WINTER 2005 WINTER 2005 - THE AVI NEWSLETTER AMERICAN VETERANS OF ISRAEL VOLUNTEERS IN ISRAEL’S WAR OF INDEPENDENCE UNITED STATES & CANADA VOLUNTEERS 136 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016 President’s Message He Deserted the British Book Review: Machal Army to Fight for Israel in the Eyes of History I am most grateful to the AVI board Kit Wilkes-Chase, a non-Jewish Ha’Machal, Mitnadvei Chutz of directors for the honor bestowed British serviceman, was assigned to L’Aretz b’Milchemet Ha’Atzmaut on me in electing me as President of guard prisoners at Atlit in 1947. Ap- (Machal, the Overseas Volunteers in our organization. To the membership palled by the treatment of these Ho- the War of Independence), by Yaacov at large I proffer a pledge to do my locaust survivors, he abandoned his Markovitsky, is among the collection utmost in fulfilling our post and offered his services to the of War of Independence articles by dif- organization’s agenda and objec- Haganah. With the formation of the ferent authors in Alon Kadish’s book tives. IDF, he was sent to the commando Milchemet Ha’Atzmaut. An overview The major challenge I see this unit, Chayot Hanegev, where he of the book and reviews of several ar- coming year is in keeping us unified fought to stem the Egyptian advance ticles appeared in the Summer 2004 and focused to accomplish our mis- on Tel Aviv. Wilkes-Chase also par- AVI Newsletter. The Fall Newsletter sion, in spite of our ever-diminish- ticipated in battles to conquer contained a review of Markovitsky’s ing numbers. We want to ensure that Beersheba and the skirmishes around Gachal article. others will perpetuate our legacy Eilat. He was wounded twice. Markovitsky is also the acknowl- edged author of the Machal booklet, when we are no longer here. (Wilkes-Chase continued on p.14) I envision the mission of our or- published a few years earlier by Israel’s Ministry of Education. Those who’ve ganization as ensuring that the Jew- read either the English or Hebrew ver- ish community is made fully aware sion may recall that Zipporah Porath, of our role in the creation and de- Joe Woolf and yours truly are thanked fense of the State of Israel. That the for “their contributions” and for “help ideals and spirit that led us to fight in editing.” When trying to compare in the defense of the Jewish people the two, I thought the article more akin be remembered and emulated when- to his draft of the booklet before the ever our people are endangered. involvement of the “contributors,” than In my vision I see a place for AVI to the finally published product. I also in the Conference of Presidents of Gen. Zvika Gendelman of Israel found it odd that the Machal booklet the Major Jewish Organizations Embassy in London presents is not referred to at all in his article, where we could call on the Jewish certificate to Mrs. Wilkes-Chase although it contains references to other communities to act vigorously in Markovitsky works - and some of its defending the Jewish People and the passages were apparently taken from State of Israel in these threatening his booklet almost verbatim. times Also odd is that his article begins During my tenure in 2005 I will with an obviously non-Machal morsel, which has it that over 20,000 of all encourage and provide focus to: those mobilized in the War of Indepen- 1. Supporting the AVI Newsletter dence were “new immigrants who and the Newsletter Website, the prin- were trained and organized in Europe cipal means of communication and in the Cyprus camps,” and “most among our members. arrived after British rule ended on 15 President’s Message continued on p. 14) Kit Wilkes-Chase Book Review (continued on p.15) 1 WINTER 2005 - THE AVI NEWSLETTER American Veterans of Israel ANNUAL BUDGET AND CASH FLOW PLAN 136 E. 39 Street YEAR ENDING 12/31/05 New York, NY 10016-0914 BEGINNING BANK BALANCE-2005 $16,500 Officers and Executive Board Machal Pamphlet Reserves 4550 President Life Membership Reserves 3500 Ira Feinberg 201 886 1188 Archives Donations 750 TOTAL ALLOCATED FUNDS 8,800 Vice President Bill Gelberg 561 278 7392 BEGINNING BALANCE (1/1/05)- FREE CASH 7,700 Executive Director Simon Spiegelman 212 685 8548 [email protected] PROJECTED INCOME-2005 Membership Dues 7000 Treasurer Transfer from Life Membership Reserves 1700 David Gerard 631 499 4327 Transfer from Machal Pamphlet Reserves 2000 Vice Presidents Archives Donations (Released from 2004 donations) 750 Canada: Jerry Rosenberg Hanukkah Contributions (Attendants) 500 416 787 7632 Machal Pamphlet Sales 600 USA Regions Northeast: Paul Kaye Newsletter Subscriptions 1000 718 428 2465 TOTAL INCOME –2005 $13,550 Southeast: Irving Meltzer 561 637 5874 PROJECTED EXPENSES-2005 West: Bailey Nieder 