Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Yosef Hamburger was one of twin brothers.
His family had lived in Jerusalem ירושלים for six generations.

Yossi Harel joined the British Army.
In 1941, he was sent to Greece, but a few months later he was discharged, badly injured and deaf in one ear

Benjamin Yerushalmi worked in Bakar, in charge of refurbishing and preparating Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל for sailing.

Reuven Yatir and Yossi Hamburger Harel were transferred to Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל, to join Benyamin Yerushalmi.
Aviva Halamish cites: The high point in Yossi Harel's career was the two-and-a-half week voyage of the Knesset Israel.

During Israel's War of Independence, Yossi Harel acted as the adviser on naval reorganization to Prime Minister David Ben Gurion.

In February, 1959, Yossi Harel served as commander of Unit 131, a division of military intelligence for the IDF, replacing Mordechai Ben Tzur.

Jewish Virtual Libray.org cites: "In mid-1946 Harel was sent from Palestine on a secret mission to transfer gold to Jewish agents in Greece so they could bribe officials in European governments to speed up the transit of Jews to Palestine."

On November 4, 1946, Lohita Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל, along with MS Anastasia, sailed from Bakar, on a two-and-a-half week voyage, carrying 4,000 passengers.
Palyam.org cites Lohita Knesset Yisrael כנסת ישראל sailing on November 5, 1946, carrying 3,445 passengers.
Reuven Yatir cites: Lohita Knesset Yisrael כנסת ישראל carried 3,500 passengers and a small vessel, Saint, carried 500 passengers, but on their "way to the open sea the “Saint” ran into a small island and sank. We transferred her passengers to our vessel and continued our voyage in an orderly manner."
Benyamin Yerushalmi served as Commander aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
Yossi Harel served as second-in-command aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
Yoash Tzdon served as Gidoni, wireless radio operator, aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
She sailed close to the Dalmatian coast.
Before she set sail, she had been given the name, תנועת המרי העברי Tnuat haMeri haIvri, the Hebrew Resistance Movement, and her captain told the passenger at muster, prior to sailing, that they should be accountable to her name.
The resistance group included 2,000 individuals, most from youth movements.
Her name was changed to Knesset Yisrael כנסת ישראל on orders from the Yishuv.

Benyamin 'Ben' Yerushalmi served as Commander aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
Reuven Yatir cites: a group of Maapilim he had trained in seamanship took over running of the ship, when they left the Aegean Sea and let the Greek crew go, and "They went back to Piraeus in a small boat, together with Ben Yerushalmi."

Yoash 'Chato' Tzidon served as Palyam Escort מלווה and Gidoni גדעוני, wireless radio operator, aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
He came to Bakar with the Maapilim, from the transit camp in Zagreb.

Yossi Harel served as Second-in-Command aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Reuven Hirsch Yatir served as Palyam Escort מלווה aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Reuven Yatir cites "In November 1946, 4,000 mMaapilim arrived and Yoash Tzidon, the Gideoni (radio operator), came with them from the transit camp in Zagreb. Knesset Israel took on 3,500 Maapilim and a small vessel, the Saint, took the other 500."

Jacob Berger, his wife, Klara, and daughter, Carmela, sailed for Palestine aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Moshe Malkiel, age 17 years, sailed for Palestine aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Matilda and Pnina Wiesel sailed for Palestine aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Kurt Baruch served as Engineer/Engine Room Crew aboard Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז when she sailed from Sète.
Joseph Hochstein cites: name as Kurt Baruch.
Exodus1947.org cites: name as Kort Baruch.

Azriel Einav served as Gidoni גדעוני, wireless radio operator, aboard Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז when she sailed from Sète.
When Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז was close to the shore of Palestine and surrounded by five British destroyers, he activated his equipment so that the whole story of the Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז was broadcast to the world in Hebrew, English, including a call to the United Nations. read by Reverend J. Grauel, and French.

Yossi Harel, who had come aboard at Portovenere, became the Haganah Commander מפקד aboard President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.
יוסף הראל מפקד אוניית המעפילים אקסודוס יציאת אירופה תש"ז.
He was the subject of a biography in Hebrew by Yoram Kaniuk, 'Exodus: The Odyssey of a Commander' (1999), which has been translated into many languages.
Yoram Kaniuk, Yossi Harel's friend and biographer, cites: David Ben-Gurion and Shaul Avigur had marked him out as suitable to command the clandestine immigration ships because, in addition to his leadership skills and fighting prowess, “there was something very hevreman [sociable] about him. He was not the kind of clap-you-on-the-back hero. He was a man of manners, the type who didn't raise his voice. He was a man of conscience and a daring fighter.”
He rose to fame after the release of the 1960 Otto Preminger film Exodus, based on the Leon Uris novel of the same name, in which Paul Newman portrayed him.

