Bar-Giora

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Bar-Giora (Hebrew: בר גיורא) was a clandestine Jewish organization of the Second Aliya, the precursor of Hashomer.

[edit] History

On September 28, 1907, a group of activists from Poalei Zion gathered in Yitzhak Ben-Zvi's tiny Jaffa apartment. There was no furniture, the men sat on the floor in a circle and used a crate for a desk. Inspired by Israel Shochat's ideas, they agreed that the only way to fulfill the dream of becoming a Jewish nation was to rise up and assert themselves through cultivating and defending their land themselves. The state of things in the early years of the 20th Century in Palestine, was such that Jewish farmers employed Arabs to work their farms and protect them, and in turn were subject to landlords, such as Edmond de Rothschild's agents. There was much discontent and disillusionment.

The group decided to form an organization to acoomplish their goals. They named it Bar-Giora after one of the leaders of the Jewish Revolt against the Romans. As a motto, they chose a line from Yaakov Cohen's poem, "Habiryonim": "In fire and blood did Judea fall; in blood and fire Judea shall rise." This was one of the mottos of the Jewish defenders during the pogroms in the Russian Empire. Israel Shochat was elected leader. The members swore an oath of secrecy, discipline, selfless service, devotion to the cause and loyalty. All decisions had to be ratified by a unanimous vote. Ben-Zvi's role was to further the cause and raise support for it. Each member was to have had at least a year's experience in farming. Taking charge of guarding the land was put off until the members of the organization had gained enough experience and knowledge of the land. They decided to operate in the Galilee and most of them were part of the collective in Sejera. They then guarded the farms in Sejera and Masahe. Bar-Giora was absorbed into Hashomer.

The founding members were Israel Shochat, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, Mendel Portugali, Israel Giladi, Alexander Zaid, Yehezkel Hankin, Yehezkel Nissanov and Moshe Givoni.