206 722 8197 Newsletter Printing and Mailing 5000 Midwest: Ben Hagai Steuerman Museum Inauguration and West Point National Events 2000 773 935 0802 Computer Supplies & Service 500 Directors Postage, Printing & Copies 1000 Newsletter, Internet and Trustees Telephone & Conference Calls 800 Committee: Hanukkah Event 600 Samuel Z. Klausner 215 473 6034 West Point & Parade 500 [email protected] Contribution to Archives Account (new) 1000 Archives and Museum Transfer to Archives Account (Members Donations from 2004) 750 Ralph Lowenstein 352 392 6525 TOTAL EXPENSES- 2005 $12,500 352 393 6670 FAX [email protected] PROJECTED ENDING BALANCE (12/31/05)- Speakers Bureau: FREE CASH 9,100 Naomi Kantey 201 489 3809 Activities and Membership PLANNED RESERVES ALLOCATIONS- END 2005 David Hanovice (USA) Machal Pamphlet Distribution 2550 201 224 3551 Life Membership Reserve 1800 Joe Warner (Canada) 416 497 0140 Archives Donations (Estimated for Year 2005) 1000 Art Bernstein (Museum) TOTAL ALLOCATED RESERVES- END 2005 $5,350 978 532 6956 PROJECTED BANK BALANCE- END 2005 $14,450 Representative to World Machal Zippy Porath [email protected] Dave Gerard Websites Si Spiegelman http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~sklausne/ 1/13/2005 aviweb.html http://www.israelvets.com 2 WINTER 2005 - THE AVI NEWSLETTER NEW YORK AVI HANUKKAH OBSERVANCE 2004 On Sunday, December 12, 2004, take a harder stand in combating the Machal tribute on the Intrepid AVI in New York held its annual anti-Semitism in the world, particu- and her assistance in distributing Hanukkah celebration at the Bnai larly in view of the deepening threat the Machal pamphlet. As a token Zion hall. As in years past, old com- of countries in the Middle East con- of appreciation she was presented rades got together to exchange fam- doning terror. with the Silver State of Israel medal ily updates, swap old tales and The guest speaker was Ravit Bar- remembering Clandestine Immi- commiserate as the years take their Av, Chief Information officer at the gration. toll. Nevertheless, nothing stopped Israel Consulate General in New Ruth Gruber concluded the pro- them from enjoying a great brunch, York, who spoke of the improved gram with a talk about her life and lighting the Hanukkah candles and outlook for negotiations with the work as an acclaimed and prolific joining in song. Palestinians in view of Arafat’s de- author even to this day. She spoke It was also an opportunity to in- parture from the scene. She was of the importance of persistence troduce our incoming president, Ira guardedly optimistic about the and dedication as values in life. Feinberg, who spoke about his pro- practically nil possibilities of peace Two of her books were available gram for the coming year. (See Ira’s while he was alive. to the attendees. message in this issue of the News- Si Spiegelman, Executive Direc- The guests took leave standing letter). He spoke of AVI’s opportu- tor, praised Ravit for her support around and chatting at the door un- nity to become more engaged in of AVI and reminded the audience til the last minute as another Ha- persuading other organizations to about her activities in organizing nukkah celebration came to a close. THE HANOVICE STORY: DAVID HANOVICE REMINISCES. For many U.S, and Canadian volunteers who served business. He became a U.S. citizen in 1912, and during in Aliyah Bet and in Machal the essence of their stories World War I participated in the war effort by working is the theme of a dual commitment. They served their as a carpenter and pipe fitter in the Houston area ship- country in the Second World War and participated in yards. When the war ended and Britain received a man- the struggle for the creation of a Jewish State. Nowhere date from the League of Nations to govern Palestine, were these ties more explicit than in the story of the Israel, who was an ardent Zionist, left for a visit to the Hanovice family. Holy Land. He toured the country from one end to the other on foot and by any means of transport available at PART I. QUIET TIMES the time. This led to his decision to settle and make a Israel Hanovice was born in Russia, in the Minsk prov- home for his family in Palestine. Tel-Aviv was in its ince, on Jan.10, 1884. Following the recurring pogroms infancy when he brought the family over and bought a he emigrated to the United States of America. He landed parcel of land near Jaffa. Here he constructed his house. in New York and settled in York, Pennsylvania where It was one of the early buildings in the city and it still he found work in the coalmines and other industries. stands today on Geula Street 30 serving as an annex to He married his first wife Sara around 1905 and they a school next door.