Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

In 1948, once the British Mandate was lifted, and the State of Israel was declared, about 3,500 Jews (and non-Jews) from all over the world were recruited to protect and defend Israel from the seven Arab nations invading.
Of the 3,500 volunteers, about 1,000 men were from North America.
Machal מח"ל was established through the efforts of the Haganah and the Zionist movement to meet the need for military manpower, and to respond to the demand of newcomers and volunteers, eager to come to the aid of the Yishuv and be part of the effort to create and defend Israel.
IDF General Staff’s Manpower Branch defined Machal מח"ל as:
* Those who came to Israel to enlist in the IDF to help establish the state during the period of war, with the intention of returning to their lands of origin at the end of the war
The accepted definition of Machal מח"ל is:
* All those who left their permanent homes overseas anywhere in the world and enlisted voluntarily in the defense of the Yishuv or of the fledgling Jewish state, and intended or were free to return to their lands of origin on completion of their service. This definition includes those who manned the Aliyah Bet ships; students who arrived after World War II to study at the Hebrew University or the Technion and joined the defense forces on the spot; as well as those who came at the specific request of the Yishuv’s institutions or of the IDF.