INTRODUCTION BY SMOKY SIMON (Chairman of World Machal, and Chief of Air Operations in War of Independence)
JOE WOOLF – PAR EXCELLENCE RESEARCHER, RECORDER, AND REPORTER ON THE STORY OF WORLD MACHAL
Joe Woolf (“Good old Joe”) is probably the most knowledgeable man on the planet concerning the fascinating, stirring and heroic story of “World Machal” – the 4,400 volunteers from 58 countries who came to assist the State of Israel in its fight for survival in its War of Independence against six invading Arab armies from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Kaukji’s Liberation Army.
Joe has studied and researched the matter in great depth and still continues to do so. The challenge of getting the Machal story on the record developed from a labor of love to an obsession. Whilst not yet entirely complete, the story is told on Machal’s website (www.machal.org.il). The Machal website committee has truly done a sterling job in developing the website, but Joe’s personal efforts and contribution are especially commendable.
His ability to piece together what appear to be disparate facts has led him to some very interesting results and conclusions. His knowledge of the details of ground battles, and his determination to explore information, are truly extraordinary.
To add to Joe’s contribution in recording the Machal story, he and his two colleagues, Maurice Ostroff and Ralph Lanesman, were responsible for editing and updating the late Henry Katzew’s remarkable memoranda, “South Africa’s 800,” which so vividly tells the story of the remarkable contribution made by more than 800 Southern African members of Machal in the War of Independence.
Read Joe’s reactions, in his own words, to his research on the Machal story.
JOSEPH WOOLF – “THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS” OF A WORLD MACHAL WEBSITE RESEARCHER
I am one of those in the world who has never had the luck or initiative to get ahead in matters of finance, and in fact since the collapse of the moshav financial system in 1986, I was in a difficult situation until a few years ago, when I succeeded in renting part of my plot to a commercial enterprise.
I had to contribute to cover co-operative debts not of my making, even those incurred long before I became a co-op member – those are the joys of the socialist system! Therefore, not having any money to worry about, I have had the time to enrich myself with knowledge of Machal history.
In 1997, by accident I got involved with Maurice Ostroff and Ralph Lanesman in the three-man team of volunteers that produced, edited and published the book on South African volunteers by veteran Jewish author, Henry Katzew, called “South Africa’s 800.” Prior to that, I had known something about our 7th Brigade, having served in their 72nd English-speaking Infantry Battalion.
At Machal reunions here in Israel, and previously in South Africa, I had learned of the military units others served in, and on occasion I had even gleaned from some of the Machalniks about the roles they played, but never could I have imagined the overall contribution of South Africa’s 800, and now, having researched and edited items for the World Machal website, I have expanded my knowledge on the contribution of the 4,400 Machal volunteers from all over the world; this presents an impressive and thrilling historical saga, particularly important in these difficult times.
Who cannot be moved and impressed by the magnificent achievements of the airmen who at great risk had acquired heavy transport aircraft and bombers from scrap heaps, repaired, smuggled, and flew them out of the U.S.A., hounded by the State Department and FBI. They encountered many adventures en route, the U.S.A. being the only country which adhered strictly to the U.N. Arms Embargo Resolution which applied to the Middle East. Later, smaller aircraft, including fighter planes from the U.K., Europe, and South Africa. Four pilots and one flight engineer lost their lives on these hazardous journeys across an ocean and three continents, three of whom were non-Jewish.
Amongst the volunteers were some 250 medical personnel – prominent surgeons, physicians, highly qualified nursing sisters, ward aides, combat medics and other professionals. Two battalion medical officers – British Isaiah Morris and Moroccan Solomon Morli-Dahan – were killed in action treating wounded under fire, as well as two combat medics, Deborah Epstein from Uruguay and Yacoub Noah Shak from Belgium. British Dr. Isaiah Morris had been awarded the Military Cross in World War II for carrying out his duties as a doctor under heavy fire during the invasion of Germany.
Particularly moving are the stories of American. Dr. Leo Bornstein, the first volunteer surgeon to arrive in January 1948, and the doctor-and-nurse team from Switzerland, Max and Hilde Goldberg who served in Golani. Max was seriously wounded by the same mortar shell that killed Dr. Morris. Also of interest is the story of South African nurse Ray Brunton, who in early June established the Djani military hospital in Jaffa, as well as later delivering the first Jewish baby in Beersheba, a boy, in over 2,000 years.
