Our History

Our beginnings...

During the years following the First World War, two ideological currents ran throughout European youth: fascist nationalism and revolutionary Marxism.

Fascism promised people honour and conquest, at the price of xenophobia (hatred of the stranger). Among the strangers, Jews were high on the list, igniting the fire of anti-Semitism.

Revolutionary Marxism sought a world without frontiers. The Jews, the majority of whom were to be found in the middle classes, felt threatened as Marxism sought to end both religion and class.

A small group of enlightened youths criticised the extremist positions and slogans and concluded that they would not endure reality. At the same time, they sensed the danger caused by the separation and division of people into two opposing camps, fighting each other. They then considered an obligation to create a youth movement.

The year was 1927 when the idea crystallized with the establishment of Hanoar Hatzioni. Already at its beginnings, we appeared on the scene as an educational movement extracting its principles at the foundations of Judaism, Zionism and pioneering.

Hanoar Hatzioni in the UK...

In 1956, Hanoar Hatzioni was established in Britain. During this time, there was little on offer to Jewish youth. Hanoar Hatzioni offered an alternative to the highly political or religiously affiliated Zionist youth movements, and the non-political youth clubs.

During the 1960s, Hanoar Hatzioni in Britain focused its activities in those parts which had very little to offer Jewish youth. Hanoar Hatzioni successfully ran weekly meetings all around the country, residential events such as camps that are continued to this day and trips to Israel.