Habonim Dror (, "the builders–freedom") is a Jewish Labor Zionist youth movement. It was formed in 1982 through the merger of two earlier movements: Habonim and Dror.
Dror (, "freedom") originated in Poland in 1915 as an offshoot of the Tze'irei Zion (Youth Of Zion) youth movement. After the majority of Tze'irei Zion merged with Hashomer in 1913 to form Hashomer Hatzair, members who did not join the new organization founded Dror. The movement was influenced by the Russian Narodniks' philosophy.
Habonim (, "the builders") was established in 1929 in the United Kingdom and later expanded to other English-speaking countries. While each national branch developed independently, they maintained a shared ideology centered on Jewish and Labor Zionist cultural values.
During World War II, members of Dror were active in resistance efforts, including participation in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Dror members, including Mordechai Tenenbaum, organized underground factions in the Białystok Ghetto.
Dror was affiliated with HaKibbutz HaMeuhad, while Habonim was aligned with the Ichud kibbutzim. Following the 1980 merger of these kibbutz movements into the United Kibbutz Movement, their youth movements also united, resulting in the formation of Habonim Dror.
Ideology
Habonim Dror is a Labor Zionist cultural youth movement that seeks to connect young Jews through Jewish cultural activities. One of its central concepts is tikkun olam ("mending the world").
The movement’s ideology encompasses several interrelated categories: Judaism, chalutziut (pioneering, particularly through aliyah to Israel and settlement on kibbutzim), collective action and mutual support based on Labor Zionist principles, and self-realization.
Habonim Dror promotes its ideals through various activities such as scouting, camping, hiking, and educational programs focused on the geography and history of the Land of Israel. Emphasis is also placed on Jewish history, as well as cultural traditions such as songs and dances from the yishuv period. Socialist values are reflected in the movement’s focus on kibbutz life and initiatives related to irbutz (urban communal living).
The Six Pillars The North American branch of Habonim Dror is structured around six core principles, referred to as "pillars": Judaism, Labor Zionism, socialism, social justice, Collective Liberation of the Peoples of Israel-Palestine (CLPIP), and Hagshama (commonly translated as "actualization"), which emphasizes the realization of the movement’s values through action. Judaism is listed first among the pillars, reflecting the movement’s identity as a Jewish organization focused on the development of the State of Israel through collective and collaborative efforts. CLPIP is a new pillar added during Veida 2024.
Judaism
While not an overtly religious organization, Habonim Dror emphasizes the significance of cultural Judaism. The movement generally observes Shabbat and marks the end of the week with the Havdalah ceremony.
When Habonim was established in London, its initial focus was based on two foundational principles: Judaism and scouting. Over time, its ideology expanded to include Labor Zionism, which became connected through the movement’s engagement with kibbutz life and collective living. A history of the movement’s early years was documented in the 1999 publication Habonim in Britain 1928–1955.
Zionism Habonim Dror is a Labor Zionist youth movement. Its educational programs often focus on Jewish and Zionist history and the role of collaborative work in fostering community and supporting tikkun olam ("repairing the world") to create a vibrant and sustainable society. The movement encourages members to consider immigrating to Israel.
Habonim Dror generally opposes Israeli settlement in the West Bank and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, while supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state and efforts toward peace and normalization. The movement advocates for coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, emphasizing collaboration and mutual trust to foster a peaceful future for all inhabitants of Israel, Palestine, and the surrounding region.
Socialism Habonim Dror has historically emphasized the belief that socialist ideals can benefit both Jews and Arabs. Principles of equality and sharing are central to the movement. Members are generally treated equally, with a distinction maintained between chanichim (participants) and madrichim (leaders). Facilities are typically shared, reflecting the movement’s commitment to collaborative living.
This emphasis on unity and equality is also reflected in the mifkad (מפקד), a daily roll call held each morning except on Shabbat. During the mifkad, the day's schedule is announced and two songs are traditionally sung: Od Lo Gamarnu (עוד לא גמרנו) Hatikvah (התקווה)
During the singing of these songs, the Habonim Dror flag and the flag of Israel are raised.
Origins in the United Kingdom According to the official history of Habonim Great Britain, "a certain mystique surrounded the question of who founded the Habonim Movement, but there is little doubt that the major personality behind the idea was Wellesley Aron".Habonim, Great Britain. 1929–1955, Yad Tabenkin, 1999 Aron acknowledged that he could not have succeeded without the assistance of Chaim Lipshitz, who organized the first model gedud (group), and Norman Lourie, whose enthusiasm helped attract additional volunteer leaders. Encouraged by these collaborators, Aron drafted the outline for the first handbook, and by April 1929, the organization was formally named Habonim. In May 1929, the first group, Gedud Trumpeldor, was launched under the leadership of Lipshitz. This date is generally recognized as the official founding date of Habonim.
