From Militant Zionist to Music Festival Pioneer

Aaron Zvi Propes was the first member of Betar and a loyal follower of controversial Zionist leader Zev Jabotinsky. While his comrades like Menachem Begin went on to politics, he founded music festivals, including the Israel Festival which is taking place this week. Learn about how as a teen, Propes and his Jewish Latvian high school friend coaxed Jabotinsky out of retirement and into inspiring generations of young Zionists. Plus, the early days of the Zimriya World Choir festival, the International Harp Contest, and the reconstruction of the 2,000-year-old Roman theater in Caesarea all of which Propes initiated. NOTES:* Israel Festival - official website* International Harp Contest in Israel - official website * Zimriya World Assembly of Choirs in Israel - official website* “Zimriya” Establishes Four Prizes for Musical Compositions - JTA, 1954* International Music Festival Concludes in Israel with Special Concert - JTA, 1961* First Music Festival Opens for Israel’s Bar Mitzvah - JTA, 1961* Trees Planted in Israel by Violinist Isaac Stern, Cellist Pablo Casals - JTA, 1961* Jabotinsky - The Man and the Vision - Founding of Betar * Aharon Propes entry in the Encyclopedia of the Pioneers of the Yishuv and its Builders, volume 4 (1950) Get full access to Jewish History Moment podcast with Ben Bresky at benbresky.substack.com/subscribe