Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel

The Hebrew Scout Movement in Israel (Hebrew: תנועת הצופים העבריים בישראל‎, Tnoat HaTzofim HaIvriiem BeYisrael) is an Israeli Jewish co-ed Scouting and Guiding association with about 80,000 members. The Hebrew Scout Movement is now the largest youth movement in Israel[1]

Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel
תנועת הצופים העבריים בישראל‎
HeadquartersPhilips House
CountryIsrael
Founded1919
FounderAryeh Croch
Membership80,000
ChairmanRaz Pearl
General SecretaryCali Cohen
Website
zofim.org.il

It is a member of the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation, which is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Established in 1919, the Tzofim (Hebrew Scout Movement) was the first Zionist youth movement in Israel and remains today the largest "National Youth Movement" in the country. Tzofim is famously known as the first egalitarian scouting movement in the world, where boys and girls participate together on an equal basis.

History

Establishment of the movement
Israel Scouts Badges

The organization was established during Passover of 1919 by some youth and sports associations, including the "Meshotetim" association and the "Herzliya" association that held activities in the format of the founder of world scouting, Baden-Powell. As the head of the movement elected Zvi Nishri. The connection between the associations was loose if at all and it was not yet a fully consolidated movement in every sense of the word.[2]

The first Scout tribe, "Meshotetei BaCarmel" in the Hadar neighborhood of Haifa, was established in 1925 by the Haifa's Reali School. It was initiated by a teacher – Aryeh Croch (who later stood for many years at the head of the Hebrew Scouts Movement).

In 1939, the religious Scouts, named "Adat HaTzofim" joined to the Hebrew Scout Movement with the leadership of Asher Rivlin as the head of Jewish religious scouting in Israel.

in the 1940s the movement sent the best of scouting graduates to the Palmach. During that time the center of the movement was in the north of the country and the Palmach recruits were trained on the "Reali" school ground before joining to the organization. The Hebrew Scout Movement in Israel also sent its graduates across the country to create Jewish settlements and Hebrew labor, as part of the establishment of the new Jewish state.

Israeli postal stamp, 1968

The movement split

In 1951, during the split of HaKibbutz HaMeuhad there was also a split in the Hebrew Scouts Movement. Most members of the movement wanted to preserve its democratic and non-partisan character.

At the Movement's Council, which met in October 1950, it was decided to add to the Hebrew Scouts Movement principles in opposition to totalitarian regimes (communism, fascism). Following this decision, supporters of Mapam, who supported communism, broke away from the movement, and created in May 1951, the "Pioneering Scout movement" who joined after a short time the "HaMahanot HaOlim" youth movement, that was also associated with KM and Mapam.

The Hebrew Scouts Movement remained in contact with the United Kibbutz Movement, which was informally identified with Mapai, and not with the communist ideology.

Scouting today
Hebrew Scouts uniform

Today the Hebrew Scouts Movement has over 85,000 members from the ages of 9 to 18 years old in about 205 scout tribes, and is defined as the largest youth movement in Israel (as of publication in 2013).[3]

The movement is divided into 15 regional leaderships operating relatively autonomously, but subject to the provisions and procedures of the movement. The "Tzabar" Scouts for Israeli children living abroad, which operates in the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the former Soviet Union, have separate managements and activities, but the same values and principles.

Regions of the Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel:

  • Tzafon region (North)
  • Haifa region
  • HaTzuk region
  • hahoresh region
  • HaShahar region
  • Dror region
  • Menashe region
  • Dan region
  • Ramat-Gan region
  • Tel Aviv-Yafo region
  • Ayalon region
  • HaHof region
  • Jerusalem region
  • Yehuda region
  • Sorek region
  • Darom region (South)

Some of the regions incorporate a large area (the South region – from Kiryat Gat to Yeruham) and some regions include only one big city (the Tel-Aviv-Yafo region). In addition to the regions there are also various segments of scout tribes, such as the SHVA Scouts (for Ethiopian immigrants), Sea Scouts, and Adat HaTzofim, a religious division which was once a separate organization.

