Page 13 - Issue 11
P. 13
Chalutzic Aliyah and the Movement
Returning South African Shnattie Jon Jacobson discusses the movement's Zionism
Jan 21, 2009
I am under the impression that Habonim ideology, they are inextricably bound to each
Dror members are undergoing extreme other. I claim that the first and foremost of
disillusionment with regards to the these is the Judaism pillar; it is an essential
ideological platforms that we currently thing to define yourself as Jewish, before
possess; this is not to say that we have becoming a member of Habonim Dror, whilst
members who are ‘un-ideological’ and who do being a Zionist and a supporter of Social
not identify with some of the foundations of Action is not essential (these 3 things are all
Habonim Dror. I also think that many of the choices). The Zionism pillar definately arises
members are not simply apathetic or from the notion of a meaningful Jewish
disinterested towards these issues. If this identity, although it is not necessarily the
were the case, you case with the Social
would not be on the Action Pillar. It can be
campsite, right now, said that Jewish Values
surrounded by fellow are a possible source
Bogrim. for our morality, as
there is no other
You may notice that particular moral theory
many of my arguments to which we specifically
are supported by the ascribe. I am to be
Constitution itself; not writing on the Zionism
only do I have trust in pillar, but I think it is
the validity of the impossible to write an
cores of our inherited article on Zionism, for
and internalised Jon Jacobson (on left) on shnat last year Habonim members,
ideals, I would hope without references to
that if we were to completely scrap our the rest of our ideology.
current Constitution, and re-write a
completely new one, we would come up with Here is my understanding of Zionism:
something similar to what we have now. This “Zionism is the want for Israel to continue
would be because we are Jews living in a existing, where it does, as a Jewish State. It
country that is not primarily Jewish, without is not only a want for the Country to exist,
full political, religious and cultural autonomy but also a want for one to be an active
in South Africa while we are people with a member of the State, firstly by attaining
moral conscience. If this were not the case, citizenship (Aliyah).” It is impossible to find
and our visions were all arbitrary and/or a definition of Zionism that acknowledges all
archaic, Habonim would be a fun summer- the specific forms that exist in the world,
camp with the presence of a random ideology let alone Habonim; this does not stop me
as an excuse for its’ very existence. I hope from defining it in a way that often makes
to not just explain a segment of our ideology, people uncomfortable. This is why I am
but give good reasons for why it should be claiming that this definition is mine and it is
there. in no way universal; it is one which makes the
most sense to me. I think that it is a waste
The way I understand it, the 3 Pillars of the of time to seriously engage with Israel
movement are potentially inter-related. They issues, whilst in the movement, without a
are able to build on each other in all sorts of deep interest in relocating there. It implies
ways; in the context of our complete that only Jews can be Zionists, also that
