The Girl in Betar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Woman is a born "organizer". Since ancient times, she has always played the organizing part in
every family. The man was the "conqueror", the "attainer"; he was a hunter; it was his job to find
edible "stuff" for the table, garments to cover the body. The task of the woman, then as ever, was
to transform all the material the man brought home into real food, suitable clothes and general
comfort. She has a natural inclination for order, she foresees things necessary not only today bu
tomorrow as well. This may perhaps, be the reason that history shows us a much larger
percentage of high-caliber queens than kings (our own Shulamith Alexandra of the Hasmoneans;
Elizabeth of England, Catherine the Great of Russia, Maria-Theresa of Austria) all distinguished
themselves in the field of organization of state-management as well as in social and economic
betterment. Of course, not every woman is a Shulamith. There is also the type of empty headed,
flapperish girl; but nonetheless, every one of the latter too has this inclination to orderliness, to
quiet systematization. Betarian education will have to seek the way in which to train a refined
citizeness for the Jewish State.
             In every branch of our "Hachshara" there are the twin aims of organization and order; without the
latter the former is worthless, and the latter is something which a woman can better create than a
man. I would for instance have taught woman not merely military training (Hachshara Tzvait)
like shooting, marching and signaling but also - and especially so - everything pertaining to
supplies and sanitation.
             An important branch of colonization is house management. The progressive woman of my
generation hated it and it was quite natural for them to feel so, because they reacted in this
manner against the old viewpoint that "Housewifeliness" is the only affair women are capable to
undertake.
             Today, women-suffrage is generally acknowledged and consequently, there is no reason for
hating a field of endeavor upon which is founded the life of both family and society. Betar will
probably develop the highest appreciation and enthusiasm for the conception of "Hachshara
Baithith" (house management).