Jenny Sherman, Mazkira Klalit (Executive Director), Habonim Dror North America
March 12, 2026
“Is Habonim abandoning its founding principles?”
I had just touched down in Philadelphia following a meaningful weekend in sunny Los Angeles for a Habonim Dror Camping Association conference with our camp professionals, lay leaders, and youth leadership when I received this text.
After reading the recent JTA article, written as part of the JTA Teen Fellowship program, I immediately understood the question. The tensions that surface in the article are legitimate.
I feel these tensions every day. The conversation around Israel, and the “right” way to be in relationship to it has often been a challenge for the Jewish community but this difficulty has exploded in severity over the last two and a half years. The “with us or against us” mentality has entrenched itself deeply into the Jewish community, developing into antagonism, “cancel culture,” and risk of eviction. This has left members of the Jewish community, many of whom hold both a strong connection to Israel and liberal politics, at a loss. It’s nearly impossible to have nuanced conversations around Israel, and for young Jews, for many of whom Israel’s actions are neither 100% right nor 100% wrong, it is nearly impossible to find a place that allows them to bring their questions and dilemmas.
Within this ever-growing sea of divisiveness, Habonim Dror North America (HDNA) remains a home for Jewish youth to engage in good-faith conversations that make room for the nuance missing from much of today’s public discourse. For some, Zionism may be incompatible with progressive politics. But HDNA has always proven otherwise.
What is Habonim Dror and what is Progressive Labor Zionism?
Habonim Dror North America is a Jewish youth movement that proudly runs six summer camps across the United States and Canada. With a history spanning 90 years, our engagement with Israel has always been central and at the forefront of the North American Jewish community. We run North America’s longest-running Israel gap-year program, called Workshop, which has been attended by hundreds of HDNA members over the years. For decades, we have sent a cohort of sixteen-year-olds to Israel each summer, and this year is no exception. We also work closely with the Jewish Agency to bring Israeli shlichim (emissaries) to our camps every summer. In all of our structures and programming, we are guided by our founding value of Progressive Labor Zionism, according to the following principles:
1. A Jewish homeland in Israel was founded out of necessity from a history of Jewish suffering and oppression. Zionism developed a path towards Jewish liberation via sovereignty and full cultural and religious expression, and Labor Zionism in particular, despite its flaws and failures, created a ground-up approach to building a radically just Jewish society in Israel.
HDNA sees the founding of Israel as a radical answer for the Jewish People after a long history of persecution. This answer did not just appear out of thin air. Young, idealistic Jews, motivated by both the plight and the aspirations of the Jewish people for a better future, dreamed up a vision of what could be and adopted a sense of determination to create it. The idea they dreamed up involved personal and collective autonomy, mutual responsibility, and, importantly, a vision for a society based on equality and justice. These young Jews became the Chalutzim (pioneers) who gradually built this society from the ground up. At Habonim Dror camps across North America, this inspiring and empowering history is at the core of how we teach our youth about Progressive Labor Zionism.
We live this chalutzic (pioneering) principle in the every-day rhythm of camp life. Each of our six machanot (summer camps) is modeled on the Israeli kibbutz, and everything we do is rooted in kibbutz values and practice. Through daily morning avodah (chores), our youth take responsibility over the physical machaneh (summer camp). Weekly asefa klalit (camp-wide forums) give our campers space to offer feedback on camp structures, echoing the weekly meetings of the original kibbutzniks. We incorporate Hebrew language into our daily routine at machaneh, deepening our connection to our Jewish identities. Our week culminates in shared Shabbat rituals that include singing, Israeli dancing, and a rotating oneg performance by a different age group, reflecting the proud, joyful, Jewish cultural expression at the heart of kibbutz tradition.
In Habonim Dror, camp serves as the first introduction to the Progressive Labor Zionist model that helped lay the foundation of the State of Israel. It shapes our Jewish identities in a deeply meaningful way, infusing a sense of responsibility, empowerment, and collective creation both within ourselves and in our relationships with our peers. For me, this experience was formative; it profoundly influenced who I am today, and I know many of my closest camp friends would say the same.