These medical teams must have saved thousands of lives, and without them, many more than the known 6,000 would have died. One South African combat medic, Lawrence “Locky” Fainman, was cited for bravery treating wounded under fire.
Concerning ground forces, documents found at the IDF Archives and other records disclosed three other South African and one British Machalnik being cited. Two of the South Africans in different units were cited for actions 20 kilometers apart on the Sinai border area, and within the same 24-hour period – 25th/26th December 1948 – which contributed to the successes of ”Operation Horev.”
But I only really learned about Machal during my task in translating almost all of the 123 known personal stories of the Fallen overseas volunteers from the Ministry of Defense Memorial Book to honor the Fallen (now the Yizkor website www.izkor.gov.il).
Some facts about the Fallen:
13 were married; 12 had been decorated for bravery and distinguished service in World War II; one of them, non-Jewish Canadian George “Buzz” Beurling had won Britain’s D.S.O., D.F.C., the D.F.M., and Bar for downing 27 German and Italian aircraft during the siege of Malta. 11 were non-Jewish; 4 were women, 2 of them had fallen at their posts in the defensive battles of the Old City and Kibbutz Nitzanim; 6 were 17- and-18-year-olds.
The second Mate on the “Exodus”, American Bill Bernstein, was killed on 10th July, 1947, resisting the Royal Navy boarding parties while defending the ship. Another 7 American and 1 Canadian Aliyah Bet crew who were also killed later in early ground clashes, before and after 15th May 1948.
Five of the French and North Africans had fought with De Gaulle’s Free French Army, and two of these French Machal of North African origin had won the French Military Cross (Croix-de-Guerre) for bravery; 12 had survived the Nazi occupations in France, Holland, and Belgium, 4 of them fighting in the underground forces against the Germans. 9 had arrived in the U.K. during the “Kindertransports” in 1939, shortly before the German invasion of Poland.
Ukranian-born and decorated Canadian bomber pilot Wilf Canter had been shot down three times on bombing missions over occupied Europe, and on the third time was taken prisoner of war, where he was involved in the preparation of the famous “Great Escape” in which 50 recaptured allied officers were executed in cold blood by the German Gestapo. Polish-born American Air Force navigator, Moses Aaron Rosenbaum, also decorated, was shot down and taken prisoner bombing the Romanian oilfields after 13 previous successful missions.
Of the 11 Canadians who were killed, all five of the ground forces originated from Toronto; the other 6 were all air crew, and pilot Wilf Canter was also from Toronto.
When Canadian pilot Ralph Moster arrived in April 1948, he discovered that there were insufficient aircraft to fly, so he participated in the early land battles of the Galilee panhandle as an infantryman in the Palmach “Yiftach” Brigade.
Of the ill-fated “Altalena” arrivals, 5 Machal are amongst our Fallen. Three – Daniel Levi and David Mitrani, both from Cuba; and French/Tunisian Michel Victor Assouid, were killed by the Haganah shelling whilst the ship was beached on the Tel Aviv shore. The other two, British Natanel Cashman and American Joseph Kahn succeeded in slipping away to join Etzel units in Jerusalem. Both died in subsequent battles there during the July heavy ten-day fighting period between the first and second truce.
The most moving discovery, the one which affected me most deeply, was the following:
In 1998, while preparing information for the book “South Africa’s 800,” I had searched through passenger manifests at the Jewish Agency archives in Jerusalem for South African arrivals on the immigrant ship “Transylvania” which arrived in Haifa on 1st May 1948. Whilst recording three South African names, I could not help noting some whom I knew who were Fallen volunteers – Hans Katzenstein from Sweden, Joseph Fishbein, Richard Sheinhorn and Sydney Steller from the U.K. as well as Canadian cousins Harvey Cohen and Edward Lugetch. When I translated their personal details from the Memorial Book, I discovered that the first four were all German- or Austrian-born, and that all six had fought and died in last-ditch stands before they were overrun by the enemy.
I was indeed humbled and privileged to be able to relate the stories of this “special breed” in that period of Jewish history. Will such a generation ever be repeated?
My personal contribution as a simple “musket bearer’ was a minor one. That first period of our continued struggle for independence could very well have been won without me, but I am proud to be counted amongst the 4,400 volunteers who came to help.
Today we live in a world where highly intelligent people, especially among us Jews, both in Israel and the Diaspora, have perfected stupidity to a fine art. Although I am not entirely optimistic, it is my fervent hope that our website will help to penetrate the historical amnesia, not only about Machal’s contribution, but of the whole background and history of that 1948/1949 period.
