HaShomer
The Ha-Shomer (Guild of Watchman) was established in 1909
as a self-defense organization by members
of the second
wave of immigration to Eretz-Israel. The founders had experienced
pogroms in Russia and were determined that
in Eretz-Israel Jews would be more effective
in defending themselves. The group was organized
in the settlement of Sejera in the Lower Galilee
and offered its services to other Jewish villages
in return for an annual fee. The central characters
were Izhak Ben-Zvi, Israel Giladi, Alexander
Zeid and Israel Shohat. When the Jewish National
Fund bought lands in the Jezreel Valley, it was decided to employ
members of Ha-Shomer to protect
the territory from possible encroachment by
neighboring Arabs.
Members of the Ha-Shomer saw themselves as the nucleus of a future
Jewish army, however, at no time did the organization
expand beyond one hundred members. In time
the economic base of the organization was
considered too weak, and it was decided that
their members should be settled on the land.
The first such settlement was Tel Adashim,
established in 1913, which was followed by
Kfar Giladi in 1916, and, two years later,
by Tel Hai. The organization was formally
disbanded after the establishment of the Haganah in 1920.
Sources: The Pedagogic
Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for
Israel, (c) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, Director: Dr. Motti Friedman, Webmaster:
Esther Carciente |