WINTER 2006 AMERICAN VETERANS OF ISRAEL VOLUNTEERS IN ISRAEL’S WAR OF INDEPENDENCE UNITED STATES & CANADA VOLUNTEERS 136 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016

Symposium on Aliyah Bet and Machal Museum Dedicated: Aliyah Lowenstein Lauded by Speakers

Last July Raphael ben Yosef Some 37 veterans of morning, November 20, was Dr. of Givat Shmuel wrote the letter Aliyah Bet and Machal converged on Yitschak Ben Gad, Consul-General below to Ira Feinberg, President Gainesville, Florida, on November of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico. of AVI. The letter, as you see, deals 18-20 for a weekend devoted to Dr. Ben Gad, the son of a former with the centrality of aliya to Zionist dedicating the Aliyah Bet and chief rabbi of Libya, summarized self-realization (hagshama). Below Machal Museum in the University current Israeli policy toward the letter is an objective background of Florida’s new $8.5 million Hillel Palestinians in the search for peace. statement on the influences which building. He praised the new Aliyah Bet and led some mahal volunteers to The seven-cabinet museum Machal Museum for establishing a remain in, or later return to, Israel is located in the main hallway of while others chose to return to the Norman H. Lipoff Hall, which just lands from which they volunteered. opened to the 6,500 Jewish students I invited several members of AVI to on the UF campus late last year. write 100-150 words of comment on The main speaker for the official the ben Yosef letter. Others may want dedication ceremonies, attended by to supplement the comments below more than 200 persons on Sunday with accounts of their personal GAINESVILLE continued on pg. 2 decisions. I will run such responses as Letters to the Editor in future Bernstein and Warner: Assuming Presidency Newsletters. The Editor. and Vice Presidency of AVI Dear Ira: You may not like this letter. Arthur Bernstein

Arthur Bernstein The Ulua was beached south of I will not renew my membership served in the Haifa on February 27, 1947. The in AVI. It is beating a horse long Merchant Marine refugees and crew were interned dead. during World War II. in Cyprus by British authorities. The very fact that the In 1947 he served as Upon his return to the U.S., Art address is New York and not a senior deck officer worked in the lumber industry and on the Ulua, a.k.a. Jerusalem or Netanya shows a made his mark as a businessman. He the Haim Arlosoroff . The Ulua, an retired from his business to devote half job was done by those who old decommissioned U.S. revenue his time to family and his avocation; came and did not return. cutter sailed out of Baltimore to the sea. Today he lives with his wife Capturing a spirit in rescue 1,378 Holocaust survivors, Evelyn in Peabody, Massachusetts formaldehyde for show is not a bringing them from Italy through where he can be seen at the helm game I wish to play. the British blockade of Palestine. of his motor boat, the Ulua.

SYMPOSIUM continued on pg. 18 BERNSTEIN continued on pg. 21 

American Veterans of Israel SCHEDULE OF EVENTS- 2006 136 E. 39 Street Purim Celebration Sunday, March 12 New York, NY 10016-0914 Officers and Executive Board Mission to Israel First week in May President West Point Assembly Sunday, May 21 Arthur Bernstein 978 532 6956 Salute to Israel Parade Sunday, June 4 Hanukkah Celebration Sunday, December 17 Vice President Joseph Warner GAINESVILLE continued from pg. 1 416 497-0140 Executive Director permanent symbol on American promote that legacy. Kol Hakavod Simon Spiegelman soil of the lasting bond between to AVI!!.” 212 685 8548 [email protected] the citizens of the State of Israel and the Jewish communities of Treasurer David Gerard North America. 631 499 4327 [email protected] Presiding at all the dedication events was AVI Regional Vice Presidents USA President Ira Feinberg. He Northeast: Ira Feinberg 201 886-1188 said that the thread of Jewish history was strengthened by the Southeast: Irving Meltzer 561 637 5874 courageous actions of a small West: Bailey Nieder group of men and women. We 206 722 8197 were not particularly religious. We Lou Laurie, his daughter and her children. Midwest: Ben Hagai Steuerman were Jew and Gentile. We were 773 935 0802 idealists, socialists, adventurers. Si Spiegelman, Chairman Canada: Jerry Rosenberg 416 787-7632 of the AVI Executive Committee, officially presented the museum Israel Liaison: David Baum [email protected] to the care of the UF Hillel and World Machal: Zipporah Porath [email protected] VP/ Directors Newsletter, Internet and Trustees Committee: Samuel Z. Klausner 215 473 6034 [email protected] L-R Jerry Rosenberg, Al and Evelyn Bernstein Si Spiegelman and Lou Laurie Archives and Museum Ralph Lowenstein We consider ourselves fortunate to praised Ralph Lowenstein for the 352 392 6525 [email protected] have received this challenge and, tremendous organizational and in a sense, got more out of this promotional efforts that made the Public Relations: Paul Kaye (718) 428-2465 experience than Israel got from museum possible. Receiving this [email protected] us; a chance to change history. responsibility, Keith Dvorchik, Speakers Bureau: Naomi Kantey Zipporah Porath followed saying, Executive Director of the UF 201 489 3809 “Who would have dreamed that Hillel, said: “The theme of this Events and Activities David Hanovice after its heroic struggle for survival, building was intended from the Bill Gelberg Israel would go on to create one of beginning to be ‘Israel.’ When Louis Laurie Adrian Phillips the best armies in the world and to Ralph Lowenstein came to us with Norman Schutzman Lola Sprinzeles become one of the greatest success the idea for the Aliyah Bet and Charles Weiss stories of the 20th century. We Machal Museum, we seized upon Machal West- Liaison Machalniks had a lot to do with it immediately as a fulfillment Max Barchichat President-Machal West making that happen. Now, our of our commitment to teach the (818) 982-2712 main mission should be to see that thousands of students, parents and Websites generations to come don’t forget professors who come through this http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~sklausne/aviweb.html http://www.israelvets.com it. The museum being dedicated building the history of the State of here aims to help preserve and Israel, and especially the bond of  Israel. The Museum is our story, Like American Jewry as a now finally being told. We can all be whole, the Jewish museums have proud that we accepted the challenge concentrated on the Holocaust almost sixty years ago, and we can almost to the exclusion of the be proud that our countrymen and phoenix that arose from the dust of our comrades played a significant the pogroms and Holocaust. Every part in creating a Jewish State.” Podunk university in America now Also attending the banquet has a Holocaust studies program, as special guests of AVI were Ann with thousands of books in their American Jews to the Jewish State. Bussel and Morris Broad, daughter libraries and a host of faculty It is with a great deal of pride that and son of the late Shepard Broad, members with the Holocaust as their we now accept partnership with the Miami philanthropist who academic field. But the greatest the American Veterans of Israel purchased the “Paducah” and miracle of the last 2,000 years in in preserving and enhancing this “Tradewinds.” Other special guests Jewish history – the rebirth of Israel museum.” were the production personnel of – is a pauper and an orphan where Early arrivers at the the Museum and their spouses. the universities and the Jewish dedication weekend had an museums are concerned. opportunity on Friday night to attend Breaking the Silence: Thus, when the new Hillel Orthodox, Reform or Conservative The Story is Told building on the UF campus was services with the students, and then under construction, I approached have dinner with about 200 students When I began collecting Keith Dvorchik, executive director at the Shabbat-eve dinner following questionnaires and documentary of the Hillel, and Mickey Smith, the services. material about the Aliyah Bet and supervisor of the construction Some 120 veterans and Machal veterans some 25 years activities, and asked about installing their families attended a reception ago, I did so because I thought our own museum in the new building. and banquet on Saturday night. Ira that someday historians might Without a moment’s hesitation, Feinberg presided at the banquet. be interested in details about the they agreed, as long as AVI could Special guests were Max Barchichat, Americans and Canadians who raise the money. This question was President of Machal West, who volunteered to help Israel before and posed by so many of our members: brought greetings from comrades during the War of Independence. “Why Gainesville?” The answer: on the West Coast, and Zipporah Thanks to the support of Because the bureaucratic idiots at Porath, who brought greetings from American Veterans of Israel, the the Northeastern museums were Aliyah Bet and Machal veterans Aliyah Bet and Machal Archives too money-grubbing (they wanted now living in Israel. grew and eventually became an millions of dollars from us for the Principal speaker for the official part of the University of favor of a single display) or too evening was Ralph Lowenstein, Florida Libraries. At that time, I unimaginative to recognize the void founder and director of the Museum. considered our role in the 1948 war Ralph said, “I refer to this museum as a mere footnote, but one that should the museum of the ‘courageous few.’ be considered in any overall history There were courageous businessmen of the conflict. like Shepard Broad, who were Over the years, I became more willing to spend their fortunes and and more annoyed that the major risk their reputations by buying Jewish museums in the Northeast Aliyah Bet ships, while defying the were ignoring our entreaties that they existing official disapproval of help mention our role. Having visited all for Palestinian Jewry. Those of us the Jewish museums in New York who volunteered for Aliyah Bet or City, I became even more disturbed Machal were among the courageous that they were not only ignoring few who defied official government our role, but also giving virtually policy and risked both our lives and no emphasis in their displays to the in their own displays about the role our citizenship to come to the aid of creation of Israel itself. of American Jews in the creation of

