Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel


The Hebrew Scout Movement in Israel 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
It is a member of the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation, which is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
Established in 1919, the Tzofim 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

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.
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.
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.

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. 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

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.
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:
Some of the regions incorporate a large area and some regions include only one big city. In addition to the regions there are also various segments of scout tribes, such as the SHVA Scouts, 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.
AgesNameScarf Colors
9–10Ofarim – עופריםYellow
10–11Nachshonim – נחשוניםYellow+Blue
11–12Meshotetim – משוטטיםBlue
12–13Hotrim – חותריםOrange
13–14Mavtichim – מבטיחיםOrange+Green
14–15Solelim – סולליםGreen
15–16Madrichim – מדריכיםGreen+White*
16–17Bonim – בוניםGreen+White*
17–18Magshimim – מגשימיםGreen+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:
"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.