Page 9 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - June 13

I maintain a diplomatic silence. Bill's eyes are by But then a year later mother fortune came my
now all ablaze, and his breathing appears
somewhat agitated.
"And tell me is it true that you all believe in
sharing everything – but absolutely everything,
if you know what I mean? Every night with a
different girl in your bed?"
By now it seems essential to calm him down, so
I explain that young Jewish boys and girls
usually only share a bed on their wedding night.
I can see that he is far from being convinced –
like myself.
That night back at the Eder Farm sudden
excitement – the central Shaliach is to visit us –
looking for a new Mazkir for Habonim. The
present one is keen to finish and join his garin in
Kfar Hanassi. He wants to interview me! WOW!
Sounds quite an attractive challenge, although it
would mean leaving my lovely Hereford herd
and my attempts to enlighten Bill in the ways of
modern philosophy.
But the interview is a disaster.
"Colin, tell me when did you first become a
Zionist,” not a good start for I was never ever a
real Zionist. To my mind assimilation was
possible as an acceptable solution to the Jewish
problem and the world would then be somewhat
a much calmer place.
Then it gets even worse.
"When and why did you become a socialist?"
I have never been a socialist. In my opinion
government control of the economy leads to
inefficiency, waste and stagnation. However I
did believe in communalism, for in a small
community, equality and true sharing should be
possible.
A week later we learn that no new Mazkir had
been chosen and the existing one had been
persuaded to carry on for an extra year.
9
way. A senior Habonim member had suddenly
volunteered to become the next Mazkir. He was
a fervent Zionist, a true socialist, intelligent and
very charismatic – but had stated categorically
that when he made aliya, it was to be as an
engineer in a development town. "That is now
the need of the day and not by picking
grapefruits in a prosperous kibbutz."
A tidal wave of hysteria floods the Habonim
central office in Wellington Street, (next to
Covent Garden), so out of the blue I find myself
as the new Mazkir of Habonim!
My first assignment was by far the best and
happiest of my life - I got married!
And then to add to my good fortune, a new
central shaliach arrived. He fell in love with
Habonim England at first sight and we returned
his love. But what was even more important we
shared the same belief that the core purpose of
Habonim was to help its members to develop
their full inner potential, and if this led to aliya,
and to kibbutz, so much the better. And if not –
not.
So we decide to try and expand the activities and
introduce some sporting activities, by building
an extension to the moadon at 523 Finchley
Road.
Thus I find myself in the offices of the youth
department of the London County Council. I am
seated opposite a genial official applying for a
building grant. He asked to see "which activities
take place in your club." I present him with our
educational program for the year, 1961. He starts
to briefly scan it looking somewhat bored.
Gradually his attention becomes more and more
focused on our program.
"Mr Primost, do you honestly mean to tell me
that your senior members come along at least
once a week to discuss such subjects as, current
politics, Jewish history, nuclear disarmament,
apartheid, socialism, collectives in Israel? Not