Author: Joe Woolf
Below is an interview of Joe by Dave Bloom on 26th December 2018 for Telfed’s project www.telfedhistory.com
Joe Woolf (“Good old Joe”) is probably the most knowledgeable man on the planet concerning the fascinating, stirring and heroic story of “World Machal” – the 4,400 volunteers from 58 countries who came to assist the State of Israel in its fight for survival in its War of Independence against six invading Arab armies from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Kaukji’s Liberation Army.
Joe has studied and researched the matter in great depth and still continues to do so. The challenge of getting the Machal story on the record developed from a labor of love to an obsession. Whilst not yet entirely complete, the story is told on Machal’s website (www.machal.org.il). The Machal website committee has truly done a sterling job in developing the website, but Joe’s personal efforts and contribution are especially commendable.
His ability to piece together what appear to be disparate facts has led him to some very interesting results and conclusions. His knowledge of the details of ground battles, and his determination to explore information, are truly extraordinary.
To add to Joe’s contribution in recording the Machal story, he and his two colleagues, Maurice Ostroff and Ralph Lanesman, were responsible for editing and updating the late Henry Katzew’s remarkable memoranda, “South Africa’s 800,” which so vividly tells the story of the remarkable contribution made by more than 800 Southern African members of Machal in the War of Independence.
Read Joe’s reactions, in his own words, to his research on the Machal story.
JOSEPH WOOLF – “THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS” OF A
WORLD MACHAL WEBSITE RESEARCHER
I am one of those in the world who has never had the luck or initiative to get ahead in matters of finance, and in fact since the collapse of the moshav financial system in 1986, I was in a difficult situation until a few years ago, when I succeeded in renting part of my plot to a commercial enterprise.
I had to contribute to cover co-operative debts not of my making, even those incurred long before I became a co-op member – those are the joys of the socialist system! Therefore, not having any money to worry about, I have had the time to enrich myself with knowledge of Machal history.
In 1997, by accident I got involved with Maurice Ostroff and Ralph Lanesman in the three-man team of volunteers that produced, edited and published the book on South African volunteers by veteran Jewish author, Henry Katzew, called “South Africa’s 800.” Prior to that, I had known something about our 7th Brigade, having served in their 72nd English-speaking Infantry Battalion.
At Machal reunions here in Israel, and previously in South Africa, I had learned of the military units others served in, and on occasion I had even gleaned from some of the Machalniks about the roles they played, but never could I have imagined the overall contribution of South Africa’s 800, and now, having researched and edited items for the World Machal website, I have expanded my knowledge on the contribution of the 4,400 Machal volunteers from all over the world; this presents an impressive and thrilling historical saga, particularly important in these difficult times.
Who cannot be moved and impressed by the magnificent achievements of the airmen who at great risk had acquired heavy transport aircraft and bombers from scrap heaps, repaired, smuggled, and flew them out of the U.S.A., hounded by the State Department and FBI. They encountered many adventures en route, the U.S.A. being the only country which adhered strictly to the U.N. Arms Embargo Resolution which applied to the Middle East. Later, smaller aircraft, including fighter planes from the U.K., Europe, and South Africa. Four pilots and one flight engineer lost their lives on these hazardous journeys across an ocean and three continents, three of whom were non-Jewish.
Amongst the volunteers were some 250 medical personnel – prominent surgeons, physicians, highly qualified nursing sisters, ward aides, combat medics and other professionals. Two battalion medical officers – British Isaiah Morris and Moroccan Solomon Morli-Dahan – were killed in action treating wounded under fire, as well as two combat medics, Deborah Epstein from Uruguay and Yacoub Noah Shak from Belgium. British Dr. Isaiah Morris had been awarded the Military Cross in World War II for carrying out his duties as a doctor under heavy fire during the invasion of Germany.
Particularly moving are the stories of American. Dr. Leo Bornstein, the first volunteer surgeon to arrive in January 1948, and the doctor-and-nurse team from Switzerland, Max and Hilde Goldberg who served in Golani. Max was seriously wounded by the same mortar shell that killed Dr. Morris. Also of interest is the story of South African nurse Ray Brunton, who in early June established the Djani military hospital in Jaffa, as well as later delivering the first Jewish baby in Beersheba, a boy, in over 2,000 years.
These medical teams must have saved thousands of lives, and without them, many more than the known 6,000 would have died. One South African combat medic, Lawrence “Locky” Fainman, was cited for bravery treating wounded under fire.
