Luciana – Shivat Zion [homecoming to Zion]
"Shivat Zion" sailed from Algiers Port on July 16th 1947, with 411 immigrants on board.
The "Shivat Zion" Haapala ship was prepared to depart for Israel in Marseille port, with a crew headed by Gideon (Geda) Shochat. The ship was used for transporting cargo in Italy during WWII. The ship commander was Palyam member, David Maimon. The 'Gidoni' was Michael (Mike) Harari.
"Shivat Zion" sailed from Algiers Port on July 16th 1947, with 411 immigrants on board. Its passengers were scheduled to transfer to "The Fourteen Fallen of Gesher A-Zib" ship, but the meeting never took place due to bad communication and shortage in navigation equipment. The British spotted "Shivat Zion" early on, near Tunisia. One destroyer followed it and three other ones joined later. Due to the return of the "Exodus" immigrants to Europe at the same time as "Shivat Zion" neared Israel, 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' HQ instructed its escorts to avoid active resistance, if it turned out that the British were planning to send then to Cyprus. On July 28th, the British took over the ship with no resistance from the immigrants. In Haifa, the immigrants were transferred to the "Empire Shelter" while showing passive resistance, and were taken to detention camps No. 61 and 63 in Cyprus. The escorts hid in a 'Slik,' and were rescued by Jewish cleaners who came to clean the ship after it was evacuated.
"Shivat Zion" sailed from Algiers Port on July 16th 1947, with 411 immigrants on board. Its passengers were scheduled to transfer to "The Fourteen Fallen of Gesher A-Zib" ship, but the meeting never took place due to bad communication and shortage in navigation equipment. The British spotted "Shivat Zion" early on, near Tunisia. One destroyer followed it and three other ones joined later. Due to the return of the "Exodus" immigrants to Europe at the same time as "Shivat Zion" neared Israel, 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' HQ instructed its escorts to avoid active resistance, if it turned out that the British were planning to send then to Cyprus. On July 28th, the British took over the ship with no resistance from the immigrants. In Haifa, the immigrants were transferred to the "Empire Shelter" while showing passive resistance, and were taken to detention camps No. 61 and 63 in Cyprus. The escorts hid in a 'Slik,' and were rescued by Jewish cleaners who came to clean the ship after it was evacuated.