Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Reuben Hirsch Yatir studied at the technical school in Haifa חיפה.

In September, 1946, Reuven Yatir יתיר was sent to Greece, where Yanni Avidov אבידב was stationed, to acquire boats for Mossad le Aliyah Bet.

In September, 1946. MV Αθηνά Athinai was acquired by Mossad leAliyah Bet.
Reuven Yatir , who was sent to Greece, to work with Yanni Avidov, cites because of delays in arranging finances, seller and buyer agreed to move the vessel from Piraeus Πειραιάς to a protected bay in the island of Sapienza, out of reach of the Greek and British authorities.
The acquisition of MV Αθηνά Athinai was concluded in mid-October, 1946.
Reuven Yatir cites: "When the deal with the “Rafiah” was closed, we accompanied her to Bakar. En route we ran up onto a rock and had to be towed. No damage was visible. The British came along to check the identity of the vessel. We vanished on a fishing vessel that we had prepared for such an
emergency. When the whole affair was over the Greek Captain received orders to return to Piraeus. We met the “Rafiah” at sea, boarded it, took possession, and took it to Bakar."

On November 4, 1946, Lohita Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל, along with MS Anastasia, sailed from Bakar, on a two-and-a-half week voyage, carrying 4,000 passengers.
Palyam.org cites Lohita Knesset Yisrael כנסת ישראל sailing on November 5, 1946, carrying 3,445 passengers.
Reuven Yatir cites: Lohita Knesset Yisrael כנסת ישראל carried 3,500 passengers and a small vessel, Saint, carried 500 passengers, but on their "way to the open sea the “Saint” ran into a small island and sank. We transferred her passengers to our vessel and continued our voyage in an orderly manner."
Benyamin Yerushalmi served as Commander aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
Yossi Harel served as second-in-command aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
Yoash Tzdon served as Gidoni, wireless radio operator, aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
She sailed close to the Dalmatian coast.
Before she set sail, she had been given the name, תנועת המרי העברי Tnuat haMeri haIvri, the Hebrew Resistance Movement, and her captain told the passenger at muster, prior to sailing, that they should be accountable to her name.
The resistance group included 2,000 individuals, most from youth movements.
Her name was changed to Knesset Yisrael כנסת ישראל on orders from the Yishuv.

Benyamin 'Ben' Yerushalmi served as Commander aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
Reuven Yatir cites: a group of Maapilim he had trained in seamanship took over running of the ship, when they left the Aegean Sea and let the Greek crew go, and "They went back to Piraeus in a small boat, together with Ben Yerushalmi."

Yoash 'Chato' Tzidon served as Palyam Escort מלווה and Gidoni גדעוני, wireless radio operator, aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.
He came to Bakar with the Maapilim, from the transit camp in Zagreb.

Yossi Harel served as Second-in-Command aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Reuven Hirsch Yatir served as Palyam Escort מלווה aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Reuven Yatir cites "In November 1946, 4,000 mMaapilim arrived and Yoash Tzidon, the Gideoni (radio operator), came with them from the transit camp in Zagreb. Knesset Israel took on 3,500 Maapilim and a small vessel, the Saint, took the other 500."

Jacob Berger, his wife, Klara, and daughter, Carmela, sailed for Palestine aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Moshe Malkiel, age 17 years, sailed for Palestine aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

Matilda and Pnina Wiesel sailed for Palestine aboard Knesset Israel כנסת ישראל.

In 1955, Reuben Hirsch Yatir officially earned his certification as Master Mariner.