Habonim Dror North America

Habonim Dror North America To this end, Habonim Dror calls first and foremost for Aliya to communal and collective frameworks that actively work to achieve the aforementioned goal.

Habonim Dror North America is Jewish, Progressive Labor Zionist Youth movement with 6 summer camps across North America, year-round activities, a month-long teen summer Israel experience, and the longest-running Israel gap year program. Today, HDNA is an autonomous Progressive Labor Zionist youth movement whose members strive for the concrete expression of its values in their own lives and in soci

ety. As an autonomous Labor Zionist youth movement whose members strive for the concrete expression of its ideals in their own lives and society, Habonim Dror has the following aims (updated December 2013 Veida XVIII):

To upbuild the State of Israel as a progressive, egalitarian, cooperative society, at peace with its neighbors; actively involved in a Peace Process with the Palestinian people with the common goal of a just and lasting peace and collective liberation of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples; and as the physical and spiritual center of the Jewish people. In addition, Habonim Dror also calls for active involvement in progressive Zionist and Jewish issues in Diaspora communities, using collective-living frameworks as a foundation. To strengthen the relationship between North American Jewish youth and Judaism through their involvement in progressive Jewish communities with the purposes of enlisting their participation in the up-building of a renewed Jewish culture in both Israel and North America. This will be accomplished by the development of individual Jewish identities by means of promoting the exploration of Jewish spirituality, the full expression of the Hebrew language, an understanding of Jewish history and a personal relationship with Israel. To participate in the creation of a new social order throughout the world, based on the principles of self-determination, individual freedom, environmental sustainability, political democracy, and cooperative economics, the equality of all people and the equality of human value. To participate in constructive activities in the North American Jewish community while advocating change where necessary to foster Jewish continuity and creativity and the democratization of the community. To develop within its members the will to realize their own capabilities and to develop a collectivist attitude to actualize the movements goals through cooperative frameworks (kvutzah). The pillars, the educational concepts that serve as guides, of Habonim Dror North America are (in no particular order):

Judaism
Progressive Labor Zionism (Read about the 2015 definition, as passed in the Veida XVIV here: https://www.habonimdror.org/progressive-labor-zionism/)
Collective Liberation of the Peoples in Israel-Palestine
Hagshama (Actualization of Movement Values)
Social Justice
Socialism

https://linktr.ee/habonimdrorna

After celebrating their last Shabbat in Israel surrounded by friends from Habonim Dror around the world, Workshop 75 spe...
05/20/2026

After celebrating their last Shabbat in Israel surrounded by friends from Habonim Dror around the world, Workshop 75 spent the past few days in their Seminar Sikkum (Closing Seminar) as they wrapped up and reflected on the past 9 months. The seminar finished with a beautiful tekkes (ceremony). Friends, family, and madrichimot came together in person and on Zoom to celebrate the Workshoppers’ journey together and share speeches, songs, and even a special dance! We are incredibly proud of this kvutza and how they’ve continued to take responsibility for one another throughout their year together, and we’re so excited for them to return to HDNA and share all that they’ve learned. Mazal Tov and Aleh V’Hagshem 💙❤️

Jewish tradition demands we stand up for those who are vulnerable. HDNA is proud to support  and  National Day of Action...
04/27/2026

Jewish tradition demands we stand up for those who are vulnerable.

HDNA is proud to support and National Day of Action for this Thursday, April 30. Jews of conscience will gather in over 14 cities across the country, unified in one simple message: ICE’s cruelty must stop and corporations must stop being complicit.

Full list of actions: www.bendthearc.us/ice_out

04/21/2026

On Yom HaZikaron, Habonim Dror North America stands in mourning with those in Israel who have lost their loved ones to war and terror. May their memories forever be a blessing.

״נזכור ולא נשכח״“To remember and never forget”Yom HaZikaron LaShoah V’LaGvura, or Holocaust and Heroism Day of Remembran...
04/14/2026

״נזכור ולא נשכח״

“To remember and never forget”

Yom HaZikaron LaShoah V’LaGvura, or Holocaust and Heroism Day of Remembrance, observed on the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, is a day of remembrance honoring the all the Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as the Jews who took history into their own hands and resisted in the face of impossible odds.

Today, we remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. We remember not only lives lost, but a vibrant Jewish world destroyed: communities, cultures, movements, families, dreams, an entire world that can never fully be rebuilt. As the number of survivors grows smaller each year, the responsibility to carry their stories becomes increasingly ours.

