Ze’ev Jabotinsky Great Quotes (Compiled by Ronn Torossian)

Ze’ev Jabotinsky was perhaps the Jewish leader who had the largest impact upon the pre-state establishment of Israel. Ten quotes which I compiled remain so relevant and applicable to events which transpire today:

  • “In the beginning, G-d created the individual. Every individual is a king equal to his fellow. Society was created for the good for individuals, not the opposite.” “My Story,” 1936 in Autobiography (Hebrew), p. 38
  • “Preservation of the special character of nations is essential for progress.” Ze’ev Jabotinsky
  • “Hebrew is the most wonderful of languages, a language of a thousand antonyms, hard and strong as steel, while soft and gleaming as gold.”
  • “We hold that Zionism is moral and just. And since it is moral and just, justice must be done, no matter whether Joseph or Simon or Ivan or Achmet agree with it or not.”
  • “Do not say, so what if we concede Hebron, Nablus and beyond the Jordan– this concession is not comprised of words devoid of meaning, and everyone will understand this to be the case. Do not underestimate the power of a concession! … Do not underestimate the power of a right, and don’t exaggerate the value of a building that is being built. I, too, respect the construction of a building, but woe upon us if we extract the basis of our right to exist from it. … The Christian hand may not touch our rights – which are eternal and are complete, and shall not be relinquished.”
  • “Tell them [the Jewish People] three things in my name, and not two: they must get iron [i.e. weapons]; they must choose a king; and they must learn to laugh.”
  • “Genius is required for the first step alone.” Ze’ev Jabotinsky
  • “Our tradition has it that in the beginning, G-d created the individual. Man is intended to be free. Democracy’s meaning is freedom and the goal of democracy is to insure the influence of the minority.” “Introduction to the Theory of Economy — Part Two,” 1934, in Nation and Society (Hebrew), pp. 218-219
  • “There is no mightier weapon than indifference, you will never conquer it.” Ze’ev Jabotinsky
  • “Silence is Despicable!” (From Shir Betar)

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a NY PR Firm. He is also a philanthropist and author.

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