Menachem Zoharoni
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Menachem Zaharoni was the legendary science teacher of Kfar Yehoshua, and one can say that he was the one who was “crazy about it” - the person who initiated and founded Beit Hankin, dedicated everything he had to it, and filled it with exhibits, content, and educational activities.
Zaharoni arrived at Kfar Yehoshua in 1936 with his wife Yaffa. He was a new immigrant from Poland, a young teacher at the beginning of his career, but he was bursting with educational theories that were advanced for his time and very devoted to Zionist ideology. At Kfar Yehoshua, he found the lifestyle that he had always dreamed of: a community of pioneers who worked the land, a place where he could realize his potential in education.
Zaharoni was a charismatic and respected teacher who invested his heart and soul in the school.
Zevik Givoli, who was Zaharon’s student, shares:
“Oh... Menachem was... A real treasure, Menachem... Menachem was a special character. Not an easy character. He had very high expectations, of himself as well, and he demanded from others what he demanded of himself.”
Uri Ben Dror relates:
“We looked up to him. He came from Europe, from Poland. This celebration of Israel and Israel’s independence, the ability to connect to nature, was something special to him. He brought us closer to nature. To this field of plants and birds and wildlife.
He also taught literature and the history of the land of Israel, and in literature he would read us Tchernichovsky’s idyll and would cry. He drew us in in an incredible way.”
At first, Zaharoni taught all of the subjects: Bible, literature, and even mathematics. But he was most enthusiastic about science and nature, and he concentrated on them later on. What he didn’t know, he studied at night, and he spent his vacations to further his education at the Yehoshua Margolin Biological Institute in Tel Aviv.
In a small hut in the school yard, Zaharoni built a science room that filled up over the years with hundreds of items. He also added hand-drawn posters, equipment, and study materials. Studying in the heart of nature was an integral part of his educational philosophy.
Zaharoni wrote:
“A teacher in this generation has many educational roles that are critical for shaping the character of the nation in its land, and for strengthening its sense of connection with the soil of the homeland. Only a person who loves can teach others to love.”
Uri Ben Dror relates:
“Menachem had an exceptional love of the land and was immensely knowledgable in geography, geology, Bible, history, everything. We would hike, I remember when we descended to the Yavne’el valley and then climbed up to Poriyah, and we walked all over those areas... He was a romantic person. He also wrote songs. We walked along the coast from Atlit to Petach Tikva, and we would walk down the beaches and sing his song.”
Rina Porat relates:
“His approach was a Zionist approach. We must familiarize ourselves with the land of Israel, we need to become familiar with its nature too. He came from the diaspora, from Europe. There, they didn’t study science, at the cultural seminary they didn’t study science, and he felt that here, it was necessary to learn science. We had to get to know the land.
...On Saturdays, we would also hike with him in the fields here, there are a lot of things to see in the field - animals, and flowersץ
Over the years, Menachem discovered the Carmel, with everything that can be found there, and we would hike on the Carmel a lot. We would ride the Valley Train to Yagur, and then climb on foot. Menachem studied and studied the Carmel, throughout all of the years, and he wrote a few books about the natural elements at the Carmel.”
In addition to hikes, Zaharoni developed diverse teaching methods for learning outside of the classroom walls. For this purpose, he established biology and physics labs at the school, as well as a petting zoo, botanical garden, and an observatory. He gave his students an experience of inquisitive study propelled by curiousity and enjoyment.
In 1949, when the science hut became too small to hold the many collections that accumulated, Zaharoni began to establish Beit Hankin. He obtained funding to build a respectable, sophisticated building, and the building was erected.
In 1960, Zaharoni left the moshav and a big void behind him. He moved with his family to Haifa, where he was appointed as coordinator of the Biology Department at Gordon College of Education. Zaharoni was also involved in founding the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and designing its educational programs. He was also among the founders of the Society for Prehistory and an active member of the Society for the Study of the Land of Israel and its Antiquities. Throughout the years, he wrote and published hundreds of papers on subjects related to nature, land of Israel studies, and education, and participated in the writing and editing of atlases, encyclopedia entries, and scientific publications.
In the corner opposite us is a student desk from the early days of the school in Kfar Yehoshua. On the shelf is Zaharoni’s thick Bible, which also includes the New Testament. The book was printed in Germany in the seventeenth century and presented to Zaharoni as a gift by members of the Makuya movement from Japan. On the shelves are a few articles, out of the hundreds written by Zaharoni and published in his lifetime.
Zaharoni had an untimely death following an accident while touring at the foot of the Carmel, but his charismatic personality left an eternal impression on the characters and values of his many students.
Rina Porat relates:
“His contribution to us was truly huge. I personally feel that he contributed so much to my life, to who I am.”