Page 8 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - Winter 20

SEVEN OLIVES FOR AN EGG started work with the General Electric Co., a
HECHALUTZ TO KFAR BLUM:
SHALOM BORDOLEY
(OCTOBER 1915 – AUGUST 2003)
ALLEN BORDOLEY
W Weinberg saying, “we hope in the very near
hen (my uncle) Shalom died, a pile
of papers was left for me to sort
through. Among them was a book
containing letters about his adventures, his
journey to Palestine, and his arrival there in
September 1936. These historic papers are a
prime source of insight into the life of
Hechalutz, the David Eder Farm and Kvutzat
Kinneret, as experienced by Shalom, his
wife, Leah, and the other chaverim, in the
early days before Kibbutz Na’ame-Kfar
Blum came into being.
Shalom was born in London in 1915 within
the sound of the Bow Bells and grew up in
the East End. His parents were religious. His
father, Mordechai, came to England from
Russia in 1905, and his mother, Sarah, came
from Latvia. During World War I, Mordechai
had a timber factory at 44, Finch Street, E1,
which was also for some time the address of
the Hechalutz headquarters.
After primary school, Shalom entered the
Jews' Free School. It was there he was
introduced to classical music, a love of which
never left him. After leaving school, Shalom
8
company, which did not normally employ
Jews.
He did not join Habonim when it first started
in 1929, but joined a group of young Jews
(including Yehuda Goodman, Moggy
Margolis and Zvi Weinberg), who, aware of
the political stirrings in Germany, realised it
was not a good idea to stay in Britain. Jews
had to go to home to Palestine. Meetings
followed and Hechalutz b'Anglia was formed
in London and Manchester in 1933.
I have an original Histadrut Hechalutz
Ha'Anglit-headed letter, signed Zion (Zvi)
future to send Chaverim to Hachsharah. It is
immediately if you are prepared to
therefore essential for you to inform me
commence Hachsharah as soon as the Moetza
thinks fit to place you in training for Aliya.”
Shalom took up the offer.
In April 1935, the David Eder Farm at
Ringlestone, Kent was purchased, and a
group entered Hachsharah. Shalom writes
that "Life down here (at the Eder Farm) is
difficult”. Life was hard and small problems
became large ones as if the Yishuv depended
on them.