Gurit Kadman
Encyclopedia
Gurit Kadman was an Israeli dance instructor and choreographer, and is considered the mother of Israeli folk dancing.
, Germany
in 1897 to an assimilated Jewish family who could trace their roots to Prague
. In her youth she was active in the Wandervogel
German youth movement.
In 1919, she married Leo Kaufman, and the couple joined the Blau Weiss Zionist youth movement
and began agricultural training in preparation for a communal life in Palestine. Her son, Raphael, was born before they left.
In 1920, they immigrated to Mandate Palestine and were among the founders of the communal settlement Heftziba, first near Hadera
, where another son, Amnon, was born, and then at its permanent location in the Jezreel Valley
. Later, they changed the family name to the more Hebrew-sounding name, Kadman, and Gert became Gurit.
In 1925, she accompanied her husband on an educational mission to Austria
, where their daughter, Ayalah, was born. Upon their return, Leo was employed by the Histadrut
. In 1931, the family left the kibbutz and moved to Tel Aviv
.
Life
Gurit Kadman was born Gertrude (Gert) Loewenstein in LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1897 to an assimilated Jewish family who could trace their roots to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. In her youth she was active in the Wandervogel
Wandervogel
Wandervogel is the name adopted by a popular movement of German youth groups from 1896 onward. The name can be translated as rambling, hiking or wandering bird and the ethos is to shake off the restrictions of society and get back to nature and freedom...
German youth movement.
In 1919, she married Leo Kaufman, and the couple joined the Blau Weiss Zionist youth movement
Zionist youth movement
A Zionist youth movement is an organization formed for Jewish children and adolescents for educational, social, and ideological development, including a belief in Jewish nationalism as represented in the State of Israel...
and began agricultural training in preparation for a communal life in Palestine. Her son, Raphael, was born before they left.
In 1920, they immigrated to Mandate Palestine and were among the founders of the communal settlement Heftziba, first near Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
, where another son, Amnon, was born, and then at its permanent location in the Jezreel Valley
Jezreel Valley
-Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in...
. Later, they changed the family name to the more Hebrew-sounding name, Kadman, and Gert became Gurit.
In 1925, she accompanied her husband on an educational mission to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, where their daughter, Ayalah, was born. Upon their return, Leo was employed by the Histadrut
Histadrut
HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...
. In 1931, the family left the kibbutz and moved to Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.