Shomrei

Shomrei is a Hebrew term meaning "guardians" or "keepers" and is the masculine plural present participle of the verb shomar, "to guard." It is used in Jewish Hebrew to describe people or groups who protect or uphold something, often followed by a definite object or set phrase (for example, Shomrei Torah, meaning guardians of the Torah). The word is commonly seen in religious or communal contexts, appearing in synagogue names, organizational titles, or descriptions of roles such as ritual guardians, guardians of law, or of traditions. In everyday usage, Shomrei may be found as part of compound expressions to specify what is being guarded, not as a standalone organization.

In modern Hebrew, forms related to the same root appear in various compounds; variant transliterations include Shomrei and Shomrim depending on grammatical construction and transliteration standards. Outside of Hebrew-speaking contexts, Shomrei is typically encountered as part of discussions of Jewish terminology or as part of proper nouns in diaspora communities; a closely related term, Shomrim, refers to watchmen or volunteer safety patrols in some Jewish communities, notably in New York City.

As a proper noun, there is no single globally dominant organization named "Shomrei." Instead, the term serves as a generic descriptor used in multiple contexts across different communities.