 manned by American World War II lives and citizenships to come to the veterans, which brought in the arms aid of Israel in its time of need has from landlocked Czechoslovakia. never been properly told. It is a story As for Aliyah Bet, the 12 American largely unknown by American Jews ships, crewed largely by Americans themselves and by the population and Canadians, brought in 43 percent of Israel. For various reasons, of all the Holocaust survivors carried Americans and Canadians involved to Cyprus or Palestine between were satisfied not to publicize their the end of World War II and May roles. And for reasons primarily 14, 1948. These ships increased involved with nation building, Israel the Jewish population of Palestine was satisfied to remain silent about Israel. by 10 per cent, and provided a it, also. That Jewish historians and When I began the task of museums, here and in Israel, have gathering a production crew (in the never told this story is an indictment end, three people, including me), of their crafts. I still considered our role a mere No one can deny the footnote in the history of the war. tremendous sacrifice of Palestinian However, as I did more research over Jews. They were on the front line the last two years about the North when no one in the world could or American men and women in Aliyah would help. They lost one percent Bet and Machal, and extended my of their population in a war that the research to the role of American and rest of the world let happen, when Canadian Jews who stood behind us it could have been prevented. The and provided the organization and supply of manpower that Israel was great powers and the United Nations funds to support Palestinian Jews desperately to need once war broke turned their backs. and their aspiration for statehood out officially on May 15. But almost 60 years have at this critical point in our history, In my research for the now passed since that war of I came to the conclusion that North survival. It is time to tell the American Jewish communities complete story. Our Aliyah Bet were not a footnote, but rather an and Machal Museum begins to tell indispensable partner in the creation it. The copy of our Museum that of the State of Israel. we provided to the University of My research revealed Judaism in Los Angeles, through this startling fact: Were it not for the effort of Dr. Jason Fenton and North American Jews, including our brothers and sisters in Machal the volunteers in Aliyah Bet and West, will begin to tell that story on Machal, there would not be a Jewish the West Coast in this new year. State today. The 1,200 of us were We now need to translate our essentially the tip of the iceberg of Museum, two names stand out above story from museums into a book, a powerful North American Jewish all others: One is David Ben Gurion, and it is my hope that we will find community that stood behind Israel, who recognized the power that North the funds in 2006 to begin that task. helped engineer the two-thirds American Jews could provide, and The two museums at the vote of the UN General Assembly, skillfully enlisted it. The other is University of Florida and the provided the political muscle to Al Schwimmer, who knew how to University of Judaism would not neutralize the negative effect of the buy the big planes and recruit the have been possible without the US State Department, and generated pilots that would essentially bring pacemaker gifts from two sources. the huge amount of money necessary the critical arms and fighter aircraft Ann Bussel and Morris Broad to purchase ships and arms that from Czechoslovkia. of Miami, children of the late made victory for Israel possible. This story about the North philanthropist Shepard Broad (who In Machal, the critical American Jewish community and purchased two of the 12 Aliyah Bet element was the Air Transport the courageous few who risked their ships), provided $20,000, just as Command, almost completely  they had earlier provided $20,000 changed or approved almost every to get our Aliyah Bet and Machal word that I wrote. He wrote all the News From the Archives into high gear some years material that appears in the cabinet ago. My friend Marion Brechner of devoted to our fallen comrades, Regions and Orlando provided another $20,000. and provided, through some sort of Overseas Altogether, we raised about miracle, photographs of each one of $91,000 in cash and pledges, and the 40 men killed. AVI and I will Canada the UF Hillel allowed me to spend The big news here in the money pledged, even though all Toronto is the planning and fund the cash will not be in for several raising for the JEWISH WAR years. VETERANS INTERNATIONAL An incredible 131 members MONUMENT designed by Daniel of AVI, their families and friends Liebskin. Hopefully, the monument provided the remaining $51,000. Eleven persons each gave $2,500 will be opened in about a year. Our or more, and 24 persons each gave goal is $7 MILLION. The idea is to $500. have a living reminder of the Jewish The absolute rocks of support Veterans from around the world that for this Museum project were Si miss this man deeply. fought for freedom and liberty in Spiegelman, Sam Klausner and There were many others a number of wars. The monument who provided photographs, official will have two walls - one with the papers and encouragement. I wish I names of those that were killed could mention them all. in action and the second wall will We have been called “The have the names of those that fought. Forgotten Heroes.” I do not think There will be separate sections for for a minute that we were all each country and a place for loved heroes. But we have certainly been ones to come and actually see their forgotten. No one, not even our family member remembered. Israeli comrades, did what we did. As more information We traveled one-third of the way becomes available, I will send it around the world to come to the aid along. of a country not our own. Some of us Joe Warner David Gerard, three men who play came in leaky ships that by all rights a largely unsung role in holding AVI should not have been dispatched together year after year, and who to traverse the Atlantic. Each and Celebrating South African played a major role in generating every one of us risked not only our Machal in Beit Proteia in the member support for the project. lives but also our United States or Herzliya Si, especially, has been my constant Canadian citizenship. Most of us partner, consultant and supporter. did it for $6 a month. Almost all A splendid exhibition of David Hanovice was my regular of our parents disapproved of our photographs of South African consultant on Aliyah Bet and the decision, and our friends generally Machalniks from 1947-49 Israeli Navy. thought we were demented. One cabinet is dedicated to Why shouldn’t we be proud highlighted an evening of tribute by Eddy Kaplansky, who died while the of being one of 1,200 people who had the South African Zionist Federation Museum project was underway, but the idealism and courage to do what in Israel to South Africa’s 800 whose research on Aliyah Bet, the not one of the other 12 million Jews volunteers from South Africa during Air Force, the Canadian volunteers alive on this earth will ever have a the War of Independence -- and to and our 40 fallen comrades chance to do again? The Museum the Nachalniks who volunteered in provided material in each one of the begins to tell our story. The 57 years 1956. seven displays. Until his death on of silence has been broken. The event took place on 2nd March 6, 2005, in Haifa, he read, Ralph Lowenstein November in Beit Protea, a South

 (including 92 non-Jewish flyers, 21.6%. Of the flying crews the breakdown was: USA 182; SA 79 (18.6%); Canada 53; UK 50; Sweden 18. The balance came from Holland, Poland, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, India, and Rumania. South Africans were prominent among the ground crews including those who cared for engines, fuselages and armorers and radiomen. Before the Air Force had established its code and ciphers program, we often used Afrikaans in operational African retirement home in Herzliya, in laying the foundation of the IDF. messages between headquarters and the with the participation of some 60 Smoky, one of the first members of the Air Force bases. South African Machalniks and about Israel Air Force had already served five South African doctors and 100 South Africans (non-Machalniks) years in the South African Air Force nurses played a prominent role in who live in Israel, joined by overseas before volunteering to fight in Israel. He the Medical Corps, and in front-line Machalniks who were visiting Israel: detailed a statistical portrait of Machal. casualty hospitals. South Africans Barney Meyerson, Chairman of Approximately 3,500 Machalniks came amongst combat engineers trained Australian Machal, and his wife Bertha; from 44 countries – men, women, Jews, IDF recruits and engaged in laying and Stanley Medicks, Chairman of UK, non-Jews. Most were WWII veterans. and clearing minefields, blowing up European and Scandinavian Machal, They served in 14 branches of IDF bridges, building roads, etc. South and his daughter Elana. Also present – Air Force, Navy, Infantry, Armour, Africans were also prominent in the was Avi Naor, Director of Mahal 2000, Artillery, Medical, Anti-Tank, Radar, Artillery Corps. About 450 Machalniks the current program in Israel for young and Communications. Here I should served in 3 Palmach Brigades – Yiftach, volunteers from abroad to serve in the mention Aliyah Bet (illegal immigration) Har-El, and HaNegev. South African IDF. in 1947-48 in which 250 Americans Machalniks played a prominent role, Migdal Teperson prepared the including some Canadians were in particularly in Gedud 9, “Beasts of exhibition from the archives collated the crews bringing 31,000 “illegal the Negev.” South Africans served for the proposed Machal Museum. in Alexandroni (3 Brigade); Oded He produced, especially for this (9th Brigade); Givati (5th Brigade). occasion, an impressive photographic Machalniks, including many South record in book form of South African Africans, played a prominent role in the Machalniks in action during Israel’s 7th and 8th Armored Brigades. War of Independence. Teperson had One hundred and twenty put the exhibition together almost Machalniks (116 men and 4 women) single-handedly. At 79 he is still doing were killed or went missing-in-action reserve duty and is the oldest serving during the War. Many were wounded, Machalnik in the IDF. He has fought and some were taken prisoners-of-war. in all of Israel’s wars. He has gathered 1993 - The Machal Memorial was over 4500 Machal-related photos and erected at the entrance to the Burma runs the Machal Museum in Latrun. immigrants.” By countries of origin we Road in the Sha’ar Hagai Forest, to Stanley Medicks, who in fact have USA 930 (6 million Jews); South commemorate the Machal Fallen volunteered in 1948 from Nairobi, Africa 810 (120,000 Jews); France and – yearly remembrance service. 9 Kenya under the auspices of the South North African countries 450; UK 350; Non-Jewish Machal are buried in the African Federation, in his greetings Canada 300; Latin-America 300; other Christian Military Cemetery in Haifa. spoke of his personal appreciation to the European countries and Scandinavia 5 South African Machalniks lost their Federation for their having enabled him 100. The South African component lives – Lionel Bloch; Edward (Eddie to get to Israel. was 23% of all volunteers. Cohen); Louis Hack; Zvi Lipshitz; Meir The Chairman of World The Machal component Silber. Machal, Smoky Simon, presented was absolutely dominant in IAF Shlomo (Chitch) Lahat, a retired a fact-full report on the background in which95% of flying crews were IDF Major-General, who served for 20 story of Machal and in particular the Machalniks. There were a total of 425 years as Mayor of Tel Aviv, emphasized important role played by Machal Machal flying crews in IAF and ATC the need for spreading the word about  Machal to Israelis. He claimed that an Air Force that was made up of 95% of and fighter in the Negev Brigade, though he himself had known about Machalnickim. Sid Cohen, who was Maurice Fajerman, President of French Machal, he was astounded to learn of the also at this week’s event and actually Machal. extent of Machal’s valuable contribution commanded Weizman in Squadron The ceremonies were conducted to the State of Israel, and he felt certain 101, was one of Israel’s first fighter in the Hall of Fallen Soldiers on the that many of his colleagues in the IDF pilots, and the father of the IAF fighter Field of Honor in Be’er Sheva and were similarly uninformed. Squadron. opened with a presentation of colors. Two soldiers currently serving Adapted from material provided This was followed by the dedication of in the IDF, Dina Wolff and Ilan Bach, by Smoky Simon and a story in the the section consecrated to the memory children of South African immigrants, Jerusalem Post laid a wreath in memory of the Fallen. of the Commando volunteers and the This delightful evening gave France distribution of certificates of honor to the veterans of this campaign. many Machalniks the opportunity of The French commandos were A plaque was dedicated at the seeing fellow-comrades whom they instrumental in the liberating on Be’er corner of Herzl and Atsmaout Streets had not met for some time, and also Sheva. On Tuesday, October 30, 2005 provided the chance of spreading the recalling the French Commando the veterans of the French commando word on Machal to the those who know unit. Certificates of honor were also unit held a ceremony in Be’er Sheva too little about it. The evening concluded distributed to other defenders of the memorializing fallen comrades. with Migdal Teperson giving thanks to city. The following letter was received Participants included Yaakov Terner, the SAZF and in particular to Hilary by Ferdnand Bybelezer following the Mayor of Be’er Sheva, Gérard Araud, Kaplan for seeing fit to honor Machal ceremonies. in this fashion. Re’uma Weizman also Ambassador of France to Israel, Fernand attended the event. Her late husband, Bybelezer, Second in Command of the Great Britain former President Ezer Weizman, was French Commando unit, Ovadia Kalaï, Members of the British and one of the few Israelis who flew fighter President of the Be’er Sheva Memorial European Machal association visited planes in t he War of Independence, in Committee, Miky Cohen, historian Israel for Yom Hazikon/Ha’Atzmaut.

