The Hebrew Teachers as Creators of the Zionist Community in (the Land of) Israel

Abstract

This article discusses the role of teachers in the formation of Israeli society, from the First Aliyah until the 1968 integration reform. The period studied is comprised of four sub-periods, during each of which teachers filled different roles. These roles included a contribution to reviving and spreading the language, creating educational and establishment tools, ideological training, and integration of the new immigrants into Israeli society. The study is based on Mannheim's generation theory, and seeks to use it to demonstrate the formation of the group of teachers in the Land of Israel and their influence on the creation of an imagined community, while also making comparisons with the activities of teachers in other societies.