Page 2 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - September 14
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From the Editor
1929 was a momentous year. The stock market Aliyah seemed to me to be the best alternative to
crash saw financial empires crumble, tycoons hanging around at Brent Cross waiting for a
humbled and unscrupulous speculators scavenging double-decker bus. Next stop, the Jewish Agency
their way to disproportionate wealth. Fierce and offices in London and before very long, tearful
ugly disturbances in mandatory Palestine led to farewells to my parents at Victoria station and the
loss of life for both Jewish settlers and local Arab start of the first leg of my Aliyah and
population alike. But there was light at the end of confrontation with the realization of “what
the tunnel. In wet and windy UK, Wellesley seemed like a good idea at the time.” Thank you
Aaron founded Habonim, a Jewish quasi-scouting London Transport!
movement, which later became the largest Zionist Today, umpteen years later, je ne regrette rien! It
Youth movement world-wide.
hasn’t always been plain sailing notwithstanding
Today we celebrate and reflect on the Movement the best intentions of the well-meaning movement
th
that has impacted all our lives. To mark the 85 workers and shlichim from the Moledeth.
anniversary of the founding of our Movement, A big thank you to all the contributors who met
Linda, Gerry and I (KBH editorial committee) our challenge and have shared their reminiscences
decided to solicit articles from a cross-section of with us. Forthcoming issues of KBH will return
bogrei Habonim on the theme – to the regular mixed format. The committee and I
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
are eagerly looking forward to the deluge of
For me, it was not just a good idea at the time, but articles, poems and pics... don’t let us down.
the only idea at the time. I grew up in an actively Finally, at yet another critical stage in the relations
pro-Zionist environment with strong family links with our neighbours, let us hope and pray that
to Palestine, later Israel. My Habonim initiation astute leadership and common sense will
was with Gedud Hanegev at Kinloss Gardens shul ultimately prevail.
on Sunday afternoons. This was the start of my
Chalutzic apprenticeship from Boneh to Tsofeh The Editorial Committee and all members of IBH
and Hachsharat Noar at the Eder farm. send their warmest congratulations to Lady Ruth
Back home after Noar I finally gave in to my Morris on her being awarded the CBE.
father’s entreaties to learn a trade and entered a Shana Tovah
five-year engineering apprenticeship with the
Switchgear Division of AEI Ltd (RIP).
After the five year hiatus and in spite of the Harold Hirsch
Movement education, the final push presented
itself while waiting for the bus to take me to my
workplace in Willesden, London.
The failure of the bus to turn up on time was the
trigger for which I had been waiting.
Editorial Committee
Harold Hirsch Linda S. Levine Gerry Kelman
POB 7255 8/1Alexander Penn 12 Nurit St.
Or Akiva 3060000 Tel Aviv 6964110 Gedera 7048712
Tel: 04-6260433 03-6441318 08-8597202
harold.hirsch@gmail.com lslevine@bezeqint.net gerrykel@gmail.com
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