May 18th, 2005

Mr. Fernand Bybelezer Ottawa Canada

Dear Fernand,

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for your willingness to give the city of Beer-Sheva the Historical Flag from the Liberation of our city 57 years ago, by the French Commando Brigade under your and Thadee Diffre’s command. I am happy to inform you that we decided to establish a special place in Beer-Sheva’s Memorial House to dedicate the great contribution of the French Commando Brigade to our city. It will have a special focus on the flag and other articles of the French Commando.

As part of our recognition and honor to the French Commando, we also decided to name the major intersection in the old city (next to the Turkish Governor’s House) as The French Commando Intersection. I would like to invite you to Be’er Sheva to participate in these special ceremonies as well as in the Dignitaries of Be’er-Sheva Award, which will be held on Sunday October 30th, 2005.

On behalf of the Residents of Be’er-Sheva, the City Council members and myself, I would like to thank you for your courage and for your great contribution in Liberating Be’er-Sheva. I look forward to hearing from you and to see you in Be’er-Sheva.

Sincerely, . P Yaakov Terner Mayor (Be’er Sheva)

 The service at the Machal Memorial was well attended with family and friends also participating. Stanley Medicks arranged a visit to a parachute regiment where the group was received with honour. A-superb lunch was provided and at each place everyone was given a parachute regiment emblem sticker and a key chain. photographs of the veterans attending The group visited the inspiring the Gainesville dedication interspersed new Yad Vashem museum and in the viable and productive. with vintage photos of 1947-1948. The evening watched the Torch Lighting The guest speaker this year Ceremony and Military Tattoo on was the prolific writer Dan Kurzman, Mount Herzl. It was very very cold but this did not dampen our warm enthusiasm for a brilliant evening. Medicks concluded that we have never received worldwide publicity from the Government of Israel. I am sure it is because the sabra background music consisted of popular is too proud to admit that they could tunes sung by the soldiers during the not do the entire job themselves. Yet, I War of Independence. The concluding believe Israel would not have existed in images zoomed in on photos of the 40 its present form without Machal. North Americans who gave their lives Stanley Medicks during the war. The entire audience was author of 15 books including the golden moved seeing (for the first time) their New York standard Genesis 1948. He spoke about young age and vibrant appearance and HANUKKAH his recently published book No Greater recognizing how much they missed as Glory telling the heart-wrenching story their lives were cut short. It was a sad CELEBRATION 2005 of the four chaplains on the Dorchester, but very epic way to end an afternoon celebrating a very epic Jewish holiday. On Sunday, December 25, AVI members, family and friends celebrated the first night of Hanukkah at the Bnai Zion hall. As in years past, old comrades assembled to celebrate the valor of our ancestors at the time of the Maccabees and swap tales of the miracles we witnessed in our own days with the a troop transport torpedoed near rebirth of the Jewish State. While the Greenland during WWII. years take their toll, nothing stopped us Si Spiegelman reported on the from enjoying a wonderful repast, light Aliyah Bet and Machal Dedication that The guests took leave standing the Hanukkah candles and join together took place in Gainesville on November around and chatting at the door until in singing the ” Maoz Tsur” hymn led 18-20. Future plans include a rollout they risked ejection as another AVI by Sam Klausner. of the exhibit to cover other venues. Hanukkah celebration came to a close. It was also an opportunity to Los Angeles (A University of Judaism Dave Gerard chaired the program. As introduce our incoming president, Art exhibit is in progress.) and other target they have done for many years, Dave Bernstein, a veteran of the Ulua (Haim cities on the wish list including New and Arlene Gerard made sure that Arlosoroff). Ira Feinberg, the outgoing York City, Washington DC, Toronto food served at the event was tasty and AVI president passed the baton by and Tel Aviv. A poignant DVD was abundant. thanking the chaverim who pitched in shown based on a collage of recent Si Spiegelman during his term to keep the organization  Obituaries Elihu “Eli” Bergman, Aliya and Lisbon, Portugal finally made port a PhD from the University of North Bet and Briha in Bayonne, France where the ship was Carolina in Political Science where his outfitted so it could carry passengers. major interest was population policy. Then as the first Aliya Bet ship after He next served as Assistant Director of the Exodus, the Paducah passed the Harvard University Center for through the straits of Gibraltar across Population Studies. While at Harvard the Mediterranean to the Dardanelles. he was the author and editor of books Finally after many delays the ship and articles on population and politics. loaded on 1388 displaced persons Notable was the article in Midstream, in Burgas, Bulgaria. They had come October 1977 entitled “The American from Romania in sealed trains. When Jewish Population Erosion - Will Your the ship returned to the Mediterranean Grandchildren be Jewish.” His articles through the Dardanelles they were were translated and published in foreign followed by a British naval flotilla journals. and boarded as they approached the In 1980 Elihu moved to Elihu Bergman, age 78, died Palestine coast by armed marines. The Washington, DC. He worked with on November 23,2005 in Seattle passengers and crew were interred in a the staff of Senator Henry Jackson Washington from complications of on successful efforts to aid Soviet a stroke. He was born in Seattle on Jewry and provide military and social August 18, 1927; his parents were the assistance to Israel. He then became late Fred and Minnie Bergman both Executive Director of Americans for active members of the Seattle Jewish Energy Independence, a research community and longtime Zionists. and information group promoting He attended local public schools and alternatives to dependence on foreign graduated from Garfield High School (Arab) oil. in 1944. He entered Reed College in Upon retiring in 1992 he moved Portland Oregon but after two years back to Seattle but kept an apartment enlisted in the U.S. army. in Washington. He devoted most of After discharge in 1947 together his time to research and articles on the with two friends, Sydney Abrams and efforts by England to stop the Aliya Bet Bailey Nieder, Eli volunteered to join prison camp on Cyprus. When he was and the creation of the State of Israel. “Aliya Bet” the section of the Haganah released two months later. Eli rejoined He spent a great deal of time in London organized for the clandestine transport the Haganah and went back to Europe searching the archives of Royal Navy, of Holocaust survivors in defiance of to assist DP’s. Elihu reentered Reed the British Foreign Office and the the British government’s restrictions and graduated in 1950 as student body Colonial Office providing documentary on Jewish immigration to Palestine by president and went on to the University evidence on how the United States State attempting to break though the naval of Chicago where he received an MA Department had cooperated with the blockade. All three Seattleites were in Political Science in 195l. He then British in the period between 1946 and assigned as crew to the SS Paducah embarked on a long career in foreign 1948 until President Truman halted it. along with 30 other unpaid young men aid and technical assistance, working His articles on the subject have appeared both from the U.S. and Canada: Jewish for the U.S. Agency for International in a number of publications including and Christian. The Paducah was a U.S. Development in Washington, DC, North Modern Judaism and Palestine Navy gunship sold as surplus, built Africa and Yugoslavia and for Robert Studies. in 1904 it served in both World Wars. Nathan Associates in Iran, for Vista in Eli was active in AVI serving as It was 190 feet long, 900 tons Alaska and for the Ford Foundation in president during 2002. He made many Eli signed on as an able seaman Mexico City. He returned to the United trips to Israel and worked with the group and with no previous naval experience States as assistant director for Mexico organizing the 40th Anniversary reunion as with most of the rest of the crew, after and Central America. in 1987. He also revisited Cyprus and only a week of training, sailed across He returned to the United States found that the prison camp where he had the Atlantic. After stops in the Azores in 1970 on a fellowship and received been held was completely gone.  He is survived by his daughter in the Negev. He served in the Reinterment of Math and Andrea Korican (husband Steve) of southern offensive that captured Kaplan Bainbridge Island, WA. His son David the southern Negev in January, Bergman (wife Missy) of Canton, 1949. The ceremony for the re- GA, and grandchildren, Griffin and He returned to Canada, and MacKenzie Korican and Zachary interment of Mendel Math and Jerry received a law degree in 1957. Bergman. A brother, Dr. Abe Bergman Kaplan was held at the military lives in Seattle. Then, he adds, “After being called cemetery on Har Herzl on Wednesday, to the Manitoba Bar in 1957, I Nov 23, 2005. The whole thing was (Data for this obit was furnished in practiced law for five years in handled very well. About 100-150 part from an obituary prepared by Dr. Winnipeg, Manitoba, after which people there, extended family and Abe Bergman published in Seattle I voluntarily resigned from the friends of the families of four of newspapers Nov. 26 & 27,2005). practice of law because of my the five re-interred soldiers. No Bailey Nieder disillusionment with the corruption contact could be made with anyone and hypocrisy in that area. This of Jerry Kaplan’s family, either here Condolences to had a telling effect upon or there. Family of Elihu Bergman my personal well-being, which C/O Mrs.Andrea Korican Saul Twicken makes the detailing of the 8331 Sumanee Place remainder of my work history less Bainbridge Island, WA 98110-4505 Yehuda Witenoff, Mala Crew meaningful.” On July 28, 1995, in and a Founder of Kibbutz Sasa Ed Kessiloff: Army and/or Etzel a letter that accompanied his questionnaire, he wrote: “The The Newsletter has a questionnaire has many good report from Allen Chapnick that features, but it seems to have been Ed Kessiloff of Winnipeg, Canada drafted on the assumption that all has died. Allen believes he served Machalniks have, in the post-Israel in the Irgun Zvai Leumi while AVI period, led full and conventional records have him serving in the lives. Unfortunately, in the real IDF Army during the 1948-1949 world, that is not always the case conflict. Kessiloff was an attorney as in my own example, although it who, it is reported, was disbarred has nothing to do with Israel.” for slandering a judge. He lived Anyone with additional alone and there is no record of information or information Eulogy given at the Funeral any surviving relatives. In the last confirming or disconfirming the of Yehuda Witenoff held in the years of his life he drove a taxi. above, is requested to advise the Kiryat Tivon Cemetery on October Ed did, at one time, Newsletter editor so that a more 31, 2005. Yehuda was born March complete a questionnaire for the complete and fitting obituary may 29, 1924. AVI archive. The following is taken be composed. from that response as summarized We have come together today to by Ralph Lowenstei. Izzi Shlam, Army say farewell to out father, Yehuda. Edward Kessiloff was It is too difficult to sum up the life Izzi Shlam of Fort born in Kiev, Russia on May 10, of a man in a few words. Everyone Lauderdale, FL who served in the 1927. He was living in Winnipeg, present has known Yehuda from IDF during the War of Independence Canada, when he volunteered for different aspects of his life; however passed away on April 13, 2004. Israel. He said he served in the we all have something of him within His wife, Leah, survives him. We Canadian armed forces, but did ourselves. have not been able to retrieve any not say which branch. He arrived If I have to describe my additional information. in Israel on July 14, 1948, and was father’s life in one word, I would assigned to the 72nd Battalion. say CHALUTZ. He was a Zionist; He later served in heavy mortars he helped settle the land of Israel, 10 was one of the founders of Kibbutz Machal: The Forgotten Heroes Salsa, worked the land as a farmer and was active in guarding the The following article appeared in the members of the Hagana were training land as well. He was a man of e-newspaper www.israelinsider.com volunteers for the Israeli army. I work, and not just words. He was decided to wear my American Army fortunate to be part of a generation Yesterday I received an invitation uniform and had no problems crossing that founded the State of Israel, and from World Machal to participate in the border from Germany to France we will always be proud, and even the ‘Yom Hazikaron service’ to and continue by train to Marseilles. envious of the generation that did honour the memory of our 119 Fallen From there it was a short distance so much, with so little. He always Comrades. They came from all over to the camp . Upon arrival in Saint Jerome, looked forward, and despite the fact the world to lay down their lives for because of my Canadian papers, I was that he came from a poor family in the defence of Israel. They didn’t assigned to a group of English Montreal, and went to work at the have to come, yet they did, and they speaking volunteers. They came from age of 13, he was active in the youth died to allow us to live here as a all over the world, The United States, movement of Hashomer Hatzair. free people in the state of Israel. Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, He volunteered for the Canadian Air Soon after World War Two ended, and other English speaking countries. Force in WW2, as well as for Machal, many volunteers came to help in the They were mostly older than I and they and the Israeli Air Force during the Ishuv. Many worked on ships helping received me in their midst with great Israeli War of Independence. In to smuggle in Jews from Europe, warmth. They had many explanations addition he volunteered to serve mostly Holocaust survivors. of why they volunteered, but deep as a sailor on the refugee boat, the I am a Holocaust survivor and at the down all of us had the same feeling: Mala, which brought immigrants time when Israel became a sovereign “We Had A Need” to come and from Europe to Israel during the state, I was serving with the US defend our ancient homeland. It was period of the founding of the State Army in Germany as an interpreter. I as if a call echoing through all the of Israel. In later life, he devoted a was supposed to immigrate with my generations of Jews, came down great deal of time and thought to the father to Canada, but decided instead, to us from Mount Sinai. Most of us genealogy of our family and of the to volunteer to join the IDF. There were not religious people, but I heard Jewish people. were those who couldn’t understand that sentiment expressed by many of Father left us suddenly, but why I would risk my life after four the volunteers. There was one of us I recall that just recently the whole years of horrors in concentration who knew how to put into words: He family sat together in the Succah, and camps. “ You have done enough by just was our military instructor and taught I felt that he was terribly happy and surviving, let others do the fighting.” us how to handle weapons. He was proud of the accomplishments of his “ It is a lost cause anyway. Israel a tough looking man with a rugged children, and his 8 grandchildren. will not survive the onslaught of a face. He was much older than the rest We all pray that the day will come hundred million Arabs. Why do you of us, with greying hair, and those soon that we can say that there want to die now when you have who knew him called him Cappy. He is peace in the land, as we know survived the worst slaughter of was an American who served with the he wished for. He was a man that our people?” I couldn’t give them Marines during World War two. I never deeply loved his family, his land and a rational explanation. Perhaps did find out his name, as he remained his people. it was an irrational decision. in the camp after we left for Israel. Noam Witenoff in the names of All I knew was that I had to go. Tomorrow, at the ‘Zicharon his mother, Shulamit and his sisters It wasn’t until I met the Machal Service’ when the names of our fallen Hagar and Dina volunteers on the way to Israel, that I comrades will be read, I will remember understood why. After saying good bye Cappie’s speech, and think of Condolences to to my father and friends, I left for France. those who came from around the Shulamit Witenoff Members of the “Bricha”, mostly world to ‘Make the ultimate sacrifice’, 50 Oranim St. ex Palestinian soldiers of the Jewish for this country. We should never 36043 Kiryat Tivon Brigade, whom I met in Germany, forget them. directed me to a camp near Marseilles, Solly Ganor by name of Saint Jerome. There, 11 Letters To The Editor To the Editor: Bill Millman, who was steering like Bob, Raisa, Zvi, evoking the ship at the time, were in the scenes from Israel’s latter-day It was nice to receive the wheelhouse of the EXODUS 1947 conflicts in the Yom Kippur War AVI bulletin. I take my hat off when they were attacked by a (1973), and the Lebanon action in to all of you for continuing to group of British sailors. Bernstein 1982. In our rounds, we happily get the bulletin out. I know what was clubbed as he tried to hold encountered celebrated authors the problems are as we have this them off with a fire extinguisher. Ruth Gruber, and keynote speaker publishing house and, small or Bill Millman was shot in the jaw Dan Kurzman, who related the large, it takes a lot of work. as he struggled with one of the untold story of the four chaplains, A small correction: On sailors. As a result of the clubbing including Rabbi Good, who page 11 (Newsletter Summer Bill Bernstein received he died sacrificed their lives in order 2005) there was a photo and I was hours later of a fractured skull. to temporarily save others in a pleased to see it but the persons Frank Lavine doomed, torpedoed mission. in the photo are wrongly named In the main, however, AVI’s except for Yaacov ben Israel To the Editor: more than 400 active members (Yock) and Josh Lewis. From Left trace their heroics to Ha’apala (the to Right are Adrian Philips, Yock, On erev Shabbat, Anna and battles to create the State); several (sitting) Murray S. Greenfield, I received a gracious invitation were veterans of World War II; Hal Fineberg and Josh Lewis. from Paul Kaye to a pre-Hanukkah others were ferrying weapons (as I had a call from Harold Katz celebration at the B’nai Zion did our personal idol Paul); they asking who sent the picture and Building, 136 East 39 Street, were piloting Messerschmitts to the names. NYC, hosted by the American Tel Nof Air Base, acting as radar Just as an aside if anyone and Canadian Volunteers for technicians, artillery gunners, tank is interested in a copy of Stones of Israel (AVI), --- men and women commanders, even surgeons for the Middle Sea by Isaac Imber (see who answered the clarion call to eye wounds and burns. All were obituary of Imber in Newsletter fight so that the State Israel could directly, or otherwise involved Summer 2005, pages 14-15) be born and established between in populating Mandate Palestine Gefen Publishing published the 1946 and 1949. with immigrants in Aliya Bet, book and for $10 I will arrange to We were effusively greeted even sailing the clandestine, now have it mailed to anyone. by Paul and his wife Susan, in turn famous, “Exodus 1947.” After you read my typing being introduced to many among An afternoon highlight you will be pleased to know that the 60 attending, all of them was the DVD report on the visit our son runs the business these heroes and heroines, remembering of more than 200 AVI members to days and we have great editors. a youth spent serving their Zionist the campus of Florida University, Murray S. Greenfield ideals to bring the modern Jewish Gainesville, for the opening of Commonwealth into being: Jack a new museum exhibition to To the Editor: and Lillian Alson, Arthur Bernstein permanently display the saga of (incoming AVI president), Ira the North American volunteers in The Summer (2005) issue (AVI’s outgoing president) and Israel’s struggle for independence, of the AVI Newsletter, page 4, Yaffa Feinberg (with whom we November 20, 2005! (Kudos states that Bill Bernstein was shot share mutual friends Tina and to Dr. Ralph Lowenstein, AVI by a British soldier. To keep the Morris Erbesh), Samuel Klausner, archivist and museum project record straight, Bill Bernstein was Nat Nadler, Sidney Rabinovich, director, www.israelvets.com) the Second Mate on watch and Lola Sprinzeles; also volunteers The video’s poignant

