Trade Winds – Hatikvah
"Hatikvah" sailed from Boca di Magra Port in Italy on May 8th 1947, with 1,414 immigrants on board.
Its name, "Hatikvah (like the Zionist anthem), was given to the Haapala ship an hour after it left Italy. At first, the ship was named "Lord Balfour," after the British Prime Minister, Lord Balfour, who handed Lord Rothschild a declaration baring his name, which acknowledged the Jews' entitlement to establish a 'national home' in Israel. Shortly after its departure, the name was changed to "Hatikvah" by order of 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet.' The ship was prepared to depart for Israel in Lisbon port, Portugal and Porto Venero, Italy, by Yehosha Rabinovitch (Bahreb) and Avraham Zakai. It had previously served as a Canadian ice breaker. During WWII, the ship was used to escort convoys in the Atlantic Ocean, and later on transported Bananas. The ship commander was Palyam member, Israel Rosenbaum (Rotem.) The 'Gidoni' was Nachum Mundrer (Manor.) Additional escorts were Palyam member, Alex Shor and Meir Flik.
"Hatikvah" sailed from Boca di Magra Port in Italy on May 8th 1947, with 1,414 immigrants on board. It was spotted by a British reconnaissance aircraft on May 16th, and was followed by a destroyer a few hours later. The following day, five more destroyers joined them and using tear gas, took over 'Hatikvah' in a blitz, a few kilometers north of Ras En Naqura. The immigrants' resistance was lesser than on other Haapala ships. On that same night, they were transported to four deportation ships that took them to Cyprus. The escorts hid on the ship and were rescued a few hours later.
"Hatikvah" sailed from Boca di Magra Port in Italy on May 8th 1947, with 1,414 immigrants on board. It was spotted by a British reconnaissance aircraft on May 16th, and was followed by a destroyer a few hours later. The following day, five more destroyers joined them and using tear gas, took over 'Hatikvah' in a blitz, a few kilometers north of Ras En Naqura. The immigrants' resistance was lesser than on other Haapala ships. On that same night, they were transported to four deportation ships that took them to Cyprus. The escorts hid on the ship and were rescued a few hours later.