2025-12-14 12:26:AM <br/> Tags: #organization #Israel #EarlyZionism #AmericanJewry #WorldJewry ![[image-198.png|340x390]] # Betar *Betar was not founded in the U.S., but this page is held in the American Jewry folder because it will focus on Betar's activities in the United States through "Betar USA."* - Betar is the [[Revisionist Zionism|Revisionist Zionist]] youth organization founded by [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]] in 1923 in Latvia. - Betar is among the most extreme Jewish organization in the United States. - It would not be hyperbole to consider Betar to be terror-friendly. *Jewish-terror that is.* - Today Betar is active in 10 countries. - Betar's main slogan is "Jews fight back." #### European Founding, Jabotinsky, and Early Zionism - Betar was founded in Riga, Latvia in 1923 by [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]]. Jabotinsky led Betar until his death in 1940. - The founding of Betar pre-dates Jabotinsky's Revisionist Zionist Party by two years. - Betar was founded for Jewish youth as Jewish militant organization with strong Jewish nationalism (Zionism). - Betar was not founded as religiously Jewish. >[!info] Betar Principles - [Source](https://betarus.org/about/oath/) >- Betar calls "Had-Ness" the "defining principle of Betar." > - Had-Ness, as defined by Betar, means a singular loyalty to the Jewish state. > - Betar includes a Jabotinsky teaching: "Two ideals are absurd—like two gods, two altars, two Temples." > - Betar concludes: "All aspirations must be measured against this one question: Is it good for the Jewish people? From that, all decisions flow." >- Betar considers the Hebrew language to be, "not just a language—it is our national essence." > - They add, "A Jew who does not speak Hebrew is not yet complete." >- The Jewish principle of *Hadar* is central to Betar. > - *Hadar* is an encompassing term for the principle of Jewish pride and excellence. > - Betar writes: "Before every action, a Betari asks: Does this reflect Hadar?" >- The Hebrew word *Giyus*, is central to Betar. > - *Giyus* means military preparedness. >- Betar prides itself on taking action as opposed to "armchair Zionism." > - "We do not wait to be saved. We prepare. We train. We act. Every Betari understands the role of strength and the necessity of readiness." >- Other core Betar tenets include things like proper personal appearance, discipline, preemptive Jewish action, etc. - Betar trained Jewish youth to be a quasi military; marching, salutes, uniforms, ranks, weapons training, etc. were all core to Betar's activities. ![[image-196.png|654x402]] *Jabotinsky (bottom right in the suit) with Betar leaders in Warsaw, Poland, ~1939. [[Menachem Begin]] in the bottom left.* - The origins of name for [[Betar]] are twofold; for Josef Trumpeldor, who died fighting Arabs in Tel Hai (North Galilee) in 1920, and also the name of the ancient village near Jerusalem where the Jews made their last stand fighting the Romans during the Bar Kokhba revolt in 135 AD. #RedPill *The recurring theme of Jews' harbored anger towards Europe and specifically the Romans. These feelings are present in Jewry today. Look up "Eric Weinstein Arch of Titus." It can be concluded that Weinstein, Jabotinsky, and collective Jewry share the same historic resentment. Should a group which thinks this way about Europeans have power in the United States? --- - In 1934, the Betar Naval Academy opened in Italy. - This was the result of a direct partnership between Mussolini's Italy and the Revisionists. - Jabotinsky had long felt Italy could replace Great Britain as the 'benefactor power' for the Jewish state. *While Jabotinsky was an enemy of the British in Palestine, he knew that the formation of a Jewish state required the backing of a great power. - Betar acted as a training ground for future [[Irgun and Lehi Zionist Paramilitary Organizations|Irgun]] members. - The Irgun or "Etzel" was Jabotinsky's revisionist paramilitary in Palestine. - The Irgun committed many acts of terror against both the British and Arab's in Palestine from 1930-1948. - Betar functioned as the youth wing of the Revisionist political movement. - When the Revisionists left the [[World Zionist Organization]] in 1935 following electoral losses and policy disputes with the ruling labor Zionists, Betar followed. - The Revisionists formed the "New Zionist Organization," with Betar as its de facto youth wing. - During the 1940s, Betar and the [[Irgun and Lehi Zionist Paramilitary Organizations|Irgun]] were closely intertwined. - Both organizations fell under the command of [[Menachem Begin]]. *Begin was prime minister of Israel from 1977-1983.