12 segment was the inclusion of me, was an experienced fighter Dov was, indeed, in charge period songs, Paul and others pilot, Ed Kaplansky (see obituary of the mortars during the siege joined chanting their martial in Spring 2005 Newsletter). of Jerusalem, although in my spirit, echoing, after all, the In later years we became memory we had only one mortar. quintessential campaign that firm friends. A lot of people He may have moved it around in is Hanukkah represents, with were lucky to have Ed “take a taxis sometimes, but I remember High Priest Matathias and the load off their shoulders” in the him standing on a flatbed truck, Macabees. Both efforts concluded IDF Air Force. He never stopped the mortar next to him, as he with epic success? but not without contributing. Right down to the rushed from side to side of the city the requisite sacrifice of lives, very end he was getting history to give the enemy the impression many of them in their youth’s correct. that Jerusalem was surrounded flowering. Forty individuals, Arthur Bernstein by mortars. His truck had right- with photographs gave their last of-way over all other traffic in breath so that Israel may live and To the editor: Jerusalem. thrive. He is particularly outstanding for the day that he The mention of Dov Shugar rode around on his truck with his brings back many memories. Dov With every best wish, and index finger pointed upward. No was in the same Hebrew class high regard. Happy Hanukkah 5766! one could figure out if he was at the Hebrew University in the Sincerely, and with fraternal saying he had only more shell fall of 1947 as were my wife, affection, left, or whether he had knocked Frieda and myself. A gentle soul off one enemy, or whether he was and excellent teacher named Asher Matathias pointing to God (unlikely). Only Aharon Rosen taught the class. Vice President, MetroNorth later did we learn that a bullet Rosen wrote the classic Hebrew Region, B’B’ or shell fragment had grazed his textbook, Elef Miliim (A Thousand finger, and he was holding it up Words). When Rosen learned that To the Editor: in pride. the underground Jews in Russia My final memory of Dov is were secretly studying Hebrew, from our period defending Neve In early summer, 1947, using his book, he remarked to Yaakov, then a moshav outside of the Mossad assigned me to the me, in all seriousness, “Maybe it Jerusalem. We were instructed to Northland to reposition her is for this that I was born.” approach a suspicious house in the from southern France in the In any case, Dov Shugar Arab section and blow it up, and Mediterranean around the Iberian had even less Hebrew background then destroy the bridge that might Peninsula to Bayonne, France than I did (I had a least gone to bring in their reinforcements - all in the Bay of Biscay. Favorable afternoon Hebrew school for of this to be done by ten men with currents sped the offshore passage a while), and when he finally two rifles and three hand grenades but this required remaining alert mastered his first phrase, he used (not each). Both Dov and myself so as not to drift onto the beach. it on every occasion, suitable were in the group assigned this My only experienced watch or not. The phrase (in a deep task. However, just as we were officer was a former Italian Southern accent) was “Mah atah ready to set out, the yoreh (the first submarine commander and he rotzeh memeni - dam?” (“What rains) came. The heavens opened couldn’t navigate a toothpick in a do you want from me - blood?”). and cancelled our assignment, washbasin. Fortunately, we had a Whenever Rosen prodded Dov and we were told we would be fair-haired young Canadian aboard to come up with the correct taken back to Jerusalem the next who appeared to understand word or translation of a word, morning. As a consequence, we navigation and he took a load he invariably received the same gave a big farewell party, at which off my shoulders. That quiet and answer, delivered proudly. unassuming lad was, unknown to all the Palmach songs were sung 13 over and over. Being unfamiliar with the songs, and bored with the proceedings, and having had a bit too much wine, Dov stood at attention on his bed and started singing “Dixie.” As an Atlantan, I, of course, also came to attention on the top of my bed and joined in. However, Dov was the focus of attention because he had begun to prepare for bed, and as he stood there - tall as he was - he did not realize that he was naked. Dov and I have written to each other once since those days, but we have never met again.

(Save your Confederate money, From time to time, the over one hundred miles from the Dov. The South will rise again). Newsletter publishes biographical nearest deli, his Mother was able material on Mahal volunteers, to keep a kosher home during the P.S. Mickey Marcus’ cover name especially accounts of their High Holy Days. Both parents was David Stone - not Mickey military or Aliya Bet service. Ira were strong influences on young Stone. (How picayune can I get?) Feinberg prepared this sketch Harold. At its height, some of Harold Shugar, currently of fifteen Jewish families comprised David Macarov Loudonville, NY. the Jewish community of Tarboro who prayed, celebrated, and raised their young as Jews. Jews had HAROLD BERNARD SHUGAR, 1923.... lived in Tarboro before the civil war but as the years went by the A Man of Curiosity, Mysticism, Jewish Community was reduced Luck, and Dedication considerably as the younger generation sought life beyond of Few stories of a lifetime Tarboro. and intensive involvement with Harold, tall in build, history are as adventure filled played basketball and football and poignant as that of Harold for Tarboro High School. In 1940 Bernard Shugar. Most of us are he entered The Citadel Military prone to letting others take the Academy, (The West Point of chances. Not Harold who made the South) where he studied and his own lot and decided one day remained for three years. He was to be a part of history, and not an a member of the varsity boxing observer. team, welterweight division at Harold Shugar was born 145 pounds and a member of in Tarboro, North Carolina April the International Relations Club, 10, 1923, a small agricultural showing his proclivity toward town, the son of an orthodox world events. In September 1943, Jewish father. Although located Harold and the entire Citadel class

