413:'s scouting with a love of Jewish heritage, and taught not only Jewish history but also Modern Hebrew and songs and dances, in addition to camping craft and other outdoor activities, like the Scouting Movement. Wellesley produced a handbook with instructions on how to run groups of teenagers, using elements of Jewish history and symbolism, tests and ceremonies not dissimilar to those customary in scouting. He would later call it
22:
439:
In 1931, on the termination of his position under
Weizmann, Wellesley returned to Palestine. Habonim, which began as "a Jewish Cultural Youth Movement" subsequently developed into a Zionist Youth Movement that has had enormous impact in both Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. Habonim flourished
357:
At the same time, he faced another inconsistency – the ambivalence displayed by
English Jews to the Zionist aim of reestablishing a sovereign Jewish community in Palestine. Basil Henriques, who had often charged him with being "un-Jewish" for not including Jewish content into his Scouting activities,
424:
To build the content around Jewish civilisation, Wellesley authored a history of the Jewish people in "a thousand words ...that a child could read". His prior attempts to get this written by various authoritative Jewish sources had failed to achieve suitable results, and he was thus constrained to
405:
was being taught in the
Stepney Jewish youth clubs in London's poverty-struck East End, which, at that time, were being run by his friend Basil Henriques. He found that the clubs were Jewish only because of their membership but that nothing about Jewish history or about Palestine was being taught.
541:
in Israel. Joining in 1934, he became its first
District Governor after working hard to have Israel recognised as of District in Rotary International. Rotary brought him back once again to involvement with neglected youth in low-income areas. This earlier experience had led him to the founding of
497:
In 1945 Wellesley was one of four Jewish
Palestinian officers to receive awards from the British Government. According to the citation, "Wellesley was an officer of the first Palestinian R.A.S.C Company to see active service in the desert and is the senior Palestinian R.A.S.C Company Commander...
308:
Jewish Scout Troop which would become known in London for its scouting prowess. This first encounter with underprivileged Jews was to have a profound influence, as he later wrote, "the two years I spent with these responsive young scouts left a real and lasting satisfaction such as I have never
89:
396:
of 1917 in which "His
Majesty's Government viewed with favour the establishment of a Jewish National Home in Palestine", the centre of political Zionism had moved to London.) Wellesley returned a year later with his young family and started to work at the Zionist Federation Offices at 77
327:. There he met and fell in love with a young woman. They wanted to marry but her father refused to allow it because Aron was Jewish. Returning to Cambridge he was in total shock over this rejection based simply on the fact that he was a Jew, and spent much time soul searching.
281:
the family lived for a time in
Germany before moving to Switzerland. His half-brother and a cousin died during the war, which he believed led to his father's death shortly after. At the end of the war, Wellesley and his mother returned to London.
529:
office in New York. This was his last official mission for the new State. However, later back in Israel and having returned to private business, he engaged in covert meetings on behalf of Israel aimed at reducing tensions with
273:
mother but the fifth child of a German Jewish father. His half-siblings were all raised in their mother's
Christian faith. Jewish religious observance was almost non-existent in his mother's home according to Wellesley.
608:
He is quoted as saying that his quest for a program where peace is taught started with a question from his grandson. The grandson wanted to know why there are only war colleges and not peace colleges. That grandson,
401:. His overseer there, Leonard Stein did not share his work burden easily, and Wellesley found himself with relatively little to do. He therefore decided to see for himself the extent to which
572:
In 1967 his quest for peace led him to several years of research seeking to find an institution that had peace as the foundation of its curriculum. He prepared a symposium outline for the
605:, former USA Ambassador to Israel and close friend described their home as a "...concrete box on a windswept, barren, rocky hill". They lived there until his death in 1988.
432:
Jewish sports organisation in
England. "It was easier to get moneys for sports than Jewish culture" he later recalled. Bar-Kochba in turn led to the founding of the English
498:
Major
Wellesley proved himself to be an officer of outstanding merit who devotes himself wholeheartedly to the interests of his own unit and of the formation he serves"
253:
Jewish Scout Troop and later founded a new non-Zionist "Jewish cultural youth movement" teaching Jewish history and outdoor craft. Post WWII he aided in the founding of
522:
in Jerusalem. As was often the case, his testimony showed his independence. Despite being a British Military officer he spoke against the prevailing British viewpoint.