Every region has both professionals and volunteers working for it, and has offices, vehicles, equipment, financial plan, events, camps, trips and more.

Tzabar Scouts

Tzabar Scouts is the name for the Hebrew Scouts regions located outside Israel, in the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the former Soviet Union. It aims to foster Zionism and love of Israel among Israelis who live in these countries. Activities are held in Hebrew, and the members work in similar settings to the Scouts in Israel, and pass the rest of courses and seminars on topics such as identity and culture. Under the existing backlog Scouts 56 tribes that meet on a weekly basis. Tzabar is an active educational framework for Israelis to strengthen Jewish identity and Israeli-Zionist, maintaining contact with the Israeli-Zionist culture and the State of Israel, and providing tools for members of the graduating addressing the issue of their return.

Age groups

Each age group has its own name in the Hebrew Scouts movement. During the year there is a celebration in which members of every age-group pass a test in accordance with the age group they are in, and after passing the test members are given the new rank they have earned (rank is a scout-scarf in different colors).

Ages Name Scarf Colors
9–10 Ofarim – עופרים Yellow
10–11 Nachshonim – נחשונים Yellow+Blue
11–12 Meshotetim – משוטטים Blue
12–13 Hotrim – חותרים Orange
13–14 Mavtichim – מבטיחים Orange+Green
14–15 Solelim – סוללים Green
15–16 Madrichim – מדריכים Green+White*
16–17 Bonim – בונים Green+White*
17–18 Magshimim – מגשימים Green+Gray*

*From the age of 15–16 years old, the scouts scarf changes by the role of the member in the scout tribe.

Organizational structure

Organizationally, it is possible to divide the Hebrew Scouts Movement in the following way:

  • The National Leadership is the head of the Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel. The chairman of the national leadership is also the chairman of the Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel. As of this period, it is Eli Ben-Yosef.
  • On the movement management in charge the Secretary-General.
  • Departments and Divisions:
    • Department of Finance
    • Department of Marketing and Public Relations
    • Education Division
      • All scout regions in Israel
      • Program Department
        • Israel Scouts Website
        • Israel National Scouting Center
        • Department for Special Needs
      • Department for Immigrant Absorption
      • Department of "the next way" – which is responsible for the formulation and management of tens of different scouting volunteer programs for scouts aged 18 to 19 years old, and some special army-programs for scouts who continue being scouts during their compulsory army service.
      • Safety Department
      • Department for Youth at Risk
      • Sea Scouts Sector
      • Religious Scouts Sector
    • Department of International Relations
      • The Israel Scouts delegation to North America
      • The Friendship Caravan
      • The Poland Delegation
      • International Programs in Israel
      • Short Delegations
      • Garin Tzabar
    • Human Resources Department
    • Operations and Procurement Department
      • Israel Scout Ranch
    • Resource Development Department

Religious Scouts division

"Adat HaTzofim" or "Religious Scouts" is a religious division of 12 Scout tribes in the Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel. Shevet Masuot in Jerusalem is the largest and oldest tribe in this division. It was founded in 1945, and has operated continuously since then.

The purpose of the Religious Scouts is to allow all young Scouts to belong to the Scout Movement regardless of origin, political views, or spiritual views, while emphasizing the bridge between religious and secular youth. "Adat HaTzofim" educates and works with the same values of the Scouts movement, but also uses the teachings of the bible of Israel and the Jewish religion.

See also

References
  1. http://www.zofim.org.il/about_tnua_english.asp About the Hebrew Scout Movement in Israel
  2. Alon, Hemda (1976). "היֵה נכון"- חמישים שנות צופיות עברית בארץ ישראל 1919 – 1969. Tel Aviv: עם הספר בע"מ.
  3. "Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel – ID". Zofim. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015.
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