* - Many Betarim (plural for members of Betar) went on to fight in the [[1948 Arab Israeli War]]. - A number of Betarim were involved in the [[Altalena Affair]]. - The Altalena affair involved a ship full of arms and Irgun fighters which arrived in Israel in June of 1948. - The ship was purchased in New York by Irgun operative [[Hillel Kook]], who was operating under the name Peter Bergson. - When the ship arrived in Israel, [[David Ben-Gurion]] ordered the IDF to confront the ship and take the weapons. - After negotiations failed, a gunfight broke out leaving 16 Irgun fighters and 3 IDF soldiers dead. - The Altalena Affair resulted in the political blacklisting of the Revisionists. #### Betar Post 1948 - After Israel's declaration of statehood in 1948, Betar shifted into a support role. - In the 1950s and 60s Betar worked to support [[Menachem Begin]]'s Israeli [[Herut]] party. - Herut merged with a number of more centrist parties in 1965 to form [[Gahal]]. - Gahal merged with a number of smaller parties in 1937 to form [[Likud]]. - Herut remained nominally independent within Gahal and then Likud until 1988 when it was full absorbed. - Likud upended the Israeli political order in 1977 with its shock-win of the Israeli elections. - Begin became prime minister, a position he held until 1983. - Begin was succeeded by former Betari and [[Irgun and Lehi Zionist Paramilitary Organizations|Lehi]] leader [[Yitzhak Shamir]]. *Lehi was very similar to Irgun. Lehi was more rudimentary, and probably more barbaric.* - Through the various mergers, Herut and Begin remained the leading faction. *Through these mergers you can see the clear line from Jabotinsky to modern day Likud.* - Betar is affiliated with [[Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)]] coalition within the World Likud faction of the [[World Zionist Organization]]'s World Zionist Congress. - Betar's delegation was unbanned from the World Zionist Congress in 2025. - Today, [Betar considers itself](https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/ritchie-torres-betar-us-deportations/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBetar%20is%20a%20historical%2C%20ideological%20Zionist%20movement%20from%20which%20two%20Israeli%20prime%20ministers%20emanated%2C%20we%20are%20affiliated%20with%20the%20Likud%20Party%20and%20share%20office%20headquarters%20with%20the%20Likud%20Party%20in%20Ze%E2%80%99ev%20Jabotinsky%2C%20for%20whom%20the%20movement%20and%20building%20is%20named%2C) to be directly affiliated with [[Likud]] and [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]. - Betar is supportive of Israeli settler activity in the occupied territories. #### Betar USA - Betar USA was founded in New York City in 1929 by Joseph Beder, Israel Posnansky, Haim Messer, and William Katz. - The fledgling Betar USA was energized by recurring visits from European Betar leaders. - [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky|Jabotinsky]] spent considerable time in the United States speaking, raising money, and spreading Revisionism to American Jewry. - After Jabotinsky's death in 1940, [[Hillel Kook]] took over Irgun and Betar operation in the United States. - Kooks network of Irgun operatives was called the [[Bergson Group]]. - Kook, [[Aryeh Ben-Eliezer]], [[Yitzhak Ben-Ami]], and [[Shmuel Merlin]] were the primary leaders of Revisionism in the United States during the 1940s. - All were Betarim. - In 1983, Betar and The [[Herut]] Zionists of America [launched a student activist group called Tagar.](https://www.jta.org/archive/new-zionist-student-activist-movement-formed) - Tagar aimed to centralize Revisionist student activism in the United States. - Tagar's central tenets included aliyah (emigration to Israel), the study of Hebrew, Jewish pride, and "to kindle the flame of a great Jewish national revival." - In the 1990s, Betar's national president was [[Ronn Torossian]]. - Torossian was crucial to Betar's recent revival. - Betar utilized a _shlichim_ program in the United States. - Shlichim is a Hebrew word for Israeli emissaries in the Diaspora. - These Israeli Betar emissaries come to the United States to promote Betar's flavor of Zionism to American Jewry. Betar's emissaries strongly encouraged Jewish aliyah meaning resettlement in Israel - Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States [[Sallai Meridor]] was a Betar Shaliach (Shlichim singular) in the 1980s. #### Revival and Modern Betar USA - In the 2024, after decades of decline and neglect, Betar was revived in the U.S. - Longtime Betar devotee [[Ronn Torossian]] was the primary force behind Betar's revival in the United States. - After [[October 7th]] and the ensuing [[Gaza War]], Torossian revived Betar as a tool to fight against pro-Palestinian activism on the American left. - [Torossian explained](https://stljewishlight.org/world-news/zionist-group-betar-us-jews-fight-back/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CMany%20of%20us,out%20for%20us%3F%E2%80%9D) the purpose of Betar's revival: "Many of us believe that we are living in the days before a potential Holocaust. So we think that it’s OK to stand up to antisemites, and not only is it OK, but we’re going to do it differently than the ADL. The ADL writes position papers. Hillel writes position papers. How are those position papers working out for us?" - The election of [[Donald Trump]] in 2024 and his early actions in office greatly energized Betar. - Within weeks of taking office, Trump began targeting pro-Palestine non-citizen students for deportation. *This occurred while hardly any illegals were being deported. So the argument that these students were collateral of a much larger deportation operation is not true.