| Hashomer Hatzair |
History and background
Hashomer Hatzair emerged in 1913 in Galicia, now part of Poland. It was established on one hand as a reaction to the Hassidic communities, and to the spreading of anti-Semitism, on the other. The Jewish intellectual revival movement, Zeirei Zion, and the scouts organization, Hashomer, joined together to form the new Hashomer Hatzair movement. From this union, a living and internationally active Jewish socialist scouts movement emerged in the course of time. Today Hashomer Hatzair is still the oldest active Jewish youth movement.
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Ideology and contents
Friendship between nations
Hashomer Hatzair stands for respect, tolerance and good will between nations. It is our firm conviction that only these values can ensure every individual a peaceful life. Hashomer Hatzair maintains these convictions unconditionally, even if they are not always based on reciprocity. This vision must naturally be implemented first and foremost in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, Hashomer Hatzair is also committed to these values everywhere else in the world and fully supports them.
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Scouting
Scouting is for us both a value and a means to reach our goals. It is an ideal of life that forms the basis for living in harmony with nature, outside of our ordinary environment, and is based on alternatives to consumerism and individualism. Scouting also pursues an alternative educational concept: education of the young by the young. In Hashomer Hatzair, education is not based on the principle stating “from one who knows to one who does not know”, but rather on the principle of exchanging of skills, knowledge and experience among equals. The madrichim (leaders) learn together with the chanichim (trainees). Since they have been raised themselves under this ideology, they can put themselves in the position of their trainees, knowing their needs and requirements.
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Secular Judaism
For us, Judaism is more than just a religion. It is, at the same time, the definition of a people, a history, a set of value, a culture, life attitudes and much more. Owing to our secular orientation, we wish to live our Judaism in an alternative way; namely, under the aspect that God (whether he exists or not) does not necessarily represent the center of our life. We do not organize ourselves according to prayers. The center of society is man, and only man can define his existence, and shape his future. We respect the believers and call upon them to actively join in our movement. Nevertheless, we interpret Jewish life as we understand it, and we celebrate the religious festivals with reference to their symbols and messages and emphasize their contents in our own way.
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