For Habonim Dror North America, this memory is deeply personal. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was led by members of Dror and other Jewish youth movements, young people who organized resistance, educated underground, and chose Jewish dignity and defiance. Their legacy is our movement inheritance. In the face of rising antisemitism, we commit to carry forward the spirit of their rebellion in our education and within our communities. To remember them is not only to look back, but to continue what they began.

“You are able to - you must - fight evil, forgery, falsehood, and all that contradicts humanistic values... Be worthy of the fighters, of all of those who struggled and were slaughtered, by gas and other means. Educate yourself and others towards love and not hatred, towards peace, towards friendship, towards beauty, laughter and joy. It is hard. You can do it. I believe in you.”

-Chavka Folman Raban, member of Dror and the Jewish Fighting Organization in the Warsaw Ghetto

“Pesach is the oldest and most transformative story of hope ever told.It tells of how an otherwise undistinguished group...
03/31/2026

“Pesach is the oldest and most transformative story of hope ever told.
It tells of how an otherwise undistinguished group of slaves found their way to freedom from the greatest and longest-lived empire of their time...
It is a story of the defeat of probability by the force of possibility.
It defines what it is to be a Jew:
a living symbol of hope.”
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l

This Passover,
may we all leave Egypt,
may we all cross the sea before us,
and may we all reach freedom in our promised land.

חג חירות שמח
עלה והגשם

This past weekend, Madatz tzvatim from several of the HDNA machanot came together in Philly to exchange tools, explore e...
03/19/2026

This past weekend, Madatz tzvatim from several of the HDNA machanot came together in Philly to exchange tools, explore educational frameworks, and get to know each other! 💙❤️

We discussed taking on leadership at their respective machanot and leading processes for the Madatz, played A LOT of Codenames, and commemorated HIAS’ 8th Annual Refugee Shabbat through a discussion of the state of democracy and immigrant rights in the U.S.

We had such a meaningful experience leading this seminar and are so excited to hear more about what this summer will look like for you at your machanot! 🌲⛺️

When we say that HDNA is youth-led, this is actually what we mean. Meet the tzevet!! 🍼🐣
03/17/2026

When we say that HDNA is youth-led, this is actually what we mean. Meet the tzevet!! 🍼🐣

Hey Ma’apilimot! 🐞🌱🦋🌷Ma’apilimot Seminar 5786 is coming up and we want to see you all there! It’ll be an amazing time to...
03/13/2026

Hey Ma’apilimot! 🐞🌱🦋🌷

Ma’apilimot Seminar 5786 is coming up and we want to see you all there! It’ll be an amazing time to reconnect with your friends and kvutza from across the machanot, process current events in a comfortable environment, and experience machaneh without the responsibilities you’ll have on tzevet this summer. Highlights may include: educational workshops, jam sessions, doing rikkud in the rain, taking cute sunset pics, taking a dip in the river, and so much more!

What: Ma’ap Sem is a 5-day seminar for movement members in Shichvah 75 & older to gather, connect, and have fun!

Where: Camp Mosh!

When: Thursday, May 21st to Monday, May 25th

Make sure to register at bit.ly/maapsem5786 before the registration deadline on Friday, April 17th! For more information, please contact [email protected].

Looking forward to seeing you all in May! 🐞🌱🦋🌷

What has the Mazkirut Artzit been up to lately?Attending Ittay Flescher’s book talk at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Phi...
03/12/2026

What has the Mazkirut Artzit been up to lately?

Attending Ittay Flescher’s book talk at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. Ittay introduced his new book, The Holy and the Broken, which details his fascinating and inspiring work as a dialogue facilitator between Israeli and Palestinian youth. Ittay laid out a thought-provoking vision for what peace between Israelis and Palestinians can look like, and gave us a new and profound perspective to bring to the movement.

Participating in an enriching event on Israel education organized by the Jewish Education Project. Expert Israel educator, Sivan Zakai, spoke about age-appropriate education, what conversations are important and crucial at different developmental stages, and how to tailor our pedagogical approach to our chanichimot. We are excited to share what we learned with the movement and give our madrichimot more tools for complex, important, and empowering conversations.

Lastly, participating in the J Street National Convention where we met with various peace-building partners, talked in-depth about the unfolding war with Iran, and heard new perspectives on the conflict, security, peace and democracy in Israel. Jenny spoke on a panel about the role of the diaspora in Israel’s future amid rising polarization, and the role that camp plays in building empowered, responsible, empathetic, and critical Jewish leaders who actively shape discourse and effect real change in society at large.

We’re so grateful to be connected to such bright, brave, and inspiring educators!

Address

2001 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA
19103

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12679087005

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