392:
Before his return to London, Wellesley was asked by Weizmann for a second time in 1927 to assist with the political wing of the Zionist Office in London. Due to the
460:
in the idea of stockpiling reserve supplies of war materiel and food in Palestine. He foresaw the possibility of Germany being victorious in North Africa.
335:
For the first time Wellesley was forced to ask himself, what, if anything, it meant to be a Jew. Eventually he came to the conclusion that he had to go to
289:, where he studied ancient and modern French History. However, at his mother's insistence he returned to London and became involved in the business world.
843:
456:, Wellesley founded a successful advertising agency. In 1938, aware of the possibility of war with Germany, Aron made strenuous efforts to interest the
506:
At war's end, Wellesley continued his involvement in Zionist activities. In November 1945, given his military experience, he was asked to join
384:. In the meantime, he began to familiarise himself with Zionism. He met and married his wife Rose and they had their first child, a girl.
878:
410:
545:
At the other end of the social scale he volunteered his organising skills to the planning committee for Israel's first golf course in
888:
596:
838:
467:, where he rose to become the senior Jewish officer enlisted from Palestine and the first to command a unit. His unit, 178 coy,
342:
Always a person of action he actively prepared for his emigration to Palestine. Already speaking three languages he now studied
868:
428:
Aron's efforts to obtain funding to move forward the establishment of Habonim also saw him become one of the founders of the
409:
Wellesley's solution was to found a new non-Zionist "Jewish cultural youth movement", which would combine the principles of
304:
during his school years, he saw scouting as the solution to giving the young people a sense of purpose. He founded the 36th
853:
471:, was made up primarily of Jewish Palestinian volunteers. Together with four other Jewish RASC units they served with the
873:
519:
223:
863:
883:
580:, which was rejected on the grounds that it had too much emphasis on youth and not enough on the scholarly approach.
64:
46:
577:
270:
588:
His personal commitment to peace among peoples found its ultimate expression in the last years of his life.
361:
Wellesley recalled that it was this period that forced him to reject the conventional religious approach of
472:
368:
After graduating from Cambridge in 1926, he moved to what was then Palestine. He spent the next years in
194:
486:, he led his unit in helping rescue many Jewish refugees who had escaped the concentration camps of the
246:
during his school years, he saw scouting as the solution to giving the young people a sense of purpose.
613:, one of Israel's most famous singers, has taken over his grandfather's mantle in the quest for peace.
365:
and look instead "to the renaissance of the Jewish People as a political entity in its own homeland".
848:
381:
37:
490:. Aron's unit, together with the other Jewish Palestinian R.A.S.C units, became the vanguard of the
444:, a semi-political Jewish Zionist Movement whose roots go back to 1917 Polish and European sources.
468:
286:
174:
313:
703:
recorded interviews with Aron, about 1977, in Habonim archives, Yad Tabenkin, Ramat Efal, Israel
546:
457:
414:
599:, an Arab-Jewish village near Jerusalem. He moved there with his second wife, Coral, in 1980.
858:
833:
828:
538:
398:
258:
565:. So enthusiastic was the response he was asked to repeat the course at an Arab school in
463:
When these efforts failed and war broke out in 1939, he enlisted in the British Army as a
8:
393:
377:
494:
founded in 1944. Aron authored his account of that military experience (see reference).
453:
336:
297:
239:
479:
they were under siege for several months until relieved and convoyed by sea to Egypt.
32:
812:
507:
433:
362:
602:
573:
418:
343:
293:
729:
526:
515:
491:
464:
402:
351:
235:
133:
822:
483:
542:
Habonim. Now the result was the building of a youth sports centre in Jaffa.
354:, the chemist and Zionist leader who later became Israel's first President.
592:
441:
320:
231:
184:
163:
145:
319:
It was during this period Wellesley had his first personal encounter with
610:
558:
278:
440:
and has become worldwide in its activities. It has since linked up with
312:
Forced to support himself, he took the post of assistant housemaster at
511:
429:
487:
301:
243:
358:
now saw it as a "tragedy" that Aron had decided to go to Palestine.
562:
537:
Always the organiser, Wellesley was heavily involved in developing
373:
296:, that Wellesley became involved with disadvantaged youth from the
557:
Wellesley had a total commitment to peace. In 1967, following the
347:
305:
250:
88:
531:
476:
254:
227:
108:
744:
Wheels in the Storm: the Genesis of the Israeli defence forces
566:
369:
324:
561:, he volunteered to "teach peace" to high school seniors in
323:. He spent vacation time with his Christian half-sister in
269:
Born in London on 18 June 1901, he was the only child of a
746:, Roebuck Society, Australia, 1974 (Hebrew edition 1967).
