Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

After the conquest of Austria by the Nazis, Fabi Gaver left Wien with a group of friends from Young Maccabi, and traveled by train to Greece, and sailed to Palestine on one of the illegal vessels.

Fabi Gaver went with a group of friends to Kfar haChoresh for training, and then, he enlisted as a Ghaffir, a Jewish policeman, part of the British police force, to protect the Jewish settlements near the kibbutz and Nazareth.
When the group finished its training, they moved to Hadera and lived as an independent unit for three years, and then, together with another group, joined Ein Harod.

In 1945, Fabi Gaver and the group built kvutzat Dovrat.

In the spring, 1941, Fabi Gaver attended a Squad Leader’s course run by the Haganah at Juara.

In August, 1941, Fabi Gaver joined the Palmach's C Company.

In 1942, Fabi Gaver attended a course in Scouting and Sabotage, at Mishmar haEmek.

Fabi Gaver attended training in Ein Sara, near Nahariya; at kibbutz Hazorea; at kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov.

In 1943, Fabi Gaver attended a course for Platoon Leaders, at kibbutz Dalia.

The Palyam פלי"ם‎ No. 2 Naval Officer's course:
The course prepared Palyam members as Naval Commanders.
Platoon leader:
Instructors:
* Avraham Rickman Karni
Attendees:
* Shaul 'Shuli' Oren
Avraham Rickman Karni cites: "it was decided to give a number of those who had taken part in the small boat commanders course, the opportunity to participate in a naval officer’s course as well. I took part in this course which was held in the School for Naval Officers, next to the Haifa Technion."

Fabi Gaver served as Palyam Commander aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.
Claire Neikind cites: " Fabi Gever stood at the navigation bridge and ran the resistance from there."
"The humanitarian attitude shown by the British at that stage, as well as the immigrants' great exhaustion, r convinced the ship commander, Fabi Gever, to give up on another struggle during the actual deportation."
Fabi Gaver cites: "Arba Heruyot was special for several reasons. This was the first ship in which it was certain that if caught by the British, the Olim would be deported to Cyprus.
It was also the first ship that was ordered to resist deportation from Palestine with force. These conditions gave the Olim added motivation to obey the instructions of the Palyamniks, and they hid below deck despite the difficult conditions."

Peter Hoffman served as Palyam Escort aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.

Eli Zohar served as Gidoni, wireless radio operator, aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.

On August 23, 1946, with Yehuda Arazi's help, Claire Neikind anonymously sailed on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות from Bocca di Magra, and later published articles in the Palestine Post about her journey

Claire Neikind, who had embarked, incognito on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, was arrested by the British, and detained in Cyprus.

On August 23, 1946, Eliko Cohen sailed on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות from Bocca di Magra for Palestine.

At 14:00PM, Monday, September 2, 1946, Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות was spotted by a British 4-engine Lancaster reconnaissance aircraft 40 miles away from the Tel Aviv תל אביב shore.
At 15:00PM, a destroyer came into sight of Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, as she entered the 4 mile territorial waters, and shouted orders through a megaphone.
Claire Neikind cites: "Suddenly the destroyer headed straight for us. Maneouvering into a tangent, she rammed our port side. Our ship tilted dangerously."
She was intercepted by three British vessels, including, HMS Childers, HMS Chivalrous, and Police launch, Moreta.
Claire Neikind cites: Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות was surrounded by three British destroyers.
Surrounded by the destroyers, Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות was boarded by British soldiers, firing to scare the passengers, and using water hoses for cover.
Claire Neikind cites: "A dozen British sailors with tommy-guns jumped down to our deck."
The passengers resisted boarding.
The bow force was headed by Eli Zohar; the deck force was headed by Peter Hoffman and Fabi Gaver stood at the navigation bridge,from where he ran the resistance.
"Another destroyer approached. Both rammed our sides simultaneously, playing hoses again, and dropping more sailors. They fought their way to the engine room and stopped the ship."
Claire Neikind cites another group of soldiers raided and subdued the passengers after a three-hour brawl.
13 of the injured immigrants needed hospitalization. 13 passengers jumped overboard, and tried to swim to the shore; two made it, but the rest were captured by the British, some drowned.
Claire Neikind cites: "At noon we arrived at Haifa harbour, and we saw our prison ship, the Empire Haywood, waiting."
On September 3, 1946, passengers were transferred to HMT Empire Heywood, and were taken to the Karaolos Καράολος Internment Camp.

After spending several weeks interned on Cyprus, Fabi Gaver escaped.
While out swimming, he was taken aboard a small Israeli fishing boat which waited for escaping Palyamniks.
8 Palyamniks and a Greek sailor were transported back to Europe, where they we were needed for further voyages; they were:
* Fabi Gaver
* Yisrael Rotem
* Yisrael Auerbuch
* Eliezer Versh
* Shaul Aharonov
* Peter Hoffman
* Eli Zohar
* Yoske Lazarovsky

On March 23, 1947, Moledet מולדת sailed from Metaponto, carrying 1,568 passengers.
Fabi Gaver served as Palyam Commander aboard Moledet מולדת.
Menachem Ben-Yami served as Gidoni , Wireless Radio Operator, aboard Moledet מולדת.
Alex Dotan Schecht, Gad Heilbrun and Aharon Shechtman served as Palyam Escorts aboard Moledet מולדת.
Palyamniks Yisrael Rotem and Avraham Riklis helped the passengers board.

Fabi Gaver served as Palyam Commander aboard Moledet מולדת. when she sailed from Metaponto.