* - Ross Glick, Betar's former American leader, [praised Trump's actions](https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/group-claiming-credit-mahmoud-khalil-arrest-demanded-blood-gaza-babies#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%20are%20strongly%20supportive%20of%20the%20Trump%20administration%E2%80%99s%20plan%20to%20deport%20jihadis%20who%20seek%20to%20destroy%20America.%20Our%20campuses%20and%20our%20streets%20are%20filled%20with%20violent%20people%20who%20hate%20Jews%20and%20cannot%20co%2Dexist%20with%20Western%20society%2C%E2%80%9D%20Glick%20added.) stating: "We are strongly supportive of the Trump administration’s plan to deport jihadis who seek to destroy America. Our campuses and our streets are filled with violent people who hate Jews and cannot co-exist with Western society." - [Here is a video](https://x.com/JSweetLI/status/1860737122677805469/video/1) of Ross Glick soliciting support from Democrat Senator John Fetterman after Betar was banned on Facebook after comments about handing out beepers to pro-Palestine activists. - Fetterman reassures Glick about his "love" for the [[Mossad]] pagers attack. - Betar uses artificial intelligence to compiles lists of "pro-Hamas" activists for deportation. - *Betar, like much of right wing organized American Jewry, attaches itself to Donald Trump, using his popularity as a vessel for Jewish and Israeli interest.* - Betar's "anti-Israel deportation lists" are very similar to the actions of another organization [[Canary Mission]]. - The Trump Administration [has admitted](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/11/canary-mission-how-us-uses-a-hate-group-to-target-palestine-advocates#:~:text=%E2%80%9CYou%20mean%20someone,a%20simple%20%E2%80%9Cyes%E2%80%9D.) to using Canary Mission's database to expunge antisemitism from college campuses. - Betar supports [[Meir Kahane]] and posts about him on Twitter often. - American Betarim today are often seen waving the flag or wearing attire of the [[Jewish Defense League (JDL)]]. - The JDL was Kahane's militant Jewish organization, most prominent in the early 1970s. - Today Betar considers its founder, [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]], to be a Jewish "prophet", and "the most influential Zionist in history". - In October, 2025, the FBI cut its long standing ties with the far left Jewish organization, the [[ADL]]. - FBI director Kashyap Pramod Patel added, "This FBI won't partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs." *The subtle admission is that true 'watchdog' organizations are admissible.* - Soon, the ADL announced the end of its "glossary of extremism," which listed people, groups, and terms that it considered antisemitic, hateful, or extremist. - Betar, a rare Jewish target of the ADL, celebrated the development. - *[Here is some incisive commentary](https://x.com/NickJFuentes/status/1973526159301419214?s=20) on the Betar-ADL conflict by Nick Fuentes.* ![[image-199.png|709x394]] *Ronn Torossian, the figure behind Betar's 2024 revival, 2017. [Source](https://www.jta.org/2025/02/24/united-states/right-wing-zionist-group-betar-wars-with-adl-after-being-added-to-its-extremism-database)* #### Betar's Twitter - As of writing this, the [pinned tweet](https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1886058212220076450?s=20) on Betar's X account is a video of a very visibly Jewish guy cheering as workers remove anti-Israel graffiti from a monument. - The text of the tweet praises [[Heritage Foundation]]'s [[Project Esther]] for their "vital work in mobilizing against jihadis." - Also as of writing this, the most recent [Betar Twitter post](https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1999996068021604758?s=20) is smugly reveling in a school shooting that just took place at Brown University. Betar's Twitter has replied to many comments doubling down. *Post below.* - ![[image-200.png]] - On November 21, 2025, [Betar posted](https://x.com/Betar_USA/status/1991980581979402389?s=20) "If the Zionists don’t make it in America, America will fall. We promise! We are the students of Ze'ev Jabotinsky!" - At the end of the tweet Betar added an Israeli flag emoji - heart - pager emoji. *An obvious threat referencing [[Mossad]]'s pager attack against Hezbollah in September of 2024. Betar posted this same tweet in regards to Europe as well.* - *I will note, the Betar Twitter page seems to be run by a very crude person or people. They respond aggressively to troll comments, talk to Grok, and generally post outrageous things. [Betar's Twitter supports the killing of children](https://x.com/JeninYounesEsq/status/1998068591107690752?s=20) if they are Palestinian. This entire page could be endless Betar tweets. It's wild to see even if it's low hanging fruit.