230:
businessman, community leader, and soldier who served in
595:, a Catholic priest, in pioneering the establishment of
261:, before campaigning for peace until his death in 1988.
811:
The personal papers of Wellesley Aron are kept at the
346:. At the same time, he became active in the student
292:It was at this time, in 1921, at the suggestion of
694:Habonim archives, Yad Tabenkin, Ramat Efel, Israel
238:. Pre-war he served as a community leader in the
820:
583:
576:Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the
447:
212:Businessman, community leader, peace activist
257:, was heavily involved with the founding of
226:(18 June 1901 – 1988), was an English born
844:Members of the Order of the British Empire
87:
724:
722:
65:Learn how and when to remove this message
376:teaching sports and English – first at
350:club. It was here that he first met Dr
821:
719:
525:In 1947, he was asked to organise the
15:
520:Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry
13:
879:Royal Army Ordnance Corps officers
14:
900:
805:
591:Aged 70, Wellesley joined Father
552:
482:Later, in Italy in 1944, risking
20:
889:Immigrants of the Fourth Aliyah
788:
775:
762:
749:
736:
425:undertake the task on his own.
839:Military personnel from London
706:
697:
688:
675:
662:
649:
636:
623:
578:Hebrew University of Jerusalem
285:In 1919 Wellesley enrolled at
264:
1:
869:Jews from Mandatory Palestine
616:
597:Neve Shalom – Wāħat as-Salām
584:Neve Shalom – Wāħat as-Salām
7:
854:English emigrants to Israel
40:. The specific problem is:
10:
905:
874:Schoolteachers from London
448:Palestine and World War II
387:
330:
42:tone/conflict of interest.
864:20th-century Israeli Jews
518:in testifying before the
501:
208:
200:
190:
180:
169:
159:
151:
139:
129:
115:
95:
86:
79:
884:Jewish Brigade personnel
813:Central Zionist Archives
300:. Having been an active
287:Jesus College, Cambridge
242:. Having been an active
175:Royal Army Service Corps
380:and then at the famous
794:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
781:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
768:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
755:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
712:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
681:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
668:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
655:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
642:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
629:Silman-Cheong, Helen,
465:Palestinian volunteer
204:Rose Aron, Coral Aron
152:Years of service
475:in North Africa. At
458:British High Command
399:Great Russell Street
259:Rotary International
249:He founded the 36th
47:improve this article
36:to meet Knowledge's
733:, 25 September 1945
394:Balfour Declaration
234:as a member of the
796:Rebel with a Cause
783:Rebel with a Cause
770:Rebel with a Cause
757:Rebel with a Cause
714:Rebel with a Cause
683:Rebel with a Cause
670:Rebel with a Cause
657:Rebel with a Cause
644:Rebel with a Cause
631:Rebel with a Cause
419:the place in Haifa
298:East End of London
240:East End of London
452:On his return to
436:sports movement.
382:Herzliya Gymnasia
216:
215:
123:(aged 86–87)
75:
74:
67:
38:quality standards
29:This article may
896:
849:British Zionists
799:
792:
786:
779:
773:
766:
760:
753:
747:
742:Wellesley Aron,
740:
734:
726:
717:
710:
704:
701:
695:
692:
686:
679:
673:
666:
660:
653:
647:
640:
634:
627:
508:David Ben-Gurion
363:Orthodox Judaism
141:
122:
105:
103:
91:
77:
76:
70:
63:
59:
56:
50:
24:
23:
16:
904:
903:
899:
898:
897:
895:
894:
893:
819:
818:
808:
803:
802:
793:
789:
780:
776:
767:
763:
754:
750:
741:
737:
727:
720:
711:
707:
702:
698:
693:
689:
680:
676:
667:
663:
654:
650:
641:
637:
628:
624:
619:
603:Samuel W. Lewis
586:
574:Harry S. Truman
555:
504:
450:
390:
333:
294:Basil Henriques
267:
209:Other work
124:
120:
107:
101:
99:
82:
71:
60:
54:
51:
44:
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
902:
892:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
817:
816:
807:
806:External links
804:
801:
800:
787:
774:
772:, pp. 132,138.
