Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Yisrael Auerbach, at age 8 years, and his family moved to Bat Galim בת גלים, in Haifa חיפה.

In the summer of 1942, at age 12 years, Yisrael Auerbach joined the Machanot Olim youth group in Haifa חיפה.

Yisrael Auerbach joined F Company, called the Jerusalem Platoon, at Ein haHoresh עין החורש.
Platoon Commander:
* Lolik Gershonovitch
Squad leaders:
* Miki Haft
* Mike Feron
* Micha Peri

A notice was posted on the bulletin board asking for volunteers for the First Palyam Sea Nautical training course, (from January to March 1943, held at Caesarea קיסריה.
Those who applied went to Haifa to be interviewed by the acceptance committee.
The course was financed by the Mossad leAliyah Bet, who wanted trained personnel to bring over ships of immigrants.

The Palyam פלי"ם‎ No. 1 Sea course, in January, 1943:
Course Commander:
* Yankale Salomon
Instructors:
* Shmuel Tankus
* Dov 'Berchik' Magen
* Moka Limon
* Avraham Zakai
Attendees:
* Yisrael Auerbach
* Avraham Dar
* Moshe Shturman
* Moshe Erez
* Zemi from Hulata
* Zalman Perach
* Itche
The boats that were sailed were: Dov, Rivka, and Tirza.

At the beginning of 1943, Avraham Dar was sent to the first Palyam פלי"ם Sea course in Caesarea קיסריה, where he met Zalman Perach.

Yisrael Auerbach and Kippy Kaplan reported to Davidka Nameri of Solel Boneh to work at HaOgen, which ran motor launches to service the ships in Haifa harbor.

Amal עמל was an old ship that belonged to the Atid Company of the Burkhardt family.
She sailed under the Palestinian flag, andy carried supplies and ammunition for the Royal Navy.
Speed: 7-8 knots.
4 Royal Navy sailors operated the three anti-aircraft 20 mm cannons carried on board.

Yisrael Auerbach and Aryeh Kippy Kaplan served as Deckhands on Amal עמל.
Yisrael Auerbach first served as kitchen boy aboard Amal עמל, and ended up running the kitchen.

Amos עמוס was a fishing vessel that had been converted to a merchant ship.
In 1938, the Atid Company acquired the ship from the British and changed her name to Amos עמוס.
Amos עמוס was used to move cargo between British military bases in the Eastern Mediterranean, such as Beirut, Mercine, Cyprus, Alexandria and Port Said.

 

Under a special agreement between the Haganah and the ship’s owners, Amos עמוס served as a practical training vessel for Palyamniks and members of Atid Company who served as crew members.
Captain:
* Martin Ekdish
Crew:
* Yisrhael Auerbach
* Menachem Cohen
* Alex Shur
* Peter Hoffman
* Benyamin Bob 'Nativ' Shtrasberg