* #### Funding and Donors - Prior to WWII, Betar received backing from the government of Poland and fascist Italy. - Betar was funded through Jabotinsky's Revisionist apparatus. - Irgun, New Zionist Organization, and Revisionist fundraising campaigns were the source of Betar funding in the 1920s and 30s. - In the 1940s, [[Hillel Kook]]'s [[Bergson Group]] was the primary lobbying and fundraising organ of the Revisionists. - Hollywood playwright [[Ben Hecht]] was a major financial and public relations benefactor during this period. - Betar USA's current leader, [[Ronn Torossian]], is also a significant Betar benefactor. - Jewish donor Michael Sinensky has been active in funding Betar's recent revival. - Betar solicits money through a GoFundMe campaign called "Help BUILD BETAR." - The campaign has so far raised 11% of its $500,000 goal. #### Leaders and Notable Betar Alumni - [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]] - Founder, leader until 1940. - [[Menachem Begin]] Alum and former leader, former Israeli PM. - [[Yitzhak Shamir]] - Alum, former Israeli PM. - [[Hillel Kook]] - Alum, top Revisionist operative. - [[Meir Kahane]] - Alum, highly influential militant religious Zionist figure. - [[Sallai Meridor]] - Betar emissary, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States. - [[Ronn Torossian]] - Betar alum and force behind Betar's 2024 revival. *Torossian is a highly interesting figure. He is something like a lynchpin between numerous international and domestic power networks.* - Benzion Netanyahu - Alum, father of [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]. - [[Moshe Arens]] - Alum, Israeli Likud politician. - [[Danny Danon]] - Former World Betar leader, Israeli Likud politician. - [[Sharon Tzur]] - Alum, founder of [[Media Watch International]]. #### References - “Our History.” Betar US: Zionist Movement of Ze’ev Jabotinsky. [https://betarus.org/about/history/](https://betarus.org/about/history/). - Betar. _Wikipedia_. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betar). - Betar Naval Academy. _Wikipedia_, last edited December 5, 2025. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betar_Naval_Academy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betar_Naval_Academy). - Altalena Affair. _Wikipedia_. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altalena_Affair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altalena_Affair). - “Oath.” Betar US: Zionist Movement of Ze’ev Jabotinsky. [https://betarus.org/about/oath/](https://betarus.org/about/oath/). - New Zionist Student Activist Movement Formed. _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, March 8, 1983. [https://www.jta.org/archive/new-zionist-student-activist-movement-formed](https://www.jta.org/archive/new-zionist-student-activist-movement-formed). - Florido, Adrian, and A. Martínez. “Trump Executive Order Aims to Deport International Students Who Have Protested Israel.” _NPR_, February 6, 2025. [https://www.npr.org/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5281179/trump-executive-order-aims-to-deport-international-students-who-have-protested-israel](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5281179/trump-executive-order-aims-to-deport-international-students-who-have-protested-israel). - Lapin, Andrew. “A Century-Old Zionist Group Is Being Rebooted — and Wants Jews to ‘Fight Back’ on the Street.” _St. Louis Jewish Light_, February 11, 2025. [https://stljewishlight.org/world-news/zionist-group-betar-us-jews-fight-back/](https://stljewishlight.org/world-news/zionist-group-betar-us-jews-fight-back/). - Abunimah, Ali. “Group Claiming Credit for Mahmoud Khalil Arrest Demanded ‘Blood of Gaza Babies.’” _The Electronic Intifada_, March 12, 2025. [https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/group-claiming-credit-mahmoud-khalil-arrest-demanded-blood-gaza-babies](https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/group-claiming-credit-mahmoud-khalil-arrest-demanded-blood-gaza-babies). - Levine, Jon. “Zionist Org Preps List of Foreign Pro-Hamas Students, Hoping Trump Will Deport Them.” _New York Post_, November 23, 2024. [https://nypost.com/2024/11/23/us-news/zionist-org-preps-list-of-foreign-pro-hamas-students-hoping-trump-will-deport-them/](https://nypost.com/2024/11/23/us-news/zionist-org-preps-list-of-foreign-pro-hamas-students-hoping-trump-will-deport-them/). - Lotz, Avery. “Kash Patel Cuts FBI Ties with Anti-Defamation League.” _Axios_, October 2, 2025. [https://www.axios.com/2025/10/02/kash-patel-fbi-adl-comey-anti-defamation-league](https://www.axios.com/2025/10/02/kash-patel-fbi-adl-comey-anti-defamation-league). - Sweet, Jacqueline. “Student Deportations Spark a Rift Between Ritchie Torres and Former Backers.” _The Nation_, April 10, 2025. [https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/ritchie-torres-betar-us-deportations/](https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/ritchie-torres-betar-us-deportations/). - Harb, Ali. “Canary Mission: How US Uses a Hate Group to Target Palestine Advocates.” Al Jazeera, July 11, 2025. [https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/11/canary-mission-how-us-uses-a-hate-group-to-target-palestine-advocates](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/11/canary-mission-how-us-uses-a-hate-group-to-target-palestine-advocates).