Ultra-Orthodox Jewry in Eretz Israel during the British Mandate and Today

Part One-Early years and Poalei Agudat Israel; Part Two-Crisis in Poland, 1920s. Part One: Born in Warsaw in 1914 to poor family; father torah scholar. Moved with family to Lublin area. Left yeshiva at young age and worked at various jobs to help family. exposure to socialist ideas prevalent in Jewish public life: Bund movement, Communists and religious socialists. Rule of Geberski and difficult economic situation in Poland pushing youth towards aliyah. Crystallization of Zionist religious movements Mizrahi and Poalei Agudat Israel. Joined hakhshara of Poalei Agudat Israel and made aliyah settling in Jerusalem. Upon arrival became involved in conflict within Agudat Israel between those wanting to move closer to Zionists and those demanding independent stands. Among founders of resultant Poalei Agudat Israel. Worsening of relations between Agudat Israel and Poalei Agudat Israel, appeal of Agudat Israel to Council of Torah Sages, led to terminating activities and turning to education: establishing and directing school Shiloh. Part Two: Crisis during 1920s in Poland. Revolutionary ideas of changing world, communism and socialism, capturing hearts of Jewish youth. Founding of Bund; establishment of Zionist Socialist movement. Hasidim and ultra-Orthodox reacting with apprehension to rise of these movements. Support from circles of various Hasidic rabbis, among them Gochar, Amshiov and Sorotov for ideas associated with aliyah and settlement in Israel. Determined opposition by ; Belz and Alexander Hasidim.