Hashomer
Hashomer - (Hebrew) ("The Guard") - Jewish defense organization in Palestine organized 1909, ceased to operate after founding of the Haganah in 1920. The purpose of Hashomer was to provide guard services for Jewish settlements, freeing Jewish communities from dependence upon foreign consulates and Arab watchmen for their security. Hashomer was originated by socialist Zionists, mostly members of Poalei Tziyon, including Israel Shochat,
Manya Shochat,
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi and Rachel Yanaait, who had earlier formed a small secret guard society called Bar Giora, which guarded only the Sejera commune (now Illania) and Mesha (now Kfar Tavor). Bar Giora had been founded by Alexander Zeid and
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi among others. Hashomer was successful in providing defense for settlements throughout the country. It aroused the ire of Arab watchmen who lost their jobs and of pilferers, and antagonized the Arab population by retaliatory raids. During World War I many of its members were exiled by the Turkish government because they were enemy (Russian) nationals. When the Turks caught Yosef Lishanski of the
Nili group he told all he knew, implicating 12 members of Hashomer. The group nonetheless survived. In 1920 it was decided to organize the
Haganah, a much broader-based group, to cope with new defense challenges and needs of the growing community.
Source:
Zionism and Israel Information Center by permission.
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"Hashomer" article in Encyclopedic Dictionary of Zionism and Israel