Solomon 'Sol' M. Lester served as First/Second Engineering Officer aboard President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

Micha Peri served as as Commander of the Maapilim, responsible for their care, aboard President Warfield Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

On July 11, 1947, Judah Abbecasis sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Polya Abramovich sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Mordechai 'Motke' Adler and his two sisters sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Ajzyk Ajnnberg Weinberg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Zipora Akerman sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Mordekai and Chajka Aurbach sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Chaja Vera Auslender sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Josef Avigdor sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Gertruda Babilinska sailed, with Michael Stolowicki, age 11 years, on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Aryeh Birnbaum sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Chaim Birnbaum sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Sara Birnbaum sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Yitzhak Birnbaum sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Mosze Cukier sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Cwi Zvi Eisenberg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Dov Frieberg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Mordechai Fuks, age 27 years, Moses Fuks, age 11 years, and Hadassa Fuks, age 13 years, sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Benno Ginsburg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Zevulun Gold, Nehama Gold and Pesia Gold, sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Avraham Goldband, his wife, Mania, son, Mendel,and morther-in-law, Esther Tager, having made their way from Föhrenwald DP camp to Marseille, sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Lina Goldberger sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sete for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Moshe Gutheit, age 9 years, sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Shlomo Hammer sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.
Shlomo Hammer cites: "My parents were murdered there (in the Ghetto). Everybody was murdered, only we children were smuggled away. I was hidden in a bunker. [...] I was hidden in the bunker, under the earth, for 9 months. [...] When the Russians , the Red Army, liberated us my face lit up with wonder. [...] We travelled to Cracow where I was placed in a children's home. I then travelled to Germany with a group of other children. I was a 10 year old orphan. [...] From Germany I travelled to France. That was an experience. We were told we were to travel to Palestine. We were taught for this goal. We started to learn in a real school. [...] We were educated to be able to live in Erez Israel, Aliya Beth, love of country. At this time, as I left the camp I no longer wanted to be a Jew. After the holocaust. [...]"
"We came to a camp near Marseille. [...] We arrived in France at night, and were roughly two days there before we were brought aboard the ship, again at night."

On July 11, 1947, Mosze Jacubowiez sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Rosa Jurer and her daughter, Cilia, sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

In July, 1947, Chanina Kam went to Marseille to embark on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז in an attempt to immigrate to Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Haim Kintzler sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sete for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Korohy Koffler, age 16 years, sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.
He told his parents he wanted to take a ten day trip with haShomer haTzair, and two weeks later, a haShomer haTzair member told his parents that Korohy was on his way to Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Jacob Kirsztajn sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Monjek Kuperberg sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Irene Parkinson, age 16 years, tried sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield, from Sète to join her mother, sister and brother in Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Itzhak Pressburger, age 13 years, sailed with his two sisters on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield, from Sete for Palestine.
Itzhak Pressburger cites: "We traveled for a week and reached Haifa. I was with the other children down below. It was like a cage. We were aware of the men fighting the British above on the deck," he recalls. "When I went up with the other Hungarians, we saw Haifa from far. We were told by others that we're not going to enter, but be sent to Cyprus."
"Nous étions en mer depuis une semaine lorsque nous sommes arrivés à Haïfa. J'étais tout au fond, avec les autres enfants. C'était comme une cage. Nous savions que les hommes combattaient les Britanniques en haut, sur le ponceau", se souvient Itzhak Pressburger. "Lorsque je suis remonté avec les autres Hongrois, nous pouvions apercevoir Haïfa, au loin."

On July 11, 1947, Moshe Rajchental sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Melach Schubert, his wife, Rosa, and his son Zeev, sailed from France on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז.

On July 11, 1947, Istvan Szeisen, Otto Nagyrona and Tamas Magyrona sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Schlama Sznaider sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Szlojme Szobe sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, David Szustor sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On the night of July 9-10, 1947 Sara Wiener boarded a covered trucks and traveled to Sète.
On July 11, 1947, Sara Wiener sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Emmanuel Zaubermann Zoberman sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Friede Zelman sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Schlomo Zemach sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Max Zifferblat sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Josef Zinger sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Frances sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield,from Sete for Palestine.
Before departing on the Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז President Warfield, Frances, the only survivor of her immediate family, met Isak Greenberg, a fellow Holocaust survivor, in a displaced persons camp.
Despite his love for her, they parted ways because she was a Zionist and dreamed of going to Palestine, while he planned to go to America.

On July 11, 1947, Michael Pertzov and Pessia Baumstein Pertzov sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Eliezer Zuckerman Rimon sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

On July 11, 1947, Lida Zyto sailed on Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז from Sète for Palestine.

After the unsuccessful fight to prevent the British from boarding Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז, in which Frank Lavine was injured by British soldiers who beat him over the head, he, and some of the crew, captured, held prisoner for four hours, and forcibly transferred to the prison ship, HMT Ocean Vigour.

In 1954, Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan made Yossi Harel head of an IDF Intelligence Unit יחידה 131.
Hel was enisted to help to deal with the Lavon Affair פרשת לבון or העסק הביש, which stemmed from the missteps of the Israeli army intelligence spy ring in Egypt, codenamed 'Operation Suzannah', aimed at sabotaging British and US targets in Egypt, and framing Egypt for the attacks; the goal of which to get both Britain and the US to maintain their military presence in the area, preventing Egyptian nationalization of the Suez Canal and moderating the military ambitions of President Gamal Nasser.
The plot had been discovered, resulting in a scandal, the Lavon Affair פרשת לבון or העסק הביש, that dominated Israeli politics for a decade. In rebuilding the intelligence department, Yossi Harel earned the sobriquet of 'the officer gentleman'.

The Exodis Prize is awarded annually to individuals who promote peace and humanitarianism at La Spezia, where Exodus 1947 אקסודוס תש"ז was renovated.