14 enlisted en mass into service. Harold chose the United States Navy where he served during WW II. After his third year at the Citadel, the Navy sent him to the University of South Carolina for one semester. He was then transferred to Northwestern Midshipman School in Chicago, where in May 1944, he received his commission as an Ensign in the Navy. From the time he was commissioned, he served aboard a ship throughout the war. He was immediately assigned to a PY (patrol yacht), with his homeport Boston and whose task was to patrol the North Atlantic, off the coast of the United States. His ship was armed with a 75 mm, two 50- caliber machine guns, depth charges, sonar and radar, a fully operational anti-submarine ship except there was no deck armor and no watertight compartment. where he was promoted to Lt. troops home. His last assignment It was really not suited for the Junior Grade. When the war was in 1946, when he volunteered North Atlantic. Once his ship ended, his ship took part in Magic for the Atomic bomb tests at joined with destroyers to hunt Carpet operation, bringing the Bikini. There, he witnessed the for a Nazi submarine wolf pack. On an anti-submarine patrol in February 1945, his ship was caught in a hurricane in the North Atlantic. The waves towered over the ship and Harold estimates the waves were some 60 feet high. His ship was in a giant trough with the clinometer registering a 65-degree roll. It was so cold that salt water froze on deck. Because the ship had no deck armor and a low center of gravity, it was able to right itself, although losing the lifeboat and stack. Immediately after Germany surrendered, he was transferred to the Pacific arena stationed out of Pearl Harbor 15 two nuclear detonations. The first 1947 studying Hebrew and the Arab patrol in their sector. At was from the air. The second, Humanities. He felt being there was this time, the Haganah worked under water, make the strongest his destiny. A short time after he with small groups. Girls would impression. A geyser of water enrolled at the University and not carry handguns under their skirts rose over one mile high into the far from where he was domiciled to different locales, as men would air and was shaped like a long the tragedy that happened at frequently be searched. Word was stem wine glass. He estimates Sheikh Jarrah severely affected received that a group of Arabs were the geyser remained aloft for him. Fifty Doctors and Nurses on in the neighborhood. Harold and five or six minutes. Bikini atoll, their way to Hadassah Hospital his comrades were deployed in that beautiful paradise measuring on Mt. Scopus were ambushed the yard. Harold heard footsteps several miles in length and and killed by a Palestinian Arab and observed a group of ten Arabs home to 150 natives, living off militia. This was the same trotting along the lot line some of coconuts and fish, is still hot route Harold took to the Hebrew ten feet away. He was armed (radioactive) after 59 years. The University. The British, whose with a Sten (submachine) gun grandchildren of the natives duty was to separate the Arabs and waited for the order to fire. wish to return but this will never and Jews, and by so doing protect None was forthcoming. After be. Shortly thereafter he was both groups from warring against the Arabs passed, Harold turned decommissioned honorably and each other. This, however, was around and found that his group meritoriously from the Navy. not the role the British carried had been recalled into the house Out of the navy Harold out as they clearly sided with the and he was alone. He patrolled decided he wanted to be a lawyer Arabs. The ambush at Mt. Scopus outside Jerusalem and observed where he was accepted and could have been prevented if the the convoys of many lorries enrolled at George Washington British had truly wanted to act (armored trucks) slowly climbing University Law School. Here impartially. An armored convoy, the road with Arabs firing from is where a major turn in his life with the High Commissioner both sides of the road with the would take place as he witnessed passed within two blocks of the lorries returning fire. Harold the impending conflict between firing and did nothing to stop likened the scene to American Arabs and Jews over the Palestine the massacre. When they finally Indians attacking a wagon train. question. Something in him decided to act, a couple of bursts A memorable experience comes connected with his heritage. It of machine gun fire stopped the to mind. One Friday evening on was a most mystical experience attack. the outskirts of Jerusalem, his for which he had no reasonable Riled up by his witnessing group constructed a campfire explanation. He questioned this mass murder of innocent and held services, which Harold himself as to “why he was a Jew” medical professionals, Harold found very moving. From the and experienced a calling instinct left his studies at the university, higher elevation he observed that something monumental was and joined the nascent Haganah. Arabs training in their villages about to happen, and he had to Jerusalem was divided then below Jerusalem. be there when it occurred. He between the Old City, Arabs and When the Old City was was drawn to go to Palestine to Jews, and the New City mostly about to fall and evacuations be there as history was surely to Jews. The Arabs attacked in both were taking place of all residents. be altered. Altered, hopefully in cities, and Harold was almost Shugar observed this sad and favor of his people. killed when a bomb exploded perilous movement where Jews Since the British were in on Ben Yehuda Street killing had lived for over two thousand control the only way to gain entry over 57 Jews. Arabs and Jews years. Glubb Pasha, a British into Palestine at that time, 1947, lived in separate neighborhoods Officer who commanded the Arab was with a student visa. Harold and each wanted to protect and Legion of Trans Jordan ordered secured a visa and enrolled at expand his area. Once, his group the seizing of the Old City and the Hebrew University in early of eight men heard there was an directed his troops to seize as 16 many prisoners as possible. A water. This saved Jerusalem. newest navy in the world. number of Jews escaped across Even during the shelling, water Hal was assigned to the Eilat the plain between the Old City trucks would distribute water (Northland) as a Gunney officer and Yemen Moshe. Jordanian throughout the city. Secondly, on the first Israeli warship. The Legionnaires fired from the the Jerusalem brigade of the Eilat had been a U.S. Coast ramparts of the Old City at them Palmach, aided by the presence Guard icebreaker and taken part but he observed no one being of Colonel Mickey Marcus, were in Aliyah Bet. On the Eilat, he hit. On the evening of the fall able to bypass the Arab Forces monitored and commanded a of the Old City, detonations by building a road through the 65 mm cannon, dating back to began destroying the first of hills surrounding Jerusalem into WW I. Additional armament 57 synagogues dating from the city while a periodic truce included two 20 mm anti-aircraft antiquity. With a shortage of was in place. Without heavy guns on the bridge, two machine manpower, presence of the weaponry, the Haganah had guns over the pilothouse, 40 British and no heavy weaponry, made three major attempts to mm bofars on the stern and a the Haganah could do nothing. open the existing road without quintuple hispano-switzer (anti- On April 15, 1948 the success. aircraft guns about 15 mm) British withdrew from the city Somehow, the Israelis amidships. On one occasion and of Jerusalem, leaving it the Jews discovered that Harold had been in a combat mode, Harold had to and Arabs to fight it out among an officer in the American Navy. de-breach his cannon manually themselves. The Haganah now At this time, there was no action catching each artillery piece, as came out into the open. Now now in Jerusalem. Naval service it was de-breached, and tossing they were able to organize had always been his favorite and each defective (duds) shells into companies instead of small when he was requested to join, the sea. groups of men and attacked the he did so. He was now prepared To his knowledge, the Arab positions. At that time, to enter another phase of his Eilat was the first Jewish ship there were three 81 mm mortars service to Israel by enlisting in to take offensive action since in Jerusalem, which constituted the embryonic Israeli Navy. The the days of King Solomon. the heavy weaponry. Because Israelis felt that an officer of a His ship shelled the port of of his previous knowledge of rank of Lt. Junior Grade in the Tyre, bombarding the enemy weaponry, Harold was given Unites States Navy would be in Lebanon and then with a command of one of the mortars, sorely welcomed to its ranks. flotilla of three ships entered supporting the attacks and With Jerusalem liberated into combat off the coast of the responding to Arab shelling of Harold made his way to Tel Negev bombarding the invading Jerusalem. Aviv via the recently opened Egyptian army. On one occasion Using archeological but uncompleted Burma Road. an Egyptian flown spitfire off of research reflecting back to Incredibly, he witnessed a Tel Aviv strafed him. Sailors biblical times, two decisions terrible tragedy on the shores of under his command were killed were made. Since the water Tel Aviv, the battle challenging and wounded. With the gunner pumping station was in the the arrival of the Altalena. This on the 20 mm killed, Hal Arab sector and although the ship was loaded with arms for the personally took over the firing of UN guaranteed it would be safe Irgun Zvai Leumi, the revisionist an anti-aircraft gun. Unhappily, guarded, the Jews wisely did not sector of the Zionist movement a bullet from the aircraft hit the believe them. Surely enough, founded by Jabotinsky. magazine disabling the weapon. the Arabs blew up the pumping In Tel Aviv, Shugar met Harold had the aircraft in his station. Before this happened, with Paul Shulman, an Annapolis sights and is certain that had the underground cisterns, Graduate, who was asked by the weapon been operational, he dating from biblical times, Ben Gurion to organize, acquire would shot down the spitfire. were cleansed and filled with sailing vessels, and train the After all hostilities ended, 17 Harold received a discharge year while the Jewish population SYMPOSIUM continued from pg. 1 from the navy and returned to the has grown from around three and United States. He then enrolled half to five million. The orientation in law school only to rediscover Mahal and AVI continue with of the olim has shifted from liberal that this was not his calling. He the American boys who come to and labor to orthodox, including then entered the construction join Zahal. It did not end with us numbers of haredim who’s views field and was known amongst who came in ’48. We did nothing are anything but supportive of the his professional peers for his extraordinaire for a young Jew secular State. excellent reputation as a chief at that time. We are not a breed It was to this diverse estimator and project manager. apart but a part of the Jewish community that the recruiters for His wife Sally Hope Shugar nation who should be in Israel. the Haganah and aliya bet turned of 46 years of marriage sadly in 1947-1948. Some volunteers passed away in 2002. Harold Shalom, were already in the aliya pipeline, is a proud grandfather of three Raphael ben Yosef some in hachshara or seeking grandchildren, and the father of professional employment in Israel, two very