Arieh Handler

Who was Arieh Handler?

Arieh Handler was a Zionist leader. He was most famous for the being one of the main founders of the Religious Zionist movement in the UK as well as being the last person alive to have been present at the declaration of the State of Israel.

Arieh Handler was born in Bohemia and grew up in Germany. In his early life, he was heavily involved in helping Jews escape from Germany in the years leading up to the Holocaust. In the 1930s, he came to Britain and was one of the founders of the British branch of the Religious Zionist youth movement Bnei Akiva. He was also for many years the President of the adult Religious Zionist organisation Mizrachi.

Shortly before the establishment of the State of Israel, Handler made Aliyah to Israel and became heavily involved in the Zionist movement in Israel, developing close friendships with many Zionist leaders including David Ben-Gurion. As a representative of the Religious Zionist movement, he attended many high-level secret meetings of the Zionist leadership in the lead-up to the establishment of the State of Israel. He was invited by David Ben-Gurion to attend the declaration of Israel’s independence in Tel Aviv. Until his death in May 2011, Arieh Handler was for many years the last person alive to have been present at the declaration of Israel’s independence.