Internet Edition • 2007 Jerusalem, 5763 • 2003 OVERSEAS VOLUNTEERS IN ISRAEL’S WAR OF INDEPENDENCE Author: Dr. Yaacov Markovitzky With contributions from Zipporah Porath, Eddy Kaplansky and Joe Woolf, who also helped edit the Hebrew and English editions of this booklet. Translation from the Hebrew: Moshe Kohn. ˙‡ӈډ ˙ÓÁÏÓ· ı¯‡Ï ıÂÁ È·„˙Ó ≠ Ï¢ÁÓ This booklet was originally published in Hebrew by the Ministry of Education, Israel Information Center, Publication Service, edited by Nurit Braverman © Copyright. No part of this booklet may be reproduced or used without permission from the Ministry of Education, Israel Information Center, Publication Service This internet edition, a reproduction of the English edition of the Machal booklet, is published with full permission from the Ministry of Education, Information Center Cover illustration: Machal stamp issued by The Israel Philatelic Service in 1997 Cover: Nehama Wimmer Project coordinator: Zipporah Porath Photographs: Paul Kaye, Vicky Bornstein, Gloria Pelzig, Eddy Kaplansky, David Teperson, Irvin Schindler, Nathan Freedman, Aliyah Bet and Machal Archives (University of Florida) World Machal, Tel Aviv Tel: 972-3-621-2764 / Fax: 972-3-620-2621 / e-mail:
[email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword • 5 Who Were Machal? • 7 What Motivated Them? • 9 The First Volunteers • 10 Recruiting Machal • 15 Integration into the Armed Forces • 18 Machal and the Israel Air Force • 21 Machal and the Israel Navy • 28 Machal and the Armored Corps • 30 Machal and Field Units • 34 Machal and Medical Services