Brief History of
the Israeli Scouts Movement

The Hebrew Scouts of Israel (Tzofim) was the first Zionist Youth Movement that was established in Eretz Israel in 1919. It Drew values from the World Scout Organization that was established in the UK 10 years earlier and combined it with Zionist Values. As the largest Israeli Youth movement (to this day), Tzofim started sending Shlichim to Jewish Communities around the world and mostly to the US. In 1964 the delegation to summer camps in the USA started and soon after the Friendship Caravan program was created. Each summer tens of thousands of young Jews were engaged by young Israeli Tzofim touring their communities.

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In the late 1970s the first HaTzofim chapter was created to serve the Israeli Jewish community of Queens New York. In the following years over 20 Hebrew Speaking comunities were established all over North America, creating the largest Network of Israelis living abroad. In 1990 the "Friends of Israel Scouts" organization was created to oversee the programs and Chapters of Tzofim Tzabar in North America.