successful sons, Dr. A backround comment by the when hostilities broke out. They Joel Shugar an Ophthalmologist editor: were the most likely to remain after from Florida and Daniel Shugar, the War of Independence. Others president of a large Solar Energy Both the followers of responded to a sense of Jewish company in California. Herzl and Hovevei Tsiyon at the peoplehood, diaspora nationalism Harold Shugar adds the first Zionist Congress agreed (sort of Dubnowian), secular following personal statement. that aliya was fundamental to the Yiddishism, Zionist sympathy or Having been overseas, I know Zionist movement and an essential a kind of tiqqun olam in aiding the blessings of living in the measure of commitment to Jewry. the DPs. Few of these remained. United States. I have had the At the time much of the orthodox Others were drawn in for their privilege of being present at the religious community dissented technical expertise with little birth of the State of Israel, a from this view as did organizations relation to their ideology much like prophesy of the bible fullfilled in such as the Reform Movement the Christian volunteers. Typically, our lifetime. I have participated and later the Bund and the Jewish members of the latter two groups in two wars, WW II and the War Territorial Association, to name had little Jewish education and for Israeli Independence. I have a few. Leaders of the Vaad Leumi varied greatly in the extent to which been bombed, shelled, machine of the Yishuv and early leaders of Judaism was part of their lives. gunned and strafed. My mortar the State, including Ben Gurion, Over half of the returnees had no exploded on one occasion when strongly advocated for the centrality interest in continuing a fellowship I was not present, killing the of aliya, After the Holocaust the through an organization such as entire gun crew. My position call for aliya became even more the AVI. was destroyed by a car bomb. insistent. The politically divided SZK I have had a loving wife, two American Zionist movements only wonderful sons, who have weakly advocated for aliya but Comments: beautiful families and three they tended to have small groups handsome grandsons. I consider of youth within them who saw their Raphael Ben Yosef myself a most fortunate person future in Palestine. This possibility PO Box 110 and count my blessings. hardly entered the mind of the vast Givat Shmuel 54100 majority of American Jews. Israel Israel (See Macarov letter on Shugar immigration records show that the in Letters to the Editor) number of American olim from Dear Raphael, 1919 to the present has regularly hovered between 2000 to 3000 per Thank you for your letter 18 of July 18, 2005. Where I respect every waking moment wherever Jewish heart whose motive mainly your opinion and your zeal and they are, in Israel or in the galut. was to help fellow Jews in a time love of Israel, I beg to differ with Please consider your of need. Although there were your view. decision and renew your some Zionist youth group cadres, Not everyone who membership. We need you. We especially in Aliyah Bet, this was participated in Israel’s War of welcome you. the exception. American “Zionist” Independence, or who performed youth, for the most part, sat on their an outstanding service prior to or Sincerely yours hands. So, in fact, the minuscule during, or after the war, may have Ira A Feinberg number of men and women who had the inclination to settle in President, AVI risked life and citizenship were Israel. This is very personal choice, “extraordinaire.” and one should not be condemned or thought less of because of The prospects of Aliya, or I greatly admire Raphael that choice. Nor does that choice being recruited to serve on Aliya ben Yoseph, because he not only change the fact that when Israel Bet Ships or volunteering to serve volunteered, but also devoted needed us we were there. We are in the Israeli Armed Forces during the rest of his life to building the different from the millions of Jews The Israeli War of Independence Jewish State. I believe only a who did not answer the call when of 1948/49 are associated with few hundred of the Aliya Bet and the Jewish People needed them. many motives and considerations, Mahal veterans did likewise. The What our AVI’s contributed depending on the background rest came back to their families, cannot be reduced by one iota and affiliations of the individuals jobs or university educations, as because they did not remain in in political, religious or family they had planned to do all along. Israel. Many of us went on to upbringings, their ideology as contribute to Israel’s welfare and well as their nationalistic feelings. Raphael represents a security in other ways. Many of Being a member of AVI/ Machal disconnect between chalutzim us simply moved on with our lives does not require that its members and North American Jews that and families. Our organization, become Olim, remain or return goes back to Aliya Aleph. The which is winding down by a to settle in Israel. The matter of chalutzim cannot believe that there fatal act of nature is not for self- Aliya is a personal choice and is any country outside Eretz Yisrael aggrandizement nor for looking for consideration of the individual, where Jews can achieve on their kudos and admiration. It represents depending on his or her convictions own merits and not face eventual a group of men and women who and ideological motivations. If if not imminent destruction. band together to remember their Raphael Ben Yosef does not want AVI is not and never was buddies, who did not return, and to renew his membership in AVI, a Zionist organization. It is a to care for each other as comrades, why did it take him this long to fraternal organization for a fast- and to celebrate each year the joy declare his thought about it? disappearing band of brothers and of knowing that we took part in sisters who did in 1948 what their such a key moment in Jewish David Hanovice contemporaries did not do. I hope History together. Raphael will reconsider our role, Many of us have family when compared to the 5 million in Israel. I have a son, and two I have more than 400 other Jews in America in 1948, grandchildren who live in Israel. detailed questionnaires on the and not diminish our ranks further Our love for Israel and for our approximately 1,200 Americans by resigning. families is unbreakable. I hope and Canadians who volunteered for you will be more tolerant, more Aliya Bet and Mahal. Relatively Ralph Lowenstein respectful, and more caring of few were active Zionists at the your fellow machalniks who are time. Excluding the Christians, Aliya was not the main with you and the people of Israel they were young people with a motivation or even the issue facing 19 North Americans who put their there is enough glory to go hundred Machalniks made lives on hold and rallied to Israel’s around. They deserve the thanks their home in Israel. Many held defense during the struggle for and remembrance of all of us. strong Zionist views and settled independence. Yet, it was sad and Perhaps, as ben Yosef in Kibbutzim. Others overcame disappointing that after the war hints, those of us who stayed in severe hardships and carved out more Machalniks did not choose Israel should have formed our lives in the cities. But a majority, to remain on, or to return later, to own organization with reunions, Zionists included, felt compelled give life to the nascent state they news bulletins, etc. However, with to return to their countries of had helped to create. Aliya is a the exception of small groups, we origin driven it seems by the very personal matter: not everyone really did not (and still do not) economic hardships and difficulty is willing or able to commit to the know one another, and besides, we in conforming to the particularities challenges involved. Statistics are now members of the Veterans of Israel’s melting pot. Possibly, aside, each individual oleh in this of the Hagana, or other such had there been a focused effort small country counts just by being groups, which is enough for us. to absorb them, more might have here and can be counted upon to On the other hand, the AVI-- remained. Israel’s policy makers in make a difference. The role of AVI -especially through its Newsletter 1949 were absorbed with daunting and other World Machal affiliates -- does a useful service in issues relating to absorption should now be to encourage young unearthing and publishing stories, of immigrants, shortages of all people, in the Machal tradition, incidents, and personal accounts kinds and getting the economy to make Israel the focus of their that would otherwise have been running in addition to defense Jewish identity - enhancing their lost to history. In a comparatively matters. Machal veterans endured lives and also giving our middle- short time there will be no more economic hardships, as did others aged state a renewed lease on life, American Veterans of Israel. Let who had come to Israel. However, geared to potential olim in the 21st us postpone the discussion until whereas others had nowhere century. then. else to go, for many Machalniks there was a “back home” that Zipporah Porath David Macarov beckoned with opportunities for study, employment, business and professional advancement coupled The extent, basis, and Considering that aliyah, or with a comfortable standard of range of Israelis’ feelings about the return of Jews to their ancestral living and familiar culture. Once yordim (as well as Jews who do homeland, is a tenet of the Zionist home they settled down to deal not live in and/or have never vision it is not surprising that the with the mundane issues of living. visited Israel) has never been writer of the letter finds it enervating A good number made Aliyah later empirically investigated or that so many Machalniks, devoted on, but the majority chose to analyzed, and is probably as Zionists among them, did not support the State of Israel without various as many other individual remain in Israel after 1948 and did uprooting their families or leaving attitudes. Ben Yosef’s letter not return to Israel on Aliyah. children and grandchildren. That expresses one person’s feelings It is an indisputable fact is the human condition, like it or in this regard, and is subjective that many Machal volunteers were not. and therefore understandable. not Zionists and settling in Israel We can rationalize away However, when we speak was not built into their personal the aliyah issue or express self- of people who gave up their time, agenda, whereas defending the righteous indignation as much their families and their careers Jewish State was. They came to as we like, the fact remains that to put themselves in danger in help with the idea of returning the Galut is part of our people’s order to help establish the State home when it was “over, over psyche and history far back in of Israel, and who never came there”. biblical antiquity and it won’t be with the expectation of staying, Nevertheless several waved away. There was a Jewish 20 Diaspora even after the return BRIGADES continued from pg. 24 replacing of foreign volunteers by from Babylonian exile and there Spanish conscripts. was a large Jewish Diaspora in Another battalion, Mackenzie- The proportion of Jews the days of the second temple Papineau (Two Canadian anti- among the volunteers was as we read about the sizable and British rebels in 1837), consisted relatively very high, about one influential Jewish communities of Canadian and US volunteers. fifth, partly because the rebels that dotted the Mediterranean Turning to numbers, it