Born in Vidin, Bulgaria, he worked as a teacher
until 1908 when he went to Salonika, Greece (then in the Ottoman
Empire) where he taught Bulgarian and was a printer. His Socialist
views found a wide audience in Salonika's Jewish working-class. In
1909, he formed the Salonika workers' federation. After the Balkan
Wars, he joined with Greek Socialists in Athens to found the Jewish
Syndicate Center. Ben-Aroya was also active in the general Socialist
movement and in 1924 helped found the Social Democratic Party. His
opposition to Zionism changed with WW2 and in 1953 he settled in
Israel. He was the author of many political pamphlets.
Bibliography:
BEN-AROYA, Avraham. He prote stadiodromia tou hellenikou
proletariatou; kai ta arthra, ho epangelmatikos agon tou hellenikou
proletariatou; hoi agrotes sten Hellada. Pp. 283. Athens:
Kommouna, 1986.
Links:
The Movement of Resistance of the Jews of Greece Against the German
Oppression (Translation of Ladino chapter summary) by Avraham
Ben-Aroya
The Jewish Community in Salonika
The Jewish Community of Salonika