2. The Socialist value of האדם ערך שוויון [shivyon erech ha’adam] (the equality of human value), which calls us to to build a radically just and equal society in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual identity and economic class.
Shivyon Erech Ha’adam is one of the most central and powerful principles in our understanding of Progressive Labor Zionism and it informs much of what we do at camp. We practice Shivyon Erech Ha’Adam most clearly through the structure of kvutzah, an age-group framework designed to foster unconditional belonging, mutual respect, and collective responsibility. This sense of kvutzah, which centers the thriving and inclusion of each individual, emerges directly from Progressive Labor Zionism and its socialist vision for the State of Israel.
At its core, Shivyon Erech Ha’adam affirms that all people are deserving of inclusion and safety and dignity. This value compels us, as Jews, to seek the inclusion and safety of all peoples. From this perspective, the thriving, security, and dignity of the Palestinian people are nonnegotiable.
3. לאומיות [Leumiut], the full expression of peoplehood that does not come at the expense of other peoples (not to be confused with לאומנות [Leumanut], the privileging of a nation-state over individual rights and over other nations). This also relates to the value of משותף קיום [Kiyyum meshutaf], or the idea of the deeply shared existences of peoples, which demands the joint liberation of both Israelis and Palestinians.
We view Israel’s founding with pride; and, as an educational movement who is committed to teaching an honest history of the Jewish people, we also recognize that the events surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel had profound consequences for the Palestinian people, including displacement and the creation of a worldwide Palestinian refugee population that continues to identify strongly with this land. At the heart of our understanding of Progressive Labor Zionism is the question of how to pursue Jewish liberation without compromising the rights of other peoples. We hold this tension with care; pride in our sovereignty and a deep commitment to equal human dignity are not competing values, but deeply connected ones. At HDNA, we do not shy away from this complexity; we believe engaging with it honestly is essential.
Many people ask, in what world can both Israelis and Palestinians have equal rights, dignity, and sovereignty to govern themselves today? This question reflects a false binary that assumes one people can only thrive at the expense of another.
But Progressive Labor Zionism defies this binary, and this has been central in Habonim Dror’s education for decades. It affirms that there is a world in which both people can, and must, exercise the right to self-determination. Shared liberation within a Progressive Labor Zionist framework calls for the following:
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An immediate end to the Occupation
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A commitment to a Two-State Solution, creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel
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Recognition of the interconnectedness and interdependence of the Israeli and Palestinian struggles for safety, peace, meaningful self-determination, and justice d. Freedom for all peoples, Israeli and Palestinian, from capitalism, violence, and authoritarianism
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A true commitment to learning Hebrew with the goal of continuing its revival as the Jewish language, as well as deep engagement with Arabic language and culture
4. Israel is an ongoing project for Jewish liberation that is in a state of constant revolution toward justice, pioneered by youth, built on the legacy of our movement members. Labor Zionism is our movement’s historical and ideological foundation that we continue to learn from, critically interrogate, and actively shape.
In Habonim Dror, we see ourselves as a revolutionary movement. This spirit teaches us to seek something based on a vision of “what CAN be?” and we are committed to grappling with that question fully and wholeheartedly.
Historically, the chalutzim chose to bear the responsibility of laying the foundations for a revolutionary, unprecedented society, one in which the Jewish people could thrive in every area of life. This meant constructing a democratic system of governance, committing to equality and justice, establishing a strong and accessible public education system, and creating economic structures that enabled collective and individual freedom. The young chalutzim took on this responsibility themselves, working to realize the society they imagined.
Today, Israeli society is developed in many respects, yet it is far from the progressive revolution we continue to envision. Central to that vision is the pursuit of genuine dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians through individual statehood. As Jews who believe deeply in the value of human life, we are devastated by the loss of life, both Palestinian and Israeli, over the last two years. But even amid this devastation and harm, we have not abandoned and will not abandon our commitment to equality that would create the conditions necessary for both peoples to thrive alongside one another. As in the past, we continue to see the role of our youth as essential in carrying this revolutionary vision forward.