761:
759:, pp. 117–118.
748:
735:
730:London Gazette
718:
705:
696:
687:
674:
661:
648:
635:
621:
620:
618:
615:
585:
582:
554:
553:Peace activism
551:
516:Chaim Weizmann
503:
500:
492:Jewish Brigade
449:
446:
403:Jewish history
389:
386:
352:Chaim Weizmann
332:
329:
309:experienced".
266:
263:
236:Jewish Brigade
220:Wellesley Aron
214:
213:
210:
206:
205:
202:
198:
197:
192:
188:
187:
182:
178:
177:
171:
167:
166:
161:
157:
156:
153:
149:
148:
143:
137:
136:
134:United Kingdom
131:
127:
126:
117:
113:
112:
97:
93:
92:
84:
83:
81:Wellesley Aron
80:
73:
72:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
901:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
826:
824:
814:
810:
809:
797:
791:
784:
778:
771:
765:
758:
752:
745:
739:
732:
731:
725:
723:
715:
709:
700:
691:
684:
678:
671:
665:
658:
652:
645:
639:
632:
626:
622:
614:
612:
606:
604:
600:
598:
594:
589:
581:
579:
575:
570:
568:
564:
560:
550:
548:
543:
540:
535:
533:
528:
523:
521:
517:
513:
509:
499:
495:
493:
489:
485:
484:court-martial
480:
478:
474:
470:
466:
461:
459:
455:
445:
443:
437:
435:
431:
426:
422:
420:
416:
412:
407:
404:
400:
395:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
366:
364:
359:
355:
353:
349:
345:
340:
338:
328:
326:
322:
317:
315:
310:
307:
303:
299:
295:
290:
288:
283:
280:
275:
272:
271:German Jewish
262:
260:
256:
252:
247:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
211:
207:
203:
199:
196:
193:
189:
186:
183:
179:
176:
172:
168:
165:
162:
158:
154:
150:
147:
144:
138:
135:
132:
128:
118:
114:
110:
106:June 18, 1901
98:
94:
90:
85:
78:
69:
66:
58:
55:December 2020
48:
43:
39:
35:
34:
27:
18:
17:
859:English Jews
815:in Jerusalem
795:
790:
782:
777:
769:
764:
756:
751:
743:
738:
728:
713:
708:
699:
690:
682:
677:
669:
664:
656:
651:
643:
638:
630:
625:
607:
601:
593:Bruno Hussar
590:
587:
571:
556:
544:
536:
524:
505:
496:
481:
462:
451:
438:
427:
423:
411:Baden Powell
408:
391:
367:
360:
356:
341:
334:
321:antisemitism
318:
314:Hillel House
311:
291:
284:
276:
268:
248:
232:World War II
219:
217:
185:World War II
181:Battles/wars
146:British Army
121:(1988-00-00)
61:
52:
45:Please help
41:
30:
834:1988 deaths
829:1901 births
611:David Broza
559:Six-Day War
279:World War I
265:Early years
49:if you can.
823:Categories
617:References
512:Golda Meir
473:Eight Army
430:Bar-Kochba
130:Allegiance
102:1901-06-18
798:, p. 152.
785:, p. 141.
488:Holocaust
454:Palestine
337:Palestine
302:Boy Scout
244:Boy Scout
201:Spouse(s)
173:178 Coy,
155:1939–1945
111:, England
716:, p. 52.
685:, p. 28.
672:, p. 20.
659:, p. 19.
646:, p. 18.
633:, p. 12.
563:Tel Aviv
547:Caesarea
374:Tel Aviv
140:Service/
31:require
434:Maccabi
415:Habonim
388:Habonim
348:Zionist
331:Zionism
306:Stepney
277:During
251:Stepney
33:cleanup
539:Rotary
532:Jordan
527:Machal
502:Israel
477:Tobruk
417:after
344:Hebrew
255:Israel
228:Jewish
218:Major
191:Awards
142:branch
125:Israel
109:London
567:Jaffa
378:Reali
370:Haifa
325:Devon
164:Major
514:and
469:RASC
442:Dror
372:and
170:Unit
160:Rank
119:1988
116:Died
96:Born
224:MBE
195:MBE
825::
721:^
569:.
549:.
534:.
510:,
421:.
339:.
316:.
222:,
104:)
100:(
68:)
62:(
57:)
53:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
