About Us
Hashomer Hatzair is a global movement with a rich history that began in 1913 in Galicia, Poland. The Zionist youth movement was one of the first during the rebirth of Political Zionism and since its formation has made a heavy impact on the narrative of Jewish self-determination.
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In the 1950s Hashy came to Australia and thrived in the Jewish communities of Melbourne and Sydney. To the present day, we are a youth collective running programs for kids aged 7 to 18. We are a tight-knit community that strives to be a safe space where shomrim*ot can express themselves truly, form strong relationships, and reach their full creative potentials.
Who We Are
Hashy is a grassroots movement that takes the slogan “think globally, act locally” and makes it a reality. We educate our chanichim*ot and give them the information to make a change. From the age of 8 years old, we teach our chanichim*ot about the large problems facing the world and give them the information and resources to make a positive change in their lives to achieve Tikkun Olam.
We empower the youth to attend rallies, protests and demonstrations as well as other creative forms of communal change. In conjunction with being a Socialist-Zionist, Secular-Humanist Youth Movement, we are also a social activist movement.
We focus our energy on the global community as well on the Jewish communities around the world. We will always educate our chanichim*ot about the injustices in the world, whether they are economic, social, cultural or political. We impart timeless morals onto the chanichim*ot, morals based on our Jewish and humanistic outlook on life – morals that stem from our common humanity, empathy, compassion, and respect.
The World Movement
Hashomer Hatzair exists is in 26 countries around the world. This includes: America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela), Europe (Spain, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, Georgia), and Asia (Israel, Kazakstan, Uzbekistan, Australia)
Our History
Ken Melbourne was founded in 1953 as a breakaway movement from Habonim Dror. Since that day we have joined to the global Hashomer Hatzair World Movement - the oldest Zionist Youth Movement in the world. Ken Melbourne was to become the first Shomeric Ken of 4 located in Australia. Due to aliyah and community migrations Ken Melbourne is the last remaining Ken of the Australian Shomeric Movement.
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In 1913, Hashomer Hatzair came into being as a result of the merger of two groups, Hashomer ("The Guard") a Zionist scouting group, and Ze'irei Zion ("The Youth of Zion") which was an ideological circle that studied Zionism, socialism and Jewish history. Hashomer Hatzair is the oldest Zionist youth movement still in existence
Chultza Shomrit
The Shomeric shirt is a proud reminder of Hashy’s past. Historically, it is the worker’s shirt, designed to be worn on the kibbutz.
Made from blue material and adorned with a white shoelace across the collar, it also embodies our Zionist goals. It's ten holes (six for the shoelace, two for the breast pocket buttons and two for the sleeve buttons) are a constant reminder of the ten Shomeric dibrot.
Hashy tradition mandates that it is worn with the left shoelace dangling lower than the right. After all, Hashy leans to the left!
