Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Gershom Hakim was relieved of his duties as Captain, when SS Abril Gen Hecht בן הכט reached Marseille, and since the First Mate had never shown up when SS Abril Ben Hecht בן הכט sailed from New York, Second Mate Hyman Robert Levitan was promoted to Captain.
David Kaplan cites: "our first mate, Robert Levitan was an excellent navigator with his entire sea time experience in the Pacific."

Esther Miron sailed on SS Abril Ben Hecht from Port-de-Bouc for Palestine.
David Kaplan cites: he met Esther Miron at his hotel, and "When she walked in and saw Mr and Mrs Tayar (he was an MK from Tel Aviv at the time)
they all became hysterical. The Tayars had met on the Ben Hecht, were friends of Esther Miron who baked their wedding cake for them and hosted the party after they all reached Israel and lived near each other for several years, then moves some distance from each other and this was the first time that they had met in years!"

Hilda and Hannah Kreiser sailed on SS Abril Ben Hecht from Port-de-Bouc for Palestine.
Hilda Kreiser Tayar cites: "In February 1947 they witnessed a transport of concentration camp survivors going to Palestine organized by Eri, the son of Jabotinsky. He suggested that they join as well, They returned home to arrange alltheir thingsm and two days later they sailed."

Jack Bernstein served as Seaman aboard SS Abril Ben Hecht בן הכט.