e. These ideas "all appealed strongly to a maturing Menachem who saw even in youth of futility of passing assimilation in the overwhelming Judophobe context of the mid-1920's" (Frank Gervasi, Page 82). He was a member for Ha-Shomer Ha-Tza'ir, a radical group, until his father said he should resign because their leaders and members were Bolsheviks. His Father often said, "we must fight for our own freedom as Jews, before we can fight for the freedom of others. At age 16 he joined Betar which was a nationalist youth organization associated with the Zionist Revisionist Movement founded by Vladimir Jabotinsky. Jabotinsky was "ultimately Begin's idol and mentor", (Frank Gervasi, Page 82) and from whom he !
             derived much of his ideology of Zionism and Revisionism.
             Begin moved his way up to become head of the movement in Poland. Begin was imprisoned, for taking part in a mass demonstration, by the Polish police. When the Germans invaded Poland, Begin escaped to the Soviet Union where he was there arrested for espionage. He had eight years of hard labor in a concentration camp. Because of an accord between the Soviets and Poles he was freed. Begin then joined the Free Polish army and became active in illegal immigration of Jews to Palestine. A biographer wrote about Begins's experiences, especially those of his early years: "his experiences undoubtedly left their mark on him, but their impact was far from unambiguous"(Sasson Soffer, Page 13)...they really molded his character and ideology.
             Begin's influence spread in two periods of his life, one-the time as a member of the Irgun Tzvi Leumi (Irgun for short), and two-when he later became the Prime Minister of Israel. Begin learned English from listening to BBC Radio. He served as an interpreter for the British Army in Palestine. At this time is when he became the head of the liberation movement, the Irgun, which w...