"To embody the vision of Keren Hayesod is a privilege” – Elie Wiesel - 100 Heartbeats - Keren Hayesod

KH Executive member Ze’ev Jabotinsky – a powerhouse of hasbara in KH’s early years

Immediately after the establishment of Keren Hayesod in 1920, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, a leading intellectual and man of letters, joined the organization’s Executive as its fourth member. He brought tremendous new spirit to all areas of activity and created outstanding publicity material that carried the Keren Hayesod message to Jewish communities throughout the world. He also went abroad on missions, gave lectures in English and joined a large delegation to the United States that produced important results. Jabotinsky published the first Keren Hayesod Book, wrote daily items in Jewish newspapers around the world, initiated informational films and developed various methods to distribute materials. In 1923 Jabotinsky resigned from the Keren Hayesod Executive after his demands to take stronger action on behalf of the Land of Israel were not met. He left behind shoes that were very hard to fill.


Photo: The first poster issued by Keren Hayesod, in 1926, dedicated to Ze’ev Jabotinsky