Hashomer Hatzair was founded in Europe in 1913 by a group of Jewish youth who sought to find a new way for their friends and their People. This was the first Zionist youth movement of the Jewish People.
Hashomer Hatzair currently serves as an educational-value framework for thousands of youth throughout the country and from all walks of Israeli society – Jews and Arabs, Israeli born and new immigrants, kibbutz members, city dwellers and more.
The youth movement maintains over 100 kinim (chapters) and branches, in addition to conducting dozens of projects and educational national enterprises. There is an Arab division within the Hashomer Hatzair, Ajyal, which means – generations. Shomerit (Hashomer Hatzair) activity is carried out throughout the world in dozens of Hashomer Hatzair World Movement chapters.
Throughout the years Hashomer Hatzair core values were, and remain – Zionism, socialism and solidarity of nations. In 2014, at its national convention, the movement’s members voted to add the value of feminism to its core values. These values are currently reflected in cultivating the values of Zionism, social justice and the aspiration to fortify the social welfare, peace, equality and democracy state.
The Hashomer Hatzair education method begins with belonging to the Hashomerit Group, which is part of a larger activity framework called a ken (chapter), which constitutes an independent and active youth group.
The youth movement has democratic member institutions which shape the course of the movement, among them: the National Convention and the National Member Leadership.
Hashomer Hatzair conducts annual national scouting enterprises, as well as seminars for qualifying counselors, camps and trips.
Educating for hagshama (realization in Hebrew, a youth movement term referring to processes the members undergo in the aim of realizing their purpose, aspirations and values as they were educated in the youth movement, usually referring to the Service Year and Nahal tracks) is a basic component of the Hashomer Hatzair education method. The notion of hagshama shomerit (Hashomer Hatzair realization) draws upon the ancient Jewish combination: “Tikun Adam – Tikun Olam” (repairing the self – repairing the world). After completing 12th grade the youth movement members embark on a Shnat Sherut (Service Year, refers to a community volunteer year in which the volunteers defer their army service by one year) at a havat hahachshara (a Service Year track living arrangement) in the framework of cooperative-mission garinim (plural of garin, which refers to a broad group comprised of several small groups). After completing the havat hahachshara period the members complete their army service in the Nahal track (a unique track that includes IDF service in the Nahal Brigade as a group after the Service Year). With their release from the army the youth movement members join the Hashomer Hatzair graduate movement. In this framework they act in the community, in the education system and in promoting the cooperative idea in Israel.
