SPRING 2005 AMERICAN VETERANS OF ISRAEL VOLUNTEERS IN ISRAEL’S WAR OF INDEPENDENCE UNITED STATES & CANADA VOLUNTEERS 136 East 39th Street, New York, NY 10016 THE MIGHTY MA’OZ Sharon Recalls Machal before American Part I From Pleasure Ship to Flagship. Jewish Leaders in New York, May 22 By J. Wandres Following is an excerpt from Sharon’s address: By October 948, the Israeli I am honored to stand here and feel the strong bond between Israel Defence Force had pushed back Arab and the rest of the Jewish world. We share a history, and we share a future as forces to the north and east. Egyptian well. forces had been halted in the Negev. In 948, the new State of Israel was forced to stand its ground against Only Israel’s Mediterranean coastline the armies of the combined Arab world. The survival of Israel was not at all remained vulnerable. An Egyptian certain. We had no choice but to fight for our lives. It seemed as if we stood squadron, chased from Tel Aviv, was alone. about to be dealt with at Gaza. Kvar- But we were not all alone. I had the merit to participate in the War of nit (Commander) Paul Shulman, on the Independence, and I still remember how I felt when I learned that volunteers bridge of the 690-ton, 20-foot-long K- from Jewish communities around the world were coming to help us. They 24 Ma’oz that day in mid-October, was risked, and sometimes lost, their lives in our War of Independence. Then no stranger to her decks. Two years ear- these volunteers were known as Machal. lier she had been acquired for Aliyah They were few, but their solidarity made a great moral contribution. Bet le Mossad. Shulman, then a 24-year They reassured us that our fight was the fight of Jews everywhere. That we old ex-U.S. navy officer working with were fighting for our sisters and brothers across the sea, as much as for our the Haganah in the U.S., had checked long-gone grandparents, and our grandchildren yet to be born. They reas- her out in Brooklyn, New York. Then sured us that the entire Jewish world was an interconnected whole. called Abril, she had a colorful history. Launched in March 93 by of Israel - was sworn into office on May Krupp’s Germania-Werft at Kiel, her Ezer Weizman: 3, 993. owner, American industrialist Charles Pilot, Commander Ezer Weizman was born in A. Stone, christened her Argosy. Her 924-2005 Tel Aviv in 924, and raised in Haifa. twin, ,000-hp diesel engines could Ezer Weizman - air force gen- He began his long military career as a make 6 knots. She carried the latest eral and politician, nephew of Israel’s fighter pilot during World War II, join- radio and navigational equipment. A first President Professor Chaim Weiz- ing the Royal Air Force in 942 at age crew of 2 took care of 5 richly ap- man, and former President of the State 8. Returning to Mandatory Palestine pointed suites. Two years later, in 934 after the war, Weizman was one of a Stone sold Argosy to T.O.M. (Thomas handful of pilots who founded the “Air Octave Murdoch) Sopwith, who re- Service” of the Haganah. He served as christened her Vita. Sopwith, the Brit- a fighter pilot during the War of Inde- ish aviation pioneer whose famous Sop- pendence, commanded a squadron, and with “Camel” bi-plane ran roughshod later (958-66) was O.C. of the Israel over the Luftwaffe, was an experienced Air Force, in which capacity he intro- sea-going yachtsman. In 938 Sopwith Air Force Pilot Ezer Weizman in duced the use of electronic warfare sys- sold Vita to Marino Gamboa, a wealthy, 1949. © GPO tems in aircraft. THE MIGHTY MA’OZ continued on pg. 4 EZER WEIZMAN continued on pg. 6 American Veterans of Israel AVI EVENTS 36 E. 39 Street New York, NY 006-094 AVI Gathering in Gainesville Officers and Executive Board Scheduled for Nov. 9-20 President Ira Feinberg AVI has scheduled a gathering for veterans and families for the 20 886 1188 weekend of Nov. 9-20 to unveil the permanent Aliyah Bet and Machal Dis- play in the new $8.5 million Hillel building in Gainesville, Florida. Vice President A block of rooms has been reserved at the Paramount Plaza Hotel Bill Gelberg Suites and Conference Center in Gainesville. Main events will be a dinner Saturday night, Nov. 9, and a brunch Sunday morning, Nov. 20, both in the Executive Director Hillel building. Simon Spiegelman 22 685 8548 AVI will be sending out more information about reservations and [email protected] costs in the coming summer months. Ralph Lowenstein, who is making ar- rangements, said the room rate would be $69 per night, plus tax. Veterans Treasurer will be able to reserve rooms for any or all of the following nights: Friday