Far too many American Jews know little about the Jewish struggle to free Israel from British control in the 1930s and 1940s.
Are you looking for something more than the average “Israel experience” when you visit this summer? Long before the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, Zionist history had already been a primary target of Israel’s critics. But as with all hostility toward Israel, the intensity has grown over the past 19 months, and the facts have often been thrown out the window.
There are places you can visit that will help you understand the remarkable history of the Zionist pioneers who fought the battles that led to the declaration of the modern State of Israel. Far too many American Jews know little about the Jewish struggle to free Israel from British control in the 1930s and 1940s. Standard tours and Birthright may take you to the Western Wall and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Masada in the Judean Desert and the Sea of Galilee up north, but what might you be missing?
Below is a list of seven places to visit in Israel that will help you develop a more accurate picture of the struggle to build the Jewish state:
1. Acre Prison
Acre Prison is where Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky and his comrades were imprisoned by the British in 1920 for defending Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem from Arab rioters. Later, the British also imprisoned Irgun and Stern Group (LEHI) underground fighters there. Several Zionist fighters were executed at the site. The prison is perhaps best known for the 1947 escape of dozens of fighters during an underground raid, an event depicted in the popular novel Exodus by Leon Uris and its 1960 epic film adaptation that featured Paul Newman in the lead role. More on Acre Prison
2. Museum of the Underground Prisoners
Located in Jerusalem’s Russian Compound, this museum occupies the former Central Prison complex where the British held Irgun and LEHI soldiers. It features significant exhibits that tell the stories of the underground resistance fighters. This is just a quick walk from David’s Tower. More information
3. Etzel Museum
This Tel Aviv museum focuses on the Irgun, also known as the Etzel. It details the group’s history, its role in the British withdrawal from Eretz Israel, and its participation in the War of Independence. Visit the Etzel Museum
4. LEHI Museum
LEHI, founded by Yair (“Avraham”) Stern after breaking from the Irgun, was committed to driving the British out of Eretz Israel. The museum is located in the building where Stern was assassinated by the British in 1942. More about the LEHI Museum
5. Menachem Begin Heritage Center
Located in Jerusalem, this center offers a comprehensive look at the life and legacy of Menachem Begin, a founding father of Israel and leader of the Irgun. The multimedia exhibits are of the highest quality. Visit the center
6. Jabotinsky Institute
The Jabotinsky Institute in Tel Aviv honors Ze’ev Jabotinsky, the Zionist thinker who redefined the movement after Herzl’s death. The museum includes exhibits on his life and the Af Al Pi illegal immigration campaign that led Jews out of Nazi Europe to the British Mandate. About the museum
7. Tel Chai
Tel Chai was a Galilee settlement and the site of a 1920 battle by pioneers against invading Arab raiders. Zionist hero Joseph Trumpeldor, a key figure in the Jewish Legion during World War I, died there alongside seven other young Zionist defenders. Jabotinsky later named his Betar youth movement after Trumpeldor. A lion statue and museum at nearby Kibbutz Kfar Giladi commemorate their bravery. Learn more about Tel Chai
Recommended Reading
A terrific book to bring along on your trip is Zev Golan’s Free Jerusalem: Heroes, Heroines and Rogues Who Created the State of Israel (Gefen Publishing, 2003). Golan’s work vividly brings to life the Zionist heroes who helped make modern Israel a reality.
