Henrietta Szold
The name "Henrietta Szold" (founder of the 'Hadassah' organization and director of "Aliyat Hanoar" [Youth immigration to Israel]) was chosen for this ship, since most of its immigrants were from the "Kiffisia" orphanage in Athens. It sailed alongside the smaller "Rafi" ship. Both ships sailed from the Greek port of Sonion on July 30th, 1946, with 536 immigrants on board (among them 28 babies under the age of two and another 180 children, two to sixteen years old).
The name "Henrietta Szold" (founder of the 'Hadassah' organization and director of "Aliyat Hanoar" [Youth immigration to Israel]) was chosen for this ship, since most of its immigrants were from the "Kiffisia" orphanage in Athens.
The ship was prepared for its journey to Israel by Yani Avidov, member of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet.' In fact, two ships sailed off: "Henrietta Szold," the larger one, was commanded by Palyam member Shmuel (Samak) Yanai; the second, smaller one named "Rafi" (after the Israeli delegate-paratrooper who was killed during WWII in Slovakia in 1944), commanded by Palyam member Arieh (Kipi) Kaplan. The 'Gidoni' was Yosef Lazrovsky. According to plan, "Rafi" was supposed to bring some of the immigrants near the Israeli shores, transfer then to the "Henrietta Szold" and return with the foreign crew of both ships to Greece, while Palyam members led "Henrietta Szold" into Israel.
Both ships sailed from the Greek port of Sonion on July 30th, 1946, with 536 immigrants on board (among them 28 babies under the age of two and another 180 children, two to sixteen years old.) The following day, the "Henrietta Szold" engines failed and "Rafi" towed it to the Sirina Island Gulf, where they were delayed a few days until the problem was fixed. On August 10th, both ships were about 200km away from Haifa, and about a hundred "Rafi" immigrants were transferred to the "Henrietta Szold" as planned (the main foreign mechanic of the "Henrietta Szold" remained on the ship to ensure the regularity of its engines.) Two days prior, 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' warned the escorts via radio of the danger of deportation should the immigrants be caught, and instructed them to organize a resistance is necessary. The "Henrietta Szold" was supposed to reach the Caesarea shore, but due to the bad conditions on board and the large number of children, the escorts decided to sail directly to Haifa. The British captured the ship and dragged it to the port on August 12th. It docked near the "Yagur" illegal immigration ship.
On August 13th, at dawn, a police boat neared the "Henrietta Szold" in order to tow it to the dock, and transfer the immigrants onto the deportation ship that would take them to Cyprus. Commanded by the escorts, the immigrants organized in four areas of responsibility. They threw milk jugs, cans, blocks and machine parts at the navel soldiers. The British used water hoses but refrained from using firearms. After a while, the fray ceased and a negotiation started, during which the British destroyer commander went on board to try and convince its people to stop fighting, but to no avail. The British renewed their fight, and using tear gas bombs, some of which penetrated the babies' cabins, subdued the immigrants after a six hour battle.
While the immigrants were transferred to the "Empire Heywood" deportation ship, men from 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' hid explosives in their bags to sabotage the ship. But the British took precaution measures and placed the immigrants' belongings to a separate section of the ship. In this they prevented the possibility of sabotage. Lazrovsky, the 'Gidoni, was given the order to drop his radio into the sea before the British take over the ship, but he managed to pack it into his backpack, transfer it to the deportation ship and from there to the detention camp in Cyprus. The radio was used in the camp to communicate with Israel. The "Henrietta Szold" immigrants were deported to Tent Camp No. 55 near Famagusta. The escorts remained with them during the first deportation phase and escaped the detention camp later on with the help of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet'.
The ship was prepared for its journey to Israel by Yani Avidov, member of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet.' In fact, two ships sailed off: "Henrietta Szold," the larger one, was commanded by Palyam member Shmuel (Samak) Yanai; the second, smaller one named "Rafi" (after the Israeli delegate-paratrooper who was killed during WWII in Slovakia in 1944), commanded by Palyam member Arieh (Kipi) Kaplan. The 'Gidoni' was Yosef Lazrovsky. According to plan, "Rafi" was supposed to bring some of the immigrants near the Israeli shores, transfer then to the "Henrietta Szold" and return with the foreign crew of both ships to Greece, while Palyam members led "Henrietta Szold" into Israel.
Both ships sailed from the Greek port of Sonion on July 30th, 1946, with 536 immigrants on board (among them 28 babies under the age of two and another 180 children, two to sixteen years old.) The following day, the "Henrietta Szold" engines failed and "Rafi" towed it to the Sirina Island Gulf, where they were delayed a few days until the problem was fixed. On August 10th, both ships were about 200km away from Haifa, and about a hundred "Rafi" immigrants were transferred to the "Henrietta Szold" as planned (the main foreign mechanic of the "Henrietta Szold" remained on the ship to ensure the regularity of its engines.) Two days prior, 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' warned the escorts via radio of the danger of deportation should the immigrants be caught, and instructed them to organize a resistance is necessary. The "Henrietta Szold" was supposed to reach the Caesarea shore, but due to the bad conditions on board and the large number of children, the escorts decided to sail directly to Haifa. The British captured the ship and dragged it to the port on August 12th. It docked near the "Yagur" illegal immigration ship.
On August 13th, at dawn, a police boat neared the "Henrietta Szold" in order to tow it to the dock, and transfer the immigrants onto the deportation ship that would take them to Cyprus. Commanded by the escorts, the immigrants organized in four areas of responsibility. They threw milk jugs, cans, blocks and machine parts at the navel soldiers. The British used water hoses but refrained from using firearms. After a while, the fray ceased and a negotiation started, during which the British destroyer commander went on board to try and convince its people to stop fighting, but to no avail. The British renewed their fight, and using tear gas bombs, some of which penetrated the babies' cabins, subdued the immigrants after a six hour battle.
While the immigrants were transferred to the "Empire Heywood" deportation ship, men from 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' hid explosives in their bags to sabotage the ship. But the British took precaution measures and placed the immigrants' belongings to a separate section of the ship. In this they prevented the possibility of sabotage. Lazrovsky, the 'Gidoni, was given the order to drop his radio into the sea before the British take over the ship, but he managed to pack it into his backpack, transfer it to the deportation ship and from there to the detention camp in Cyprus. The radio was used in the camp to communicate with Israel. The "Henrietta Szold" immigrants were deported to Tent Camp No. 55 near Famagusta. The escorts remained with them during the first deportation phase and escaped the detention camp later on with the help of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet'.