and was heavily involved in the building up of the Zionist movement in Britain. Whilst in Britain, Handler was also involved in the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and had close connections with Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
.
In 2006, Handler returned to Israel and lived until his death in the Kiryat Moshe
Kiryat Moshe
Kiryat Moshe is a neighborhood in western Jerusalem, Israel named for the British Jewish philanthropist Moses Montefiore. Kiryat Moshe is bordered by Givat Shaul.-History:...
neighbourhood of Jerusalem.