Jabotinsky Legacy Poster: Revisionist Movement’s “Keren Tel Hai” 1942

‘The Tel Hai Foundation’ Extremely Rare Vintage Revisionist Poster Hanukkah Fundraising Event 1942

The Revisionist movement, led by the visionary Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky, established the Keren Tel Hai (Tel Hai Foundation) in London in 1929 to fund its activities and advance its goals. The foundation began its work following the August 1929 disturbances—a series of violent riots, acts of terrorism, and murders carried out by Arabs in the Land of Israel against the Jewish Yishuv. Its mission was to bolster Hebrew self-defense and provide Zionist youth with education and training in self-reliance and protection.

In 1935, the Beitar Youth Movement initiated the “Hanukkah Project,” a global fundraising campaign to support Jewish settlements in the Land of Israel, assist Holocaust refugees, and establish educational institutions for Beitar members.

This exceptionally rare poster, issued by the Keren Tel Hai for the 1942 Hanukkah Project depicts a member of the Beitar movement proudly holding the Israeli flag while tearing away a yellow Star of David—the Holocaust’s infamous symbol of Jewish persecution—from the arm of a Jew. In the background, a map of the Land of Israel underscores the poster’s message of hope, resilience, and national aspiration.

The Beitar movement soldiers were the successors of the Jewish Legion, established by Ze’ev Jabotinsky during the First World War. They played a significant role in the Zionist struggle, contributing to the defense of the homeland. Beitar members were instrumental in facilitating illegal immigration (Aliyah Bet) to the Land of Israel during the British Mandate period and served as an inspiration for the soldiers who would later establish the State of Israel.

The phrase “In those days, at this time,” traditionally recited during the lighting of Hanukkah candles, holds deep significance for the Zionist movement. Hanukkah became a potent symbol of the struggle for Jewish independence, inspiring numerous fundraising events. Just as the Hasmoneans of the Second Temple period fought to free themselves from foreign oppression, the Zionist movement sought to break the bonds of exile and restore Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. For Revisionist Zionists, the Hasmoneans embodied the ideal of Jews who stood up for themselves and fought tirelessly for their freedom and future.