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The Hebrew Gymnasium – Part 1

The Hebrew Gymnasium was established in 1909. Its curriculum
combined general knowledge, Hebrew culture, Jewish history,
and knowledge of the Land of Israel. Among its founders were
Eliezer ben Yehuda and Yitzhak be Zvi and his wife Rachel
Yanait. At that time there were many schools in Jerusalem, but
the founders of the Gymnasium felt that it was unconscionable
that a Gymnasium could exist in Tel Aviv but that there would
not be one in Jerusalem to wave the flag of Nationalism.

The problem was that there was no suitable infrastructure for such
an enterprise and there was not enough money to establish
another school in Jerusalem. When a teacher who didn't speak
Hebrew arrived at the school they said to him, "No matter. You
will learn Hebrew with the students."

In 1911, Ehad Ha'am, among the cultural leaders at that time,
arrived at the school for a visit. For many hours he went from
class to class, listening in on lessons and speaking with both
students and teachers. After one day Ehad Ha'am said, "I am
sorry to say that there is no justification for your Gymnasium."
There were 13 students at that time whose parents wanted
Hebrew-Nationalistic but not religious education for their
children.

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.‫ העתקה והפצה אסורים‬,‫ כל שימוש‬.‫אור‬-‫כל הזכויות שמורות לאולפן‬