By: Mato Wexler
Being a leader in the Tnua is no easy task—it demands a great deal of responsibility and requires navigating various challenging scenarios and situations. At the same time, leading the Tnua is one of the greatest privileges a chaver or chavera can have. From the position of leadership, we can not only influence the present and future of the Tnua as an educational youth movement but also the present and future of all its members. In this regard, the leaders of the Tnua are deeply exposed most of the time, making it difficult for them to go unnoticed.
However, it is intriguing that, despite occupying the most visible roles in the Tnua, the Hanaga often feels doubly invisible. We have named this paradox the “Double Invisibility Syndrome,” and in this article, we aim to describe, analyze, and provide some tools or strategies to help our manhigim and manhigot find a way out of this complex situation.
On Different Leadership Styles, Communication, and the Double Invisibility Syndrome
In the Tnua, there are several ways to be a leader and exercise leadership. One, and perhaps the easiest to identify, is formal or official leadership, which refers to those who have been elected to hold a position within the vanguardia tnuati—for example, the Hanaga. Another form of leadership in the Tnua is informal or unofficial leadership, which arises from group dynamics, specific circumstances, or immediate needs, rather than through a formal election process. For example, a janij who takes the initiative to organize their kvutza to prepare a surprise for their madrich’s birthday.
This dynamic within the Tnua undoubtedly allows young people to explore and experience different situations that contribute to the development of their skills, aptitudes, and leadership qualities, from their time as janijim, through roles in hadraja, the Tzevet, and even within the Hanaga of the Tnua.
One of the most important skills for any leader is the ability to communicate assertively and effectively. In the case of the Tnua, this is no exception. Furthermore, there are internal communication processes (e.g., the communication between the Hanaga and the chanichim/ot, madrijim/ot, Tzevet, sheliach, or shlicha) and external communication processes (e.g., communication with parents, community leaders, schools, and community institutions). This duality exists because the Hanaga acts as the body that connects what happens inside the Tnua with what happens outside it.
Indeed, many things occur on both sides. For this reason, the Hanaga is the vaada within the Tnua that meets and works the most frequently, whether in terms of days, hours, or the range of tasks to address.
The Vectors of Double Invisibility
However, the Tzevet does not always know everything the Hanaga does.
Sometimes this happens because there are processes that the Hanaga cannot share with the Tzevet due to the sensitivity or delicacy of the situation. In other instances, the Hanaga may not realize that the Tzevet is unaware of what they are doing because they are focused on tasks that require 100% of their attention. For example, the Tzevet might not know that the Hanaga is working to find a location for the machane or exploring ways to reduce costs for the chanichim or secure more resources for scholarships.
This first lack of visibility from the Tzevet toward the Hanaga constitutes the first vector of the “Double Invisibility Syndrome,” but it is not the only one.
The second vector arises “from above,” meaning when parents, community leaders, institutions, and schools fail to empathize with the hard work of the Hanaga, perceiving them as merely a “group of inexperienced youth” looking after children for a few hours every Saturday. In this case, adults are not only prejudging the young leaders based on their age but, even more sadly, minimizing the immense responsibilities and challenges that the young members of the Hanaga undertake.
These two situations, which in most cases occur simultaneously, form what we refer to as the “Double Invisibility Syndrome.” In other words, the Hanaga is invisible to both internal and external communication circles.
Breaking the Double Invisibility Syndrome
How can these invisibility processes be reversed? Below, we present several key points to initiate these processes of double visibility:
- Identify the aspects, areas, or topics you want to make more visible.
Not everything the Hanaga does, thinks, or decides necessarily needs to be visible to others, for various reasons. However, there are times when it is crucial that certain actions or decisions be seen by internal and/or external circles, and this is not always possible. The Hanaga must clearly define what they want to communicate and identify the barriers (whether physical, emotional, mental, logistical, methodological, etc.) preventing this communication, so they can address these obstacles effectively. - Communicate: Assertive communication increases visibility.
Creating visibility often requires active effort. When others “don’t see us,” and it is important to us that we are seen, we need to sit down, have conversations, express feelings and thoughts, and build stronger, more effective communication channels. For instance, the Hanaga may feel that the Tzevet does not recognize their efforts to find solutions to a problem, while the Tzevet might believe that the Hanaga is indifferent to the issue. Dialogue becomes the bridge to foster mutual understanding. - Apply the principles of visibility: Empathy, responsibility, relevance, and impact.
Building strong, transparent, and fluid communication with all internal and external communication circles based on these principles can be highly beneficial. This is especially true when the Hanaga needs to make significant, difficult, and impactful decisions for the Tnua.
Conclusion
Being a leader in the Tnua is not an easy task, but it is an immensely significant and necessary role. In the past two years, hanagot have faced the challenges of COVID-19, some of the most significant the Tnua has ever encountered. Often, finding “new solutions to unprecedented problems” proved to be intensive, challenging, and exhausting.
In this context, the double invisibility syndrome that has always existed became even more pronounced. Yet what defines and characterizes tnuot is our refusal to give up and our commitment to continue advancing, learning, and evolving—or even revolutionizing.
The invisibility processes—and in the Hanaga’s case, the double invisibility—have always been part of the Tnua’s dynamics and will likely continue to exist. However, we now have tools to address these challenges and lead processes that are healthy and enriching for the entire Tnua environment.
We hope this article helps highlight the honorable work of our leaders in ensuring the future of the Tnuot Noar within the Hanoar Hatzioni family, especially during times of uncertainty, change, and crisis. Moreover, we hope this article sheds light on the personal example they have set for hundreds of chanichim and madrichim worldwide, showing that no matter what is happening around us, as long as we are united and believe in what we do, “the Tnua doesn’t stop” is not just a slogan—it is a beautiful reality.
