HaShomer HaTzair global
movement concerns itself with idealistic education and teaches the values of
humane Judaism, socialism and Zionist realization amongst Jewish youth around
the world, with an emphasis on deepening Jewish identity.
The movement stands for
equality and social justice and sees the various forms of kibbutz life and
communality as a way of life. Additionally, the movement emphasises involvement
in Jewish community life in the diaspora and affecting it in the spirit of
freedom, democracy, equality and man's freedom and respect. The movement acts
for and teaches peace and co-existence between Israel and its neighbours.
HaShomer HaTzair global
movement covers five continents and has approximately 5200 members in Latin
America, Europe, North America and Australia.
The movement's chief
enterprises include an annual council and seminar, held by continent, which
bring together all activists, delegates and secretaries from the different
Kenim, to discuss matters of values, education and ideology of the movement.
These events are a hub for movement-wide discussion on the movement's goals and
the ways to achieve them.
Chief Enterprises:
Hachshara is a long-running
enterprise where high school-graduating members from around the world come to
spend a year in Israel. They study at the leader training institute at the
Jewish Agency, spend time living on a kibbutz, participate in the movement's
education centre where they are taught subjects relating to the values of
HaShomer HaTzair, study at Ulpan and volunteer for community work.
These members usually
return to work in their original Ken and join the leadership of the local Ken, drawing
from the knowledge and experience they have accumulated. The trip to Poland is
another part of the Hachshara year and is taken in a joint delegation, together
with HaShomer HaTzair movement in Israel. On this trip they learn the
historical aspects and the moral dilemmas relating to the holocaust and its
events and to the ways of commemorating it and preserving the memory of it. The
members play an active role in the preparations and during the trip itself. In
recent years there has been great improvement in regard to the Hachshara year
and the number of participating members from many countries is rising
continually.
Among others, the movement
runs the following enterprises:
Camp Israel, a leadership seminar in
Europe;
Shomria in Latin America;
Camp Shomria in North America;
Garin Conventions in Europe and Latin
America;
Aliyah Conventions in Israel.
HaShomer HaTzair global
movement views as an achievement the constant dealing with the ideological
dimension which occurs at leadership conventions, councils, at Shomria and
other conventions, in the work and the educational activity, as well as amongst
the immigrants and in their inclusion in movement's voluntary activities in
Israel. In recent years there has been an increase in the trend of expanding
the activity goals of the movement through local activists, and it is enjoying
great success.
100th Anniversary
of HaShomer HaTzair Global Movement
In July 2013 HaShomer
HaTzair global movement, in collaboration with the movement in Israel, will
mark its 100th anniversary with a special Shomria convention. At the
centre of this event is a broad discussion on the image of the Shomeric Ken and
the design of its future. In addition, participants acquire tools to understand
the reality in Israel, in the Kibbutz movement, in questions of the face of the
State of Israel today, social justice in Israel, attitude towards Zionism and
the Jewish-Arab conflict.
