Eliyahu Golomb
Encyclopedia
Eliyahu Golomb was the leader of the Jewish defense effort in Mandate Palestine and chief architect of the Haganah
, the underground military organization for defense of the Yishuv
between 1920 and 1948.
to Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire
, from his home in Vawkavysk in the Russian Empire
(today in Belarus) in 1909. He initially organized agricultural training courses and worked in kibbutz
Degania Alef. When World War I
broke out in 1914, Golomb opposed the enlistment of Jews as officers in the Ottoman Army and instead insisted on the creation of an independent Jewish defense force. In 1917 he headed the volunteers for the Jewish Legion
which he hoped would form the basis of a permanent official Jewish militia and successfully opposed the plans of the British commander to send the volunteers to fight outside the country. After his demobilization he became a member of the committee entrusted with organizing the Haganah and in 1920 was active in sending aid to the defenders of the northern outpost of Tel Hai
.
Golomb saw the Haganah as an integral part of the Zionist movement
, and thus objected to the existence of more radical defense organizations, such as the Irgun
. He strongly disagreed with those who supported indiscriminate attacks against Arabs. At the same time, he did advocate active confrontation with Arab aggressors. Along with Berl Katznelson
, Golomb spent much time working with Ze'ev Jabotinsky of the Revisionist party
trying to unify defense efforts among Jews. Golomb's home in Tel Aviv
was later converted into a museum of the Haganah named Beit Eliayahu.
Golomb opposed the view that defense should depend on a small elite, and instead insisted that it was the concern of the Jewish population at large. In 1922, he was sent abroad to purchase weapons for the Haganah and until 1924 organized pioneering youth in Europe. During the Arab riots of 1936-39, Golomb was one of the initiators of the Fosh, units that confronted Arab fighters in combat.
Although supporting Jewish enlistment in the British Army
during World War II
and the parachuting of Jewish agents into Nazi-occupied Europe, Golomb never forgot the necessity for the removal of the British mandatory power from Palestine. He became a founder of the Palmach
, the commando arm of the Haganah and foundation of the Israel Defense Forces, and trained many of its future commanders.
He died in June 11,1945 at the age of 52. His son David
later served as a member of the Knesset.
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, the underground military organization for defense of the Yishuv
Yishuv
The Yishuv or Ha-Yishuv is the term referring to the body of Jewish residents in Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel...
between 1920 and 1948.
Early life
Golomb made aliyahAliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, from his home in Vawkavysk in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(today in Belarus) in 1909. He initially organized agricultural training courses and worked in kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Degania Alef. When World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out in 1914, Golomb opposed the enlistment of Jews as officers in the Ottoman Army and instead insisted on the creation of an independent Jewish defense force. In 1917 he headed the volunteers for the Jewish Legion
Jewish Legion
The Jewish Legion was the name for five battalions of Jewish volunteers established as the British Army's 38th through 42nd Battalions of the Royal Fusiliers...
which he hoped would form the basis of a permanent official Jewish militia and successfully opposed the plans of the British commander to send the volunteers to fight outside the country. After his demobilization he became a member of the committee entrusted with organizing the Haganah and in 1920 was active in sending aid to the defenders of the northern outpost of Tel Hai
Tel Hai
Tel Hai is the modern name of a settlement in northern Israel, the site of an early battle in the Arab–Israeli conflict, and of a noted monument, tourist attraction, and a college...
.
Haganah
Golomb was instrumental in the development of Jewish self-defense forces. He claimed that the Jewish masses must be mobilized into fighting units capable of defending Zionist goals. Golomb was a founding member of the Haganah and served on its Command Council. He traveled extensively, purchasing arms for Haganah fighters. The organization and financing of illegal Jewish immigration in the late 1930s was in large part directed by Golomb.Golomb saw the Haganah as an integral part of the Zionist movement
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
, and thus objected to the existence of more radical defense organizations, such as the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
. He strongly disagreed with those who supported indiscriminate attacks against Arabs. At the same time, he did advocate active confrontation with Arab aggressors. Along with Berl Katznelson
Berl Katznelson
Berl Katznelson was one the intellectual founders of Labor Zionism, instrumental to the establishment of the modern State of Israel, and the editor of Davar, the first daily newspaper of the workers' movement.-Biography:...
, Golomb spent much time working with Ze'ev Jabotinsky of the Revisionist party
Hatzohar
Hatzohar , officially Brit HaTzionim HaRevizionistim was a Revisionist Zionist organisation and political party in Mandate Palestine and newly-independent Israel.-Background:...
trying to unify defense efforts among Jews. Golomb's home in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
was later converted into a museum of the Haganah named Beit Eliayahu.
Golomb opposed the view that defense should depend on a small elite, and instead insisted that it was the concern of the Jewish population at large. In 1922, he was sent abroad to purchase weapons for the Haganah and until 1924 organized pioneering youth in Europe. During the Arab riots of 1936-39, Golomb was one of the initiators of the Fosh, units that confronted Arab fighters in combat.
Although supporting Jewish enlistment in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the parachuting of Jewish agents into Nazi-occupied Europe, Golomb never forgot the necessity for the removal of the British mandatory power from Palestine. He became a founder of the Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
, the commando arm of the Haganah and foundation of the Israel Defense Forces, and trained many of its future commanders.
He died in June 11,1945 at the age of 52. His son David
David Golomb
David Golomb is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for the Alignment, Labor Party, Democratic Movement for Change and Shinui in two spells between 1968 and 1969, and again from 1977 until 1981.-Biography:...
later served as a member of the Knesset.