HDNA’s Practice of Examining Zionism
HDNA has long been shaping and refining Progressive Labor Zionism, reimagining how it is put into practice across our camps, kenim (year-round programs), and Israel programs, while continually examining both its strengths and limitations. This deliberation is not new to us; it has been central to the movement since its founding.
Kenneth Bob, one of HDNA’s closest partners and alumni, grew up in the movement, served as Mazkir (national director) of Habonim in the 1970s, and has remained active in progressive Zionist and broader Jewish community organizations through the years. He reflects that “through the decades since the 1967 Six Day War and the resulting occupation of Palestinian territories, movement members have debated how to square their Zionist commitment with the injustice visited upon another people. The movement kenim and camps have always served as a space to address this complicated territory. Especially at a time when Zionism is directly associated with the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, it is no wonder that some progressive young Jews struggle with the concept as it is expressed on the ground today. As in the past, the youth movement leadership is navigating this path with care and commitment, and I am confident that they will continue in the Labor Zionist tradition.”
Today’s Urgent Need for Jewish Dialogical Space
HDNA provides youth with a space for deeper conversations about Progressive Labor Zionism, the ways Shivyon Erech Ha’adam is expressed for Israelis and Palestinians, and the complex dilemmas around security in an increasingly polarized society and Jewish community.
Unlike many other groups, HDNA keeps Jewish youth meaningfully engaged with Israel education without forcing them to choose between having a connection to Israel or holding progressive values. In a youth culture where moral purity is often overpowering, many young people feel pressured to prioritize their progressive values over a connection to Israel, which
risks them feeling unwelcome or ostracised by their Jewish communities. We reject this dichotomy and actively work to dismantle it.
In this, we are truly unique. We cast a wide net because we believe it is essential, not optional, to explore the meaning and implementation of these ideas. In doing so, we address the fractures that emerge within the Jewish community at large, an effort which is both rare and necessary. We proudly declare that we are a home for Jewish youth with diverse political perspectives, inviting each other to sit in discomfort and engage deeply with it. Our community is not a monolith, and neither is any Jewish community. We attract youth from a variety of backgrounds and invest in creating space for meaningful dialogue and questions.
Given the current divisive climate on university campuses, it is more important than ever that HDNA provides that space for students who are uncertain how to define their own identity. We offer young people a vision that aligns with their values and a framework that uniquely integrates their moral compass with their relationship to Israel, something they may struggle to find elsewhere. We give them the space to explore and ask difficult questions, which is an opportunity that is often not available in other spaces. As the Jewish community fragments around us, we strive to recognize and confront this polarization by offering a nuanced model of engagement rather than enforcing binaries.
Conclusion
At HDNA’s Camp Moshava, where I grew up, there is a special ritual of singing peace songs on Friday nights before Shabbat dinner. One of my favorites is called Olam Chesed Yibaneh, which we translate as “We will build this world from love.” The song reflects a simple but powerful sentiment: we cannot change anything from a place of hate, apathy, or separation; only from a place of love and care. This framework has completely shaped my relationship to Israel, and to many things in my life. Habonim Dror North America offers something unique in its model of Progressive Labor Zionism; it tells our youth that neither walking away nor turning a blind eye is the way forward. It teaches us that we have the agency and the responsibility to shape Israel into our vision: a vision that reflects liberal values of peace, security, equality, and justice.
Public discourse around Israel has certainly changed over the years, but HDNA has remained true to who we are: revolutionary builders who are still working to achieve the vision of a just and thriving Israel. As we navigate an unprecedented moment in the world and within the Jewish community, HDNA will remain steadfast in its educational mission: we will provide a space where young Jews feel deeply connected to their Jewish identities and can explore their connection to Israel; we will lead with principles of justice, equality, coexistence, and mutual sovereignty, tenets that we hold central to our Progressive Labor Zionist vision; and will empower our youth to reject binaries and affect change in the world. In doing so, we will provide transformative experiences for youth to become more empathetic, more convicted, and more responsible. Our camps and programs provide some of the most powerful and transformative opportunities to engage with these ideas, and my life—and the lives of so many others—would be dramatically different without them.