were allies of the Nazis, partly basin. Then as today it improved seems that the total number of because of the political tendency the prospect of Jewish survival volunteers in the International of many Jews towards the in a threatening world and offers Brigades was around 35,000. left. Especially high was their strategic opportunity obvious to However, considering different proportion among the medical any thinking person. arriving and leaving times and corps - about 70%. There was Si Spiegelman the toll of the war, not much even a Jewish Company, which more than a half of this number was called Naftali Botwin (a was active at any given moment. Polish Communist Jew who was When the war approached its end executed in 1925), in the Polish the number was even smaller. Battalion, 13th Brigade. BERNSTEIN continued from pg. 1 There were about 7000 Another conspicuous French volunteers, 1600 Dutch contingent was of intellectuals: and Belgian, 5000 Poles, 5000 writers, poets, philosophers, Joseph Warner Germans and Austrians, 3000 from artists, journalists. Or, the US, 2000 from Great Britain, as a Canadian volunteer Joseph Warner served in the and 1600 from Yugoslavia. Some “complained”: “Everybody was Canadian Air Force during WWII hundreds came from each of a there but Shakespeare.” For after graduating from the University number of other countries such these intellectuals this was an of Toronto. He was trained as a as Switzerland, Palestine (almost opportunity for fighting aside Wireless Air Gunner on bombers. all of them Jews), Canada, Italy, working-class, a situation not ined the Machal volunteers, but the Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and natural in their countries of origin. Israel Air Force had no bombers Hungary. There were soldiers Some of them were killed, such as mounted with weapons requiring from about 50 countries. Even the British Christopher Caudwell, his skills. Joe joined the 5th troop- some “white” (anti-Communist) John Cornford and Ralph Fox. anti-tank regiment of the Artillery Russians volunteered, hoping Arthur Koestler described Brigade. The unit provided anti-tank this act would facilitate their Spain as almost a branch of firepower in support of the Givati returning home. Some volunteers Greenwich Village. Numerically, Brigade’s actions at Faluja, Iraq came from Ethiopia, which was the working-class was es-Suweidan and other points in the occupied then by Fascist Italy. predominant. The most famous South of the country - all of which There were six French among them were Andre Malraux, led to the encirclement and defeat (or French - Belgian) battalions, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway of the Egyptian units in the Negev. two German, one Austrian, and Arthur Koestler. Koestler and Hungarian, Bulgarian, Italian, Hemingway had never been in the After the war Joe built a career in British, Czechoslovakian, Brigades. Orwell and Malraux the corporate world working for the Polish, Yugoslavian, one Polish- fought in separate units. Most of Pfizer Corporation. He ran Pfizer’s Hungarian-Yugoslavian, one the volunteers, though not all of business in Israel for 12 years in spite “mixed”, one from the Balkans, them, were Communist but many of the Arab boycott in effect at the one Yugoslavian-Albanian, and of the others were politically time. He retired from the company one Latin American. There were leftist. Some of the volunteers in 1995 after 40 years of service. many changes in this pattern, and were graduates of working-class one important change was the struggles in their own countries, 21 such as “Hunger Marches”, formal military structure, there winter 1936/7. At the same time strikes and other conflicts with was also a structure of Communist other volunteers fought in Lopera, the authorities. For them, fighting cells in every unit. near Cordoba. The Brigades also in Spain seemed as continuing Regarding fighting, the participated in the battles around their struggles of the past. Such Spanish Civil War was one of the Madrid such as those of Jarama was, for example, a group of hardest and cruelest of the 20th Valley, Guadalajara, Brunete and militant Welsh miners. Others, century. Massacres, rapes and Terual. These lasted from the many Jews among them, fought executions, including of POWs, winter of 1937-37 to the winter the Spanish Nationalists because gave the impression that both of 1937-38. the rebels were allies of Hitler sides read The Hague Convention Meanwhile, the number of and Mussolini. These volunteers rules quite superficially. The volunteers decreased substantially came to stop the Fascism before it rebels’ behavior, in particular, with time, partly because was too late. Few volunteers were was as “an occupying army information on the treatment of adventurers. whose soldiers accidentally have volunteers made its way back During the first months the the same nationality and language to the home countries. Also, the International Brigades had some of the occupied.” Volunteers course of the war went against characteristics of a democratic who perhaps imagined Spain in the Republicans and undermined army. Commanders were called terms of an ever-sunny country the enthusiasm of potential “comrade;” there were no were disappointed to realize, like volunteers. The International salutes, and informal manner was the soldiers at the Italian front Brigades participated in two common. Gradually, all these a few years later, how awful unsuccessful Republican attacks characteristics vanished. Separate winters follow horrible summers. at the Ebro front, in summer dining rooms (and menus), ranks Worse than that, incompetent 1937, and in summer 1938. The and other formalities, strict commanders sent the Republican latter was the last Republican discipline, including executions, soldiers, who were frequently attack of the war. While this replaced the democratic spirit. poorly equipped and armed, both attack took place, Juan Negrin, As a volunteer put it, since he absolutely and compared to the the Republican PM declared that crossed the Spanish border, he Nationalists, to the battlefield. the foreign volunteers will be sent felt a conscript, not a volunteer Hence, from Republican point home. Even after this declaration anymore. In addition, in 1937 of view the war was generally a some volunteers could not get out the International Brigades were sequence of defeats and retreats. of the battlefield and continued merged into the Spanish army and In addition, sometimes the to fight. Among the about 10,000 were to follow its rules. However, international Brigades were used volunteers who remained at this the separate structure of the as “shock troops” in the more stage, most of those who could International Brigades continued. dangerous or critical points of the return, for example citizens of the A unique (and problematic) front and at the most critical and Democracies, left Spain. Many of characteristic of the Brigades dangerous times. About one fifth the others, who had no welcoming was the sharing of the command of the volunteers were killed, country to return to, such as between professional officers and and by adding injured, MIAs Germans or Italians, preferred to commissars. The commissars were and prisoners, the proportion of receive Spanish citizenship that responsible for the education, the casualties was almost a half. was offered them and continued moral and political correctness, In order to make Madrid fighting until the Republicans which meant following the “The Tomb of Fascism”, as were defeated. guidelines of the Communist Dolores Ibarruri, the general In spring 1939 the war party. Sometimes they also helped secretary of Spanish Communist ended. Republican refugees, in arranging supply and welfare Party declared, the international among them many volunteers, resources. In addition to the Brigades participated in the crossed the French border and commissars and in parallel to the successful defense of Madrid in stayed in camps under poor 22 conditions, a fact that took its toll Americans in the Spanish Civil Book Review in lives. War. Stanford University Press. It seems that history 1994. Liebreich, Fritz. Britain’s Naval sometimes sends us a “message in and Political Reaction to the Illegal a bottle,” which describes a near Crossman, Richard. The God Immigration of Jews to Palestine: disaster. Such was, for example, That Failed. Columbia University 1945-1948. London: Routledge, Bonaparte’s retreat from Acre, Press. 1950. 2005. which was portentous for a greater disaster in Russia. These DP Francis, Hywel. “Welsh Miners This is a thoroughly researched camps in south France, at a time and the Spanish Civil War.” academic treatment of the subject while the storm over Europe was Journal of Contemporary History. and duly footnoted and referenced. already gathering were a portent Vol. 5, No. 3. 177 - 191. 1970. Scholarly treatises such as this clarify of the 1940s. A new war was the history of our role. The author, now waiting for most of the volunteers. Hopkins, James K. Into the Heart a British subject, had lived I n Israel Madrid did not become the “The of Fire, The British in the Spanish and had served in the IDF Navy. The Tomb of Fascism”. Civil War. Stanford University work deals extensively with the legal The American volunteers in Press. Cal. 1998. tactics of both sides of the Aliyah Bet the Lincoln Brigade returned to “engagement.” He limits his research the United States and formed a Krammer, Arnold. “Germans to a few of the ships involved in the veterans organization. Unlike the against Hitler. The Thaelmann illegal immigration and interdiction. AVI that organization pursued the Brigade.” Journal of Contemporary Of interest to members of AVI is the political goals, which had sent the History. Vol. 4, No. 2. 65 - 83. treatment of the voyages of the Exodus, volunteers abroad. Since these 1969. Northland, Paducah and Paris. veterans are a dozen or so years From my perspective he has older than the AVI veterans, only Rosenstone. Robert A. “The Men done an admirable job of historical a small number survive today. of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion.” accuracy and documented British and Younger people sympathetic to The Journal of American History. American anti-Semitism for which their cause manage their office. Vol. 54. no. 2. 327 - 338. 1967. he gets two “Brownie points.” I do Editor. question some of his observations on the American political at the time. This Sugarman. Martin. Jews in the volume is a must read for Aliyah Bet Spanish Civil War. Jewish Virtual Bibliography researchers. Any reader will enjoy a Museum Library. 2004. belly laugh at several cited official Abidor. Mitch. The Naftali communiqués. Amusing was his Botwin Company. http://www. Zaagsma, Gerben. “Jewish discussion of the term “refoulment” marxists.org/subject/jewish/ Volunteers in The Spanish used to describe the deportation of botwin/introduction.htm Civil War. A case Study of the Exodus passengers and crew back to Botwin Company.” A dissertation Germany. The terms is not English but Beevor, Anthony. The Spanish Submitted as a partial fulfillment of French origin Lewis Carroll said, in Civil War. 1982 (Hebrew of MA degree requirements in Through the Looking Glass and What Translation: Yavneh Pub. Tel Yiddish studies. University of Alice Found There, “Speak in French Aviv. 2004). London. 2001. when you can’t think of the English for the thing.” Brome, Vincent. The International When this mariner looks back Brigades. Heinemann. London. to those days long ago there were many 1965. Alice-in-wonderland events.