Concerning ground forces, documents found at the IDF Archives and other records disclosed three other South African and one British Machalnik being cited. Two of the South Africans in different units were cited for actions 20 kilometers apart on the Sinai border area, and within the same 24-hour period – 25th/26th December 1948 – which contributed to the successes of ”Operation Horev.”
But I only really learned about Machal during my task in translating almost all of the 123 known personal stories of the Fallen overseas volunteers from the Ministry of Defense Memorial Book to honor the Fallen (now the Yizkor website www.izkor.gov.il).
Some facts about the Fallen:
13 were married; 12 had been decorated for bravery and distinguished service in World War II; one of them, non-Jewish Canadian George “Buzz” Beurling had won Britain’s D.S.O., D.F.C., the D.F.M., and Bar for downing 27 German and Italian aircraft during the siege of Malta. 11 were non-Jewish; 4 were women, 2 of them had fallen at their posts in the defensive battles of the Old City and Kibbutz Nitzanim; 6 were 17- and-18-year-olds.
The second Mate on the “Exodus”, American Bill Bernstein, was killed on 10th July, 1947, resisting the Royal Navy boarding parties while defending the ship. Another 7 American and 1 Canadian Aliyah Bet crew who were also killed later in early ground clashes, before and after 15th May 1948.
Five of the French and North Africans had fought with De Gaulle’s Free French Army, and two of these French Machal of North African origin had won the French Military Cross (Croix-de-Guerre) for bravery; 12 had survived the Nazi occupations in France, Holland, and Belgium, 4 of them fighting in the underground forces against the Germans. 9 had arrived in the U.K. during the “Kindertransports” in 1939, shortly before the German invasion of Poland.
Ukranian-born and decorated Canadian bomber pilot Wilf Canter had been shot down three times on bombing missions over occupied Europe, and on the third time was taken prisoner of war, where he was involved in the preparation of the famous “Great Escape” in which 50 recaptured allied officers were executed in cold blood by the German Gestapo. Polish-born American Air Force navigator, Moses Aaron Rosenbaum, also decorated, was shot down and taken prisoner bombing the Romanian oilfields after 13 previous successful missions.
Of the 11 Canadians who were killed, all five of the ground forces originated from Toronto; the other 6 were all air crew, and pilot Wilf Canter was also from Toronto.
When Canadian pilot Ralph Moster arrived in April 1948, he discovered that there were insufficient aircraft to fly, so he participated in the early land battles of the Galilee panhandle as an infantryman in the Palmach “Yiftach” Brigade.
Of the ill-fated “Altalena” arrivals, 5 Machal are amongst our Fallen. Three – Daniel Levi and David Mitrani, both from Cuba; and French/Tunisian Michel Victor Assouid, were killed by the Haganah shelling whilst the ship was beached on the Tel Aviv shore. The other two, British Natanel Cashman and American Joseph Kahn succeeded in slipping away to join Etzel units in Jerusalem. Both died in subsequent battles there during the July heavy ten-day fighting period between the first and second truce.
The most moving discovery, the one which affected me most deeply, was the following:
In 1998, while preparing information for the book “South Africa’s 800,” I had searched through passenger manifests at the Jewish Agency archives in Jerusalem for South African arrivals on the immigrant ship “Transylvania” which arrived in Haifa on 1st May 1948. Whilst recording three South African names, I could not help noting some whom I knew who were Fallen volunteers – Hans Katzenstein from Sweden, Joseph Fishbein, Richard Sheinhorn and Sydney Steller from the U.K. as well as Canadian cousins Harvey Cohen and Edward Lugetch. When I translated their personal details from the Memorial Book, I discovered that the first four were all German- or Austrian-born, and that all six had fought and died in last-ditch stands before they were overrun by the enemy.
I was indeed humbled and privileged to be able to relate the stories of this “special breed” in that period of Jewish history. Will such a generation ever be repeated?
My personal contribution as a simple “musket bearer’ was a minor one. That first period of our continued struggle for independence could very well have been won without me, but I am proud to be counted amongst the 4,400 volunteers who came to help.
Today we live in a world where highly intelligent people, especially among us Jews, both in Israel and the Diaspora, have perfected stupidity to a fine art. Although I am not entirely optimistic, it is my fervent hope that our website will help to penetrate the historical amnesia, not only about Machal’s contribution, but of the whole background and history of that 1948/1949 period.26