Hakhshara

Under Hachshara (Hebrew הכשרה " Preparation, Tauglichmachung " ) the systematic preparation of Jews to aliyah was called, that is, for the colonization of Palestine, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. Was ideological foundation for this program, Zionism, supported and propagated it was of the Jewish youth movement.

Most found Hachshara courses take place on agricultural goods. A group of emigrants ( קבוצה, Kəvutza ) where she learned together what appeared to be necessary for the establishment of a commonwealth in Palestine. The often originating from civil environments young people acquired mainly horticultural, agricultural and domestic economic and trade skills and learned Ivrit, modern Hebrew. In the further development of increasingly Hachshara was also the creation of a Jewish identity as an important task. This also included to celebrate the Jewish festivals, get to know Jewish history and literature. Living and working in the collective should thereby creating the cultural foundations for the new life in Palestine. Later in Israel, the Hachshara communities continued in the kibbutzim. Rare learned individual emigrants at a farmer or craftsman.

The Hachshara was formed at the end of the 19th century from the " Chaluzbewegung " (from חלוץ, Chaluz, German pioneer ) out, especially among Jews in the United States and Russia. As part of the 12th Zionist Congress in 1922 in Karlovy Vary, a pioneer World Association Hechaluz formed. In 1923, founded a German Hechalutz association counted 500 members in 1928 and four teaching materials. Overall, the movement spread slowly among the highly assimilated Jews of Western Europe. During the world economic crisis, the emigration of many as an opportunity for economic start was understood. The idealistic setting of early Zionism faded into the background.

The increasing discrimination against the Jews gave the Hachshara movement in the early stages of the Nazi regime in Germany great popularity. In addition to preparing for emigration to Palestine played especially for young Jews a role that Hachsharah was one of the last opportunities for them to gain any professional training. 1934 saw the German Hechaluz around 15,000 members. About 3500 people have been trained at this time in the Hachshara teaching facilities. These were attended on behalf of the Reich Association of German Jews by Martin Gerson. Overall, at least 32 of these preparatory camps were established within the then German borders.

Starting 1941, the bodies of the Hachshara were converted by the Nazis into forced labor camp for Jewish youth or completely dissolved.

Facilities were, among others - not originally Zionist - Israelite School of Horticulture Ahlem near Hanover, the country Neuendorf at Prince forest, the land plant Steckelsdorf at Rathenow, the good angle at Spree Hagen, the land plant Ahrens village in Trebbin, the Brüderhof at Harksheide, the agricultural estate of Hirsch, copper and brass works at Eberswalde, the Gehringshof in Fulda, a court in the northern Hessian Külte, the Dietkirchener court in Urfeld and institutions in Switzerland, Poland, Russia, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

In addition to the Hechaluz there was with the Bachad another Hachshara organization in Germany, the College of Agriculture Shalom operation in Neugraben among others since the 1920s. A special feature was the so-called nautical Hachshara of the "Fairplay Towing Steamship Company Richard Borchard GmbH" Jewish Reederin Lucy Borchardt.

After the end of National Socialism surviving Zionist Jews founded again Hachshara communities that existed until the establishment of Israel in 1948. 30 single of them existed in Central and Upper Franconia.