Carroll, Peter N. The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Arthur Bernstein 23 The International Brigades in Spain We have had an interest in life was desperately unstable. An committed for a non-intervention comparative studies of volunteers unsuccessful and short democratic policy, closed the Spanish border, for the military in countries experience in the 1930’s ended the volunteers were forced to other their own. A few years violently in July 1936. The infiltrate in the night over the back, we published an article on Nationalists, which included Pyrenees. This was a hard, foreign Arab volunteers for the the clergy, the Royalists and the dangerous, and for hundreds, a Palestinian cause in 1947-49. landowners, supported by some costly way. The Mediterranean Here Benny Gshur, currently a elite units of the army, rebelled option was also dangerous due to doctoral student at the Hebrew against the government of left and Italian submarines. University writing a dissertation center parties. Germany and Italy The volunteers were on Machal, reviews foreign quickly and effectively supported concentrated in Albacete where volunteers in the Spanish Civil the rebellion. The regime that was they received basic training, which War. Editor. constituted by the rebels differed was limited by lack of training The 20th century has from that of Germany and Italy ammunition. The commander seen several mass volunteering but was called “Fascist” by its of Albacete was Andre Marty, movements in support of one side opponents. It was authoritarian a French Communist who was or the other in conflicts outside but did not have the ideological responsible for bloody purges of their homelands. For example, base of the Fascist parties. hundreds of the volunteers. volunteers, mostly from Sweden Hundreds of volunteers Most of the volunteers supported Finland in the Winter came spontaneously to support the served in brigades numbered 11 War with Russia. Perhaps the most government (The Republicans). to 15. Each brigade consisted of famous volunteering movement By chance, some of them were 3-4 battalions, some hundreds of was that of the International already there, as participants in soldiers in each. Each battalion Brigades in the Spanish Civil alternative Olympic games that had a dominant language and a War. There should be some déjà took place in Barcelona in order unique name and type, which vu for readers familiar with the to protest against Berlin’s. The was a derivative of its national experience of Machal. Aside number of such spontaneous origin. For example, one of the from the recruiting center (Paris), volunteers was probably a few French battalions was called the recruiters and recruits faced thousands. Some later joined the “Commune de Paris”. The Italian the problems of illegal recruiting, International Brigades, or were battalion was called, of course, clandestine transportation or used as a nucleus for new units. “Garibaldi.” Two battalions of blocked borders. Sometimes the Others preferred not to join. volunteers from the US were solutions were almost the same A short time after the called “Abraham Lincoln” and as those arrived at by recruits to rebellion, the Communist parties “George Washington”. The two Machal. around the world, coordinated US battalions were merged Despite the fact that some by the Comintern, began to later, after they suffered heavy Zionists and Communists had organize volunteers to support casualties. These were the first close relations, I have not found the Republicans. The units of American units in which black yet any transfer of ideas from the these volunteers who joined the soldiers served as equal with International Brigades organizers Republicans army were called “whites” and even as commanders, to Machal organizers. Zionist “The International Brigades”. The such as Oliver Law, who was the recruiters faced these problems center of the recruiting activities commander of Lincoln until he as if they were unique. was in Paris and the volunteers was killed in Brunete. Since the Napoleonic were sent to Spain by trains or occupation of Spain in the early boats. A little later, since France, 19th century Spanish political which was one of the powers BRIGADES continued on pg. 21 24