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Major Wellesley Aron, MBE (1901–1988), was born in England but lived most of his life in British Mandated Palestine and then Israel.〔Silman-Cheong, Helen (ed.) ''Wellesley Aron: Rebel with a Cause'', Valentine Mitchell, 1992.〕 His obituary by Phiip Gillon in ''The Jerusalem Post'' sums it up. "Wellesley Aron, who died a week ago, a few days before his 87th birthday, could have been typecast for one of those BBC films about idealistic English upper class officers and gentlemen who espouse what appears to be hopeless causes and convert them into practical successes, in defiance of prejudices and huge obstacles. Physically, he looked the part, with his ramrod-straight back and his major's moustache; educated at Cambridge, he also talked Nancy Mitford's U-language. Wellesley could be summed up in one word - integrity.",〔Philip Gillon, ''The Jerusalem Post'', June 14, 1988〕 Wellesley founded Habonim, which became the largest Zionist Youth movement world-wide; commanded a unit in the British Army in World War II; rescued refugees fleeing The Holocaust and organized Machal (volunteers for Israel) in the United States. He was also a successful internationally known businessman; the creator and teacher of courses on peace for school children; a pioneer in establishing Rotary International in Israel and, finally, in his late years, a founder of the Arab/Jewish community of Neve Shalom – Wāħat as-Salām, where he died in 1988. Wellesley Aron's first wife died in 1978. They had two children, Sharona and Ylona, In 1981 he married Coral Benjamin.〔Silman-Cheong, Helen, ''Rebel with a Cause''.〕 == Early years == Born in London June 18, 1901. He was the only child of a German Jewish mother but the fifth child of a German Jewish father. His half-siblings were all raised in their mother's Christian faith. Jewish religious observance was almost non-existent in his mother's home according to Wellesley.〔Silman-Cheong, Helen, ''Rebel with a Cause'' p.12.〕 During World War I the family lived for a time in Germany before moving to Switzerland. His half-brother and a cousin died during the war, which he believed led to his father's death shortly after. At the end of the war, Wellesley and his mother returned to London.〔Silman-Cheong, Helen, ''Rebel with a Cause'', p.18.〕 In 1919, Wellesley enrolled at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he studied ancient, and modern French, history. However, at his mother's insistence he returned to London and became involved in the business world. It was at this time, in 1921, at the suggestion of Basil Henriques, that Wellesley became involved with disadvantaged youth from the East End of London. Having been an active Boy Scout during his school years, he saw scouting as the solution to giving the young people a sense of purpose. He founded the 36th Stepney Jewish Scout Troop which would become known in London for its scouting prowess. This first encounter with poor Jews was to have a profound influence for the rest of his life - "the two years I spent with these responsive young scouts left a real and lasting satisfaction such as I have never experienced".〔Silman-Cheong, Helen, ''Rebel with a Cause'', p.19.〕 He returned to Cambridge over his mother's objections. Forced to support himself, he took the post of assistant housemaster at Hillel House. At this period Wellesley had his first personal encounter with antisemitism. He spent vacation time with his Christian half-sister in Devon. There he met and fell in love with a young woman. They wanted to marry her but her father refused to allow it because Aron was Jewish.〔Silman-Cheong, Helen, ''Rebel with a Cause'', p.20.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Wellesley Aron」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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