Ethnic Radicals

Lionel Forman, who was born in Johannesburg in 1926, grew up in an environment of left-wing politics, which was the predominant political impulse among Jewish immigrants. Like many Jewish children, and many other radical activists spotlighted here, he “cut his political teeth” in Hashomer Hatza’ir.

 

Upon growing disenchanted with the movement’s ‘Israeli-oriented ethic,’ however, he left the movement shortly after his 15th birthday, and joined the Young Communist League — and followed the pathway to full party membership. Lionel was one of the accused in the 1956 Treason Trial.