Page 20 - HaShofar 5709 1948
P. 20
From the American Garin, Ein Hanetziv, June 18, 1948::-·
" . . . The weeks following the invasion saw against air-attack· and to organize the general de-
quite a number of our Chaverim on active duty, fense of the newKvutza. This brings the number of
being taken out to participate in local military religious Kvutzot in the Bet Shean valley to four.
actions. Village after village at the foot of the We ourselves are at present sitting on pins and
Mciuntains of Gilboa and on it were taken, thus needles, since we too are soon to go out on our own
freeing the settlements in the Emek from the con- independent settlement. Our ability to develop the
stant fear of attack. Then began the "push" to- land given to us will be dependent upon intensive
wards Jenin, the northern tip of the Arab Triangle. agriculture and industrial projects. At the present
Now it can be told that with insufficient men and we have already received tools and several ma-
equipment the Hagana set out to conquer Jenin. chines to equip our machine shop. We will be able
The resistance was great and many of our boys then to absorb new· chaverim in our Kvutza and
were killed 'and wounded including one of the hope we can depend upon our friends in the. States,
Chaverim ·of the Garin. At present he is recuper- Canada and S. Africa to help us when needed.
ating from the shrapnel that pierced his shoulder.
The attack succeeded in its purpose to draw Arab -"All these events were almost forgotten at the
manpower away .from Jerusalem. (Editor's note·: sight of Haifa our first view of beloved Aretz. We
An earlier letter from the American Garin spoke lined up in the lounge before Jewish offo;:ials, and
of two Garin Chaverim missing as the result of the were able to answer YES to the question: . Do you
attack on Kfar Etzion, which they were helping to want. to remain here? Thereupon we became the
defend. We hope that this report means that these first immigrants in the MEDINAT ISRAEL.
others were found alive) .
"From that time I was overcome by a· feeling of
"One of our Bachurot has been sent to a course belonging-of being and amounting to something
in Tel-Aviv in general kvutza kitchen economy. -:-of being able to lead a truly useful life, a life
... Another Chavera in Jerusalem: is finishing this with meaning. I was entering a new world and a
month the year's course in Child care to which she new life, a life as a Jewish citizen in a Jewish land
was sent by the Garin. under ·a Jewish government. A feeling as inte~se
as this can not be .felt by any one unless he him-
"In the kvutza itself the whole harvest of wheat self. is in that position of seeing Aretz reborn and
and barley has been brought in. This was the finest thus be himself reborn.
harvest in many years, despite war conditions and
constant guard duty. "l knew that all the conflicts at home during
the past few months had proved worthwhile. I had
"A new Kvutza of the Hapoel Hamizrach.i, 'Shlu- made the correct decision, in deciding to come to
chot,' went up on Hityashvut (final settlement) ·Aretz now_;,
next to us of the land of 'Ashrefia (the agricul-
tural Station which we captured on _May 12). A
number of our Chaverim helped them to "dig in"
From Naftali De~ald, Tirat Zvi, August 17, 1948:-
" . . . Yo~r letter arrived the end of July, I supply you permanently with our 'Tirat Zvi
Weekly.' ...
was very pleased with its contents and prepared
"I am enclosing pictures of the arrival of the
myself to answer right away and then ... we had generator in Tirat Zvi. You will notice that we
brought it to Tirat Zvi with armed escort of our
some very trying days. The first week of August
and again two days ago. We really can pray Bir- own Chaverim. y OU will also notice how cornpletely
chat Gomel that all our Chaverim returned safely
and that by enemy-shelling only small property- shot up with bullet holes is the house in the back-
damage was c~used; . . . ·ground."
" . . . Ori ·August 10th· one of the Chaverim of " . . ·. I hope that in not so long a time you
Sadai Eliyahu, one of the neighboring Kvutzot, was ·will have the opportunity to hear a lively report
killed. We don't know ·today what tomorrow will about us from our Chaver Kaluski, who already
bring us, but we carry on as normally as possible got his visa to U. S. A, and will leave us for his
in times as they are at the moment. We work in' the mission in the coming weeks. . . .
Meshek and prepare the work in the fields and
the garden for the approaching season. . . . " ... With the bes-t .greetings to all the Chaverim
of Chicago Hapoel Hamizrachi, I remain, Bevirkat
" .. With the generator, a mimeograph ma- Chaverim."
chine arrived, and shortly I hope to be able to
· ~THE, 5HQfAR
+a
