WORLD MACHAL - Volunteers from overseas in the Israel Defense Forces

Personal Stories

There are over 400 personal stories on this website. Please use the SEARCH bars in order to find names of interest to you. If you are are aware of missing names or you have stories to contribute please use the CONTACT menu at the top or the FORM at the bottom of each page.

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Josie Shlain

First published in ESRA magazine ALTHOUGH priority was given to pilots and seasoned soldiers among the many South Africans who rushed to volunteer

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Jack Mirvis

While waiting to board the vessel “Tetti” in Genoa,  with Margaret Carruthers and another nurse, I witnessed one of the most dramatic and 

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Audrey Benedict

1960 article in the South Africa Zionist Record and Jewish ChronicleBy Gita Freedman I had met volunteers from all over the world in

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Leonard Bernstein

While bombs burst over Tel Aviv he played on(Supplement of The Jewish Herald, Rosh Hashana – September 1966) A moving story by Gita

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Menashe Balcha

VOLUNTEER FROM ETHIOPIA – MENASHE BALCHA One known volunteer from Ethiopia was the Falasha Jew, Menashe Balcha, who had come out of the

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Leslie Marcus

RESCUE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT As related by Naftali Arbel, Commander, “B” Coy.   “It happened on the 27th October 1948 during an encounter

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