Ha­Shomer

The Ha­Shomer (Guild of Watchman) was established in 1909 as a self­defense organization by members of the second wave of immigration to Eretz­Israel. The founders had experienced pogroms in Russia and were determined that in Eretz­Israel Jews would be more effective in defending themselves. The group was organized in the settlement of Sejera in the Lower Galilee and offered its services to other Jewish villages in return for an annual fee. The central characters were Izhak Ben­Zvi, Israel Giladi, Alexander Zeid and Israel Shohat. When the Jewish National Fund bought lands in the Jezreel Valley, it was decided to employ members of Ha­Shomer to protect the territory from possible encroachment by neighboring Arabs.

Members of the Ha­Shomer saw themselves as the nucleus of a future Jewish army, however, at no time did the organization expand beyond one hundred members. In time the economic base of the organization was considered too weak, and it was decided that their members should be settled on the land. The first such settlement was Tel Adashim, established in 1913, which was followed by Kfar Giladi in 1916, and, two years later, by Tel Hai. The organization was formally disbanded after the establishment of the Haganah in 1920.