The Lamed Heh

Thirty-Five soldiers who fell in the Hebron Hills on their way to the besieged Gush Etzion, 5th Shvat 5708, 16th January 1948; With photos; translated from the Hebrew by Shulamith Berman.

Preface

Many stories of bravery are told about Israel’s War of Independence. One day before Ben Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel, the final battle took place in Kibbutz Kfar Etzion, a battle in which all the defenders were killed. This tragic tale is imbedded in the annals of Jewish history. Another drama of the War of Independence is that of the heroic convoy of the Thirty-Five, better known as the Lamed Hey.

Their final battle has been researched by historians for decades. Yet

details of what actually happened are still incomplete.

The Lamed Hey convoy was a detachment of 35 soldiers who set out in January 1948 to help the besieged Etzion Bloc (Gush Etzion). They were discovered and brutally murdered by Arab irregular forces. Their heroic story is inseparable from the War of Independence and the history of Gush Etzion. They were young soldiers serving in the Palmach Mountain Brigade, some of whom were barely out of the immigrant camps. They took upon themselves a dangerous mission from which they knew they might not return, to bring food and medical supplies to Gush Etzion. At daybreak they were spotted and a heroic battle ensued. They fought to the last man, their bodies so badly mutilated that they were unidentifiable.

Every year in mid-winter, on the anniversary of the battle, many people follow the path they took, marching in their footsteps to commemorate and honor their heroism.

The bond between the Greater MetroWest Federation and Gush Etzion, which was forged more than 13 years ago at the beginning of the intifada, has given rise to many projects. The participants’ dedication  and  the  alliance  between  us  have  developed  into long lasting commitment and friendship. One of the most recent projects has been the participation of the Federation in the March of the Lamed Hey. Other projects include two educators’ exchange missions, one in the USA and one in Israel. Their focus was on educational techniques and on teaching the history and heritage of Gush Etzion.

The story of the Lamed Hey illustrates commitment to one’s homeland and the bravery of young people. It has launched discussions of patriotism and dedication in numerous classrooms.

Until now no comprehensive historical account of the Lamed Hey was available in English. The Federation has allocated funds for creating English educational materials. This enabled us to publish material about the Lamed Hey for use in classrooms and discussion groups.

With the help of this funding we have undertaken a translation of the Hebrew biographies of all 35 brave men. The result is, this book The Lamed Hey and an additional booklet” In the path of the Lamed Hey”.

In 2014 we decided that this year’s project would be to develop materials and tools in English for educators, to be used in day schools and community centers.

Together with the Gush Etzion Foundation, private donors, the Kfar Etzion Field School, and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, and in collaboration with educators from Gush Etzion and MetroWest, we have put together resource materials that include historical background information, the biographies of the Lamed Hey, and a DVD about the final mission of the Lamed Hey.

We have the honor and privilege of publishing this historic material

– our contribution towards preserving this heroic piece of Jewish history during Israel’s War of Independence.

Also available on Amazon. Press HERE.