Avril, Cytherea – Ben Hecht
The "Avril, Cytherea – Ben Hecht" Haapala ship was the only ship whose arrival in Israel after WWII was not organized by 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet,' but by parties affiliated with the Revisionist Movement.
The "Avril, Cytherea – Ben Hecht" Haapala ship was the only ship whose arrival in Israel after WWII was not organized by 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet,' but by parties affiliated with the Revisionist Movement.
The ship was bought and sent on its mission by the initiative of "The American League for a Free Palestine," an organization that was affiliated with the Revisionist Movement. The ship carried the name of a Jewish-American writer and playwright, who identified with the revisionists' views and was a member of the league. The ship was bought with income money from Hecht's highly successful play – "A Flag Is Born," which dealt with the Haapala struggle of Jewish refugees during the British siege.
The ship was previously used as a private yacht, and served as a radar ship in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII. "Ben Hecht" was prepared for departure to Israel in New York by Morris Ginsburg and local volunteers who joined in on the mission. The ship commanders were Moshe Schwartz and Simcha Berlin.
The ship crew consisted of 18 American volunteers.
"Ben Hecht" sailed from Port De-Boeck in France on February 28th 1947, with 626 immigrants on board. The ship was scheduled to arrive at the shores of Netanya, whose many residents identified with the revisionists in those days. The British spotted the ship on March 9th, and took it over with no resistance from the immigrants. "Ben Hecht" was taken to the Haifa port and the immigrants were loaded onto deportation ships that took them to Detention Camp No. 66 in Cyprus.
The ship was bought and sent on its mission by the initiative of "The American League for a Free Palestine," an organization that was affiliated with the Revisionist Movement. The ship carried the name of a Jewish-American writer and playwright, who identified with the revisionists' views and was a member of the league. The ship was bought with income money from Hecht's highly successful play – "A Flag Is Born," which dealt with the Haapala struggle of Jewish refugees during the British siege.
The ship was previously used as a private yacht, and served as a radar ship in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII. "Ben Hecht" was prepared for departure to Israel in New York by Morris Ginsburg and local volunteers who joined in on the mission. The ship commanders were Moshe Schwartz and Simcha Berlin.
The ship crew consisted of 18 American volunteers.
"Ben Hecht" sailed from Port De-Boeck in France on February 28th 1947, with 626 immigrants on board. The ship was scheduled to arrive at the shores of Netanya, whose many residents identified with the revisionists in those days. The British spotted the ship on March 9th, and took it over with no resistance from the immigrants. "Ben Hecht" was taken to the Haifa port and the immigrants were loaded onto deportation ships that took them to Detention Camp No. 66 in Cyprus.