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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Joseph Brooks

  Joseph Brooks with his Merchant Navy kit bag. Joseph Brooks was born on 28th May 1925 in the Stepney, the East End

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Yohan Zerbib

Yohan Zerbib left France to serve in the ranks of the IDF. He died in battle during the Second Lebanon War. “Tell my

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Ralph Yodaiken

Ralph had always wanted to be a surgeon, but his father had other dreams for his only son. He insisted that Ralph join

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Willie Rostoker

Amongst those Jewish volunteers for Aliyah Bet there were several who made more than one voyage, and when it was all over they

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Eddie Abadi

My father, Eddie Abadi’s Aliyah Bet chronicles: All through my childhood and as far back as I can remember, I used to force

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Arnold Kite

I was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA on 24th December 1928. In 1944, having lied about my age, I enlisted in the Merchant

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Dan Kenny Kentridge

DAN KENNY (SYDNEY KENTRIDGE)Dan Kenny (right) with Jason Hoff, Producer of the film on South African Machalniks “804,” 14th July, 2011.(Photo courtesy of

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John Harris

When I look back to those days in 1948 and before them, so many memories come flooding back. One of them is when

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This is Now My Home

“Letters of the Century” (Dial Press), pages 351-3521948: NOVEMBER 29ZIPPORAH (BOROWSKY) PORATH to her family See also additional material on her book “Letters

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Shulamit Garbasz

“I came to Israel on the “Tel Chai”. We were caught and sent to the Atlit detention camp. Because of my young age

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William Steiner

Bill Steiner was exposed to the Nazi takeover of Austria and the terror of Kristalnacht, and felt the blows of anti-Jewish oppressors after

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