Aron stated that he modeled Habonim on the principles of Scouting.Silman-Cheong, Helen, Wellesley Aron, Rebel with a Cause, Valentine Mitchell, 1992, p.50 The movement subsequently expanded to other English-speaking countries and British colonies where Jewish communities were present. In 1930, Norman Lourie founded Habonim Southern Africa in the Union of South Africa, with the first camp held in Parys in 1931. Initially, Habonim was conceived as a Jewish cultural movement for children aged 12 to 18, and was intended to be non-Zionist and non-political in orientation.
Early history
Chaim Lipshitz was a natural choice to lead the first Habonim group, having already organized gatherings of boys at his father's cheder, which were well established by December 1928. This cheder was considered relatively progressive compared to many others of the time, which often focused exclusively on traditional Hebrew language instruction and the study of Torah and halakha.
In the newly formed group, Lipshitz taught Modern Hebrew, along with songs and dances of Jewish settlers in Palestine, Jewish history, and various games. He was assisted by Norman Lourie, a visitor from South Africa who had previously traveled to Palestine. The primary aim of these meetings was to engage and educate the children of Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia—most of whom had arrived before 1905, when immigration to the United Kingdom became more restricted—about their Jewish heritage and the developments in the Jewish settlement in Palestine. Many of these children lived in challenging conditions in the East End of London, particularly in areas such as Stepney and Whitechapel, where limited educational opportunities were available.:taken from various sources in the archives of Habonim at Yad Tabenkin, Ramat Efer, near Ramat Gan/Tel Aviv, Israel.
Official founding
The first meeting of leaders from the Jewish youth community, as reported by Wellesley Aron, took place on 11 January 1929, according to a letter he wrote to Dr. S. Brodetsky of the Zionist Foundation. Aron noted that five individuals attended the initial gathering. Norman Lourie subsequently organized a larger meeting on 17 January 1929, which was attended by representatives from at least seven Jewish youth organizations. This meeting was held in London at 77 Great Russell Street, EC1. At the time, England was a center of political Zionism, particularly following the Balfour Declaration.
The newly established youth movement, named Habonim, was initially non-Zionist in its ideological orientation. The first gedud, Gedud Trumpeldor, was formed based on Lipshitz's existing youth group in Stepney, with Chaim Lipshitz serving as leader and Norman Lourie assisting.
In May 1929, a 27-page handbook outlining the functioning of Habonim was published, written by Aron with assistance from Lourie and his friend Nadia, whom Lourie later married. In 1930, Norman and Nadia Lourie returned to southern Africa, where they established Habonim branches in various towns across the continent as well as in India.
Habonim UK (1929–1955)
The movement expanded rapidly during its early years. By 1932, there were 21 groups operating in London alone. By the time of the ten-year "Jamboree Camp" in 1939, Habonim had at least 2,500 members. Initially, the various gedudim (groups) were organized as sex-segregated units, similar to the structure of the Scouting movement, but they soon became coeducational.
Associated with, but separate from, the movement were training farms known as hakhshara farms, where older members prepared for agricultural work and communal life on a kibbutz in anticipation of their future immigration to Palestine.
During the World War II, senior members of Habonim participated in organizing and caring for refugee children who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe through the Kindertransport program. These arrangements, often involving permanent separation from their parents, were facilitated by Jewish organizations still operating in Europe. Other members whose immigration to Palestine was postponed by the war contributed to the war effort by working as agricultural laborers to help address food shortages.
Graduates of British Habonim played a significant role in the founding of several kibbutzim in Palestine and the State of Israel, including Kfar Blum, Kfar Hanasi, Gesher Haziv, Beit HaEmek, Mevo Hama, Tuval and Amiad. Among these, Kfar Hanassi is noted as having the strongest British influence.
Graduates
Graduates of the two movements include:
Howie B David Baddiel Ron Bloom Sacha Baron Cohen Jason Feddy Leonard Fein Stanley Fischer Jonathan Freedland Ira Glass J.J. Goldberg Chaim Herzog Tony Judt Mike Leigh Jack Markell Golda Meir Aaron Naparstek Michael Oren Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson (producers of Whose Line Is It Anyway?) Robert Popper David Rakoff Mark Regev Mordechai Richler Seth Rogen J. David Simons Toba Spitzer David Twersky Jaques Wagner Arnold Wesker
Today Today, Habonim Dror operates in seventeen countries worldwide. Its sister movement in Israel is HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed.
Habonim Dror has adopted gender-inclusive practices in its programming. In addition to providing unisex bathrooms, the movement’s summer camps have adapted portions of the traditionally gendered Hebrew language to be more inclusive of transgender and non-binary participants. New terms have been introduced, including chanichol as a gender-neutral singular form for "camper" and chanichimot as a gender-neutral plural form, replacing the previously used gendered terms chanich, chanicha, and chanichim. Similarly, the terms for counselors have been updated: madrichol (singular gender-neutral) and madrichimot (plural gender-neutral) are now used instead of madrich, madricha, madrichim, or madrichot.
Countries in which Habonim Dror operates Habonim Dror operates in seventeen countries, including Aotearoa New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay.
New Zealand Aotearoa (HDAO)