Seven decades in the blue

A BOOK celebrating the history of Habonim Dror in Australia will be written to capture 70 years of memories from the Zionist youth movement. The initiative was announced at recent celebrations held to mark the movement’s seven decades.

Judy Becher, a former Habo leader, explained that the idea for the book was born at the celebrations when the microphone was passed around for people to share their stories.

“It was so clear that there were generations of Habo stories and memorabilia that are languishing around in the community,” she said. “A decision was made … to write a book celebrating the history of Habonim in Australia, and capturing these wonderful memories that were bursting out of the audience.”

Hundreds of people involved with the movement over its 70 years packed Caulfield Town Hall recently, among them Israeli Ambassador Yuval Rotem, local Members of Parliament and Jewish leaders.

Master of ceremonies John Lawrence called on the audience to raise their hands if they had married someone from within the movement, with Becher saying that about half the people in the room responded.

Co-founder Shmuel Rosenkranz mentioned this achievement when he spoke about the movement, which he established together with Isaac Roseby and Gedalia Perl.

“He said he had always thought that it was important to have a place where kids could go to connect with their Jewish ideals and with Israel, and that was the the aim of the founders. But at that evening, when he heard stories of the marriages and multiple generations in families brought into existence by Habo, and was congratulated on the community he, in effect, established, he remarked that the development of a community was something he had never thought of before,” Becher said, adding that he was “overwhelmingly touched” by the notion.

The 91-year-old community stalwart recounted stories about the movement and its origins. Many in the audience were also from this first Habo generation, enjoying the night with their grandchildren.

AJN STAFF