This site is dedicated to Shmuel 'Samek' Yanai שמואל 'סמק' ינאי 1925-2011, and the members of Palyam פלי"ם, Machal מח"ל, Bricha בריחה, Kindertransport and the Maapilim מעפילים who, despite the dangers of the voyages, the threat of physical harm and internment by the British, ran the gauntlet to Eretz Yisrael.

Facing the Locked Gate

Shmuel Katz שמואל כץ, one of Israel's most talented painters, and Tehila Ofer תהילה עופר, an author and journalist, were both Maapilim, "illegal" immigrants, who as youths, sailed on the Haapalah ship, Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל in November, 1946.

Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל came close to the coast of Palestine, but was intercepted by the British Palestine Patrol, a fleet of destroyers that prevented any "illegal" immigrants, escaping the horrors of the Holocaust, from finding shelter in the Jewish Homeland.

The British interned the Maapilim, or worse, sent them back to Europe; in the case of the captured Knesset Israel, the Maapilim were transported to detention camps on Cyprus.

The painter and the writer, Shmuel Katz שמואל כץ and Tehila Ofer תהילה עופר, have combined their talents, to create Facing the Locked Gate, a 143 page publication filled with wonderful illustrations.

You can read about the people and the story behind the writing, illustration and publication, of the book in an article published in the June, 2006, edition of the Yediot Aharonot ידיעות אחרונות magazine "7 Days" "7 ימים".

You can download an excerpt from the English book by Right-Clicking on the picture of the bookcover, and saving the linked .PDF file to your computer (NOTE: .PDF files require a .PDF viewer, such as Adobe Reader).

The book, מול השער הנעול – האודיסיאה של מעפילי כנסת ישראל, ISBN 965-90834-0-8, published with the assistance of Yossi Harel יוסי הראל, commander of Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל, is presently available in Hebrew, but the English version may be acquired directly from the publisher.

The books can be ordered online directly from the publisher.

Visit the publisher's Webpages at: Ships at Sea, or Right-Click on the image of the bookcover, to download a an excerpt from the book, Facing the Locked Gate.

Our Only Refuge, Open the Gates! : Clandestine Immigration to Palestine 1938-1948

Our Only Refuge, Open the Gates! : Clandestine Immigration to Palestine 1938-1948 is a 38 page book, ISBN 965-90834-0-8, researched, written and published by Paul H. Silverstone, an internationally recognized naval authority known for his many books and articles on warships, wand speaker on this subject to meetings of genealogical societies and the American Veterans of Israel.

Paul H. Silverstone has also written and published a five volume series on U.S. warships: The U.S. Navy Warships Series

  • 1. The Sailing Navy 1775-1854
  • 2. Civil War Navies 1855-1883
  • 3. The New Navy 1883-1922
  • 4. The Navy of World War II 1922-1947
  • 5. The Navy of the Nuclear Age 1947-2007

    • All five volumes of The U.S. Navy Warships Series are available through the publisher, Routledge.

    Contact

    Paul H. Silverstone

    330 West 58th Street

    New York, NY 10019

    Email: Paul Silverstone

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