Page 30 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - January 19
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MOMENTOUS DAYS
DENIS SHIFRIN
I been organizing Aliya Bet from England since
n December 1946, after the success of the
Movement’s Veida and Chagiga, on which I
May 1946. Balu’s first concern was to find a
had worked for the previous six-months, it
didn’t take too long before I was called to the qualified assistant. Wrotz, (later known as
Avraham Avidar), was asked to assume this
colours (Movement work) by Ossie Edelstein. At responsibility. Wrotz had prior experience when,
this time, he was responsible for the Vatikei before the war, he had been involved in
Habonim and was the editor of “Binyan” evacuating German chalutzim from the Danzig
magazine. He had formally requested Jack area. Shmuel Hatzor was the second person to
Freedman to ask the Redhill Hachshara to release carry out this task after Wrotz had left for
me for Movement work. I knew that the only Palestine, in January 1947. The selection of
drawback to this employment was that I would be candidates for Aliya Bet was the responsibility of
held back from aliya for at least two years. The Gershie Epstein, who was Mazkir of the
Hachshara agreed - what else could they do? And Movement, together with the two central shlichim,
so my agricultural training in England ended. My Niumka (Leviatan) Levanon, from Kibbutz Kfar
only request was to be able to continue with my Blum-Naame and Balu Spitz, and later a senior
twice-weekly attendance at the Sir John Cass Movement member, Jack Freedman. I remember
School of Fine Arts (now part of the London when Gussie’s turn came to go on “illegal aliya”,
University). in January 1948 that we approached Jack and
informed him that we were going to get married.
I then joined the office workers, who lived in the
Bayit, at 2 Queensdown Road. We would catch We took it for granted that I would be included on
the bus from Hackney, attempt the Times Gussie’s ticket, to go on aliya. Jack said nothing
crossword, get off somewhere near our office at doing, if Gussie was to marry Denis that was her
67 Great Russell Street, which was close to the problem - she would just have to wait behind with
huge British Museum. I was made Rosh Peleg of him until he had finished doing his stint of
East London and responsible for all Movement Movement work, which was scheduled to last
camping activities. I was also assigned to the JNF until the end of 1949!
desk, which necessitated going to the JNF Head With “illegal aliya” becoming daily occurrences at
Office at 70 Great Russell Street, in the main the hachsharot and at the bayit in Hackney, we
building of the Zionist Movement’s Head Office, were more than a little apprehensive regarding our
to meet with Yehudah Goodman. Here I security precautions - or the lack of them. When I
encountered leading personalities in the Zionist attended the Sir John Cass School of Fine Arts in
Movement, including Dr. Chaim Weizmann, London, I never thought that I would be an object
Moshe Sharett (Shertok), Berl Locker, Abba of police surveillance.
(Aubrey) Eban and other leading lights.
Regularly, I would be met near the Aldgate East
Leila Pearlman later recalled that her bosses in underground tube-station, by a burly sergeant of
Aliya Bet work were Balu Spitz (Gershon Amir), the Metropolitan Police Force, who would ask me
a shaliach from Kibbutz Neot Mordechai, and in a kindly voice, to open my metal case. After the
Wrotz (Avraham Wotzslavsky). Balu had already third time, I remonstrated with him and asked him
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