David Gerard night, Nov. 8, Saturday night, Nov. 9, or Sunday night, Nov. 20. The seven permanent cabinets on Aliyah Bet and Machal will be Vice Presidents Canada: Jerry Rosenberg completed by late summer, Ralph said. This will be the only place in the world, including Israel, with a permanent display devoted to Aliyah Bet and Israel Liaison: David Baum Machal. The Gainesville Hillel display focuses on the role of North Ameri- [email protected] can volunteers. AVI members who plan to attend should mark their calendars for USA Regions this important weekend. Northeast: Paul Kaye Southeast: Irving Meltzer West: Bailey Nieder COMMEMORATIVE AVI in Philadelphia Midwest: Ben Hagai Steuerman PLAQUE WILL MARK Celebrates Yom Directors THE INAUGURATION OF Newsletter, Internet and Ha’atsmaut Trustees Committee: THE MACHAL MUSEUM. Samuel Z. Klausner Uriel Palti, Consul General of 25 473 6034 An attractive magnetic Machal Israel in Philadelphia, invited Machal plaque, designed by Machalnik Eric [email protected] veterans, their widows and families to Ray, will soon be mailed to all AVI participate in celebrating Israel’s 57th Archives and Museum members. The plaque was produced by Ralph Lowenstein Laurie Associates as a gift from Louis anniversary. The celebration was held [email protected] and Rose Laurie from Toronto, Canada. in the new Constitution Center in Inde- (Lou served with the 72nd Battalion). pendence Park on May 2. The Consul, Speakers Bureau: The plaque will not be for sale, but re- in addressing the assembled celebrants, Naomi Kantey cipients will be given an opportunity to drew particular attention to the Ameri- 20 489 3809 make voluntary contributions towards can Veterans of Israel in their midst. the Machal Museum. Thanks to a Activities and Membership In attendance were Sam and number of generous donors, we have Layla Back, Don Agriss, son of Leon David Hanovice (USA) come very far and the displays will and Rose Agriss, z”l, Samuel Klausner Joe Warner (Canada) open to the public on November 20th, Art Bernstein (Museum) 2005. Still there is a shortfall for impor- and Roberta Sands, Max and Jacque- Representative to World Machal tant ancillary projects such as setting line Kahn, Philip and Rose Marmel- Zippy Porath stein and Augustine Labeczewski. [email protected] up audio-visual kiosks, incorporating the exhibit on the Internet and in trans- Websites ferring replicas of the displays to ven- http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~sklausne/avi- ues outside of Gainesville. We all have web.html a stake in this landmark work and will http://www.israelvets.com be given an opportunity to share in its creation. Si Spiegelman see Plaque on p. 14 2 a monument to their memory in the David Shachar Dedicates Monument to Israeli sanctorum, which is the Mili- Jews Who Fell in the Polish Armies in tary Cemetery on Mount Herzl, in Je- rusalem. And thus to close the circle WWII: Victory Day at Mt Herzl of the educational foundation which I acquired in the framework of the Pol- ish Army and the realization of these (Prior to observances of Yom of September (944) to appear before values which are common to the large HaZikharon and Israel Independence him. He commanded me to stand at at- Jewish population of Poland and the Day in Israel, a ceremony was con- tention and take notice that on this day Polish people among whom they lived ducted commemorating Jewish soldiers the Jewish New Year begins, and those for 800 years. who fell fighting in allied and partisan 0 days after it Yom Kippur, the holy After strenuous work, and with forces during World War II. David day for the Jews. After finishing he the support of the Israel Ministry of Schachar, who served in the Polish commanded me to stand at rest “Return Defence and of the Embassy and Pol- Army and later came as a foreign vol- to exercises”. I was very excited and ish attaches, and private donors, we unteer in Israel’s War of Independence overwhelmed. I remembered it to this were able to attain our dream. In 998 gave the following Speech.) day. I understood that maintaining the the covering was removed from the Mr. Ambassador of the Re- traditional beliefs of the soldiers adds monument with the hope that message public of Poland-Wojciech Piekarski; to their honor and does not detract. it sends will pass on to the coming gen- Mr. Consul, Deputy; Military Attaché, At that time I absorbed values of love erations. Chairman of Yad Vashem- Prof. She- of the Homeland and the necessity of Today, the date is May 8, 2005. vach Weiss; Friends, Honored and sacrifice in order to protect it.