2חלקים מאוחדים י״ש

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To: Lt. Col. Shemi Itzhak, Ein-Shemer
From: IDF, Military Post Unit 2867
Date: 16 July 1964
Re: Trip for officers and their wives

1. Due to heavy expenses for sleeping in the Sodom hostel, you are
requested to transmit, along with this expense form, payment for your
participation in the trip: the sum of Israeli Lira 2 per person (IL 4 per
couple).

2. Thank you!
Signed:
Company sergeant major – Liaison officer
Form 91/1 (1/100) 3/61

THE WAR ENDS

At the end of the war, which left deep scars in the minds and bodies of the
fighters, armistice agreements were signed. Itzhak continued to serve in
uniform until 1953. The battalions of the Alexandroni Brigade became part of
the Givati Brigade and Itzhak was replaced as battalion commander by
Lieutenant General Tzur. Itzhak was transferred to the job of handling
preparation of IDF infrastructure and was both an observer and an active
partner in its formulation. His official duty was planning of the reserve army
system.
Toward the time of his release from active service, Itzhak decided to continue
his education and chose the subject of Acquaintance with the Land of Israel,
which he studied at Avshalom Institute (founded in Tel-Aviv in 1952); he was
a student in the institute's first class. His studies – in the realm of the Land of
Israel and the history of the people of Israel returning to their land and
reconnecting with their heritage – complemented his broad knowledge of the
Bible and the Hebrew language.

The studies met his expectations and his curiosity found a new outlet:
archaeology. In his opinion, archaeological finds proved the undisputable link
between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.

Itzhak was released from army service with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

ITZHAK RETURNS HOME

The geographical characteristics of the country made it necessary to have a
permanent, flexible, active defense system. The vital role the settlements had
played during the War of Independence instilled strong faith in their
importance. "Civil defense derives from the regional conditions of the State of
Israel. We have no room for retreating and maneuvering…" stated Ephraim
Reiner (officer and security activist) in 1953. And indeed, upon returning to
civilian life, Itzhak was given the task of organizing civil defense in the

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Shomron area. This involved categorizing the settlements by their level of risk
and providing them with the required protection needed to ensure their safety.

Ein-Shemer implored him to come back to the kibbutz as a teacher and
educator, and thus, for the next three years Itzhak gave his all in the teaching
field.

Itzhak was released from the
IDF in 1953. Until the end of
his life he kept in contact with
the Organization of the
Hagana Members – a
connection based on their
common mission and
brotherhood. Every year, on
Independence Day, he would
sit glued to the radio, listening
intently to the prime minister's
speech and trying to figure
out, by a code known only to
the Hagana members,
whether we were faced with
peace or war

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1956: Visiting the Eilat airport Improvised entrance sign
while filling his role as guide and to Be'er-Ora, 1956
mentor for young people on the
Gadna farm in Be'er Ora

As the Sinai Campaign of 1956 drew near, Itzhak and Gadna participants
under him were on the Gadna farm in Be'er Ora. The young people underwent
a training program in preparation of their conscription in the Nachal [Hebrew
acronym for "pioneer combatant youth"]. At this same time, Commander-in-
Chief Moshe Dayan made changes in the Nachal framework, which was
converted from being a unit posted in settlements (civil defense) to a fighting
unit. Be'er Ora was in a state of preparedness. All kinds of necessary
preparations were going on there; reservist call-ups were at a peak.

WORK IN GRANOT

After he completed his years of teaching, guiding and educating, Itzhak was
recruited for a new organizational post: establishing the technical secretariat
for the agricultural organization of the Hefer-Valley and Shomron settlements,
which later became Granot Central Cooperative Ltd. and is located on the
spot of the former frontier tent camp of Tcherkes, across the road from
Kibbutz Gan-Shmuel. For the first time, the collective farms – kibbutzim and
moshavim – of the region organized themselves collectively in order to jointly
market their produce. Itzhak's job was to create basic organizational
protocols. He remained in this job for about ten years.

Under pressure by the Institute for Safety and Public Health and by Shlomo
Rosen, who was the secretary of the Kibbutz Movement, Itzhak went to
establish the department for safety and public health in the agricultural sector

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in Israel. In order to do so, he had to undergo a strict program of higher
education simultaneously with fulfilling his role at Granot. In the words of his
assistant, Garry Ben-Shalom (in the memorial booklet published after Itzhak's
death):

After two years of activity in the agricultural center, Itzhak was asked to
participate in a delegation from Israel to an international conference on
safety held in Vienna under the auspices of World Labor Organization.
He gave a speech there in German on behalf of the State of Israel. He
proudly presented to his audience the accomplishments of his unique
rural organization, the only one of its kind in the world.

Organization of Hagana Members, inner secretariat, 1955, right to left:
Avraham Shapira, veteran of the Shomrim, Israel Bar; fourth from right:
Eshel. Standing: Nahum Ziv-Av; to his left: Itzhak Shemi

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Interior Minister Bekhor Shitrit awards Itzhak the War
of Independence ribbon

Itzhak lectures at the ceremony

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Granot Central Cooperative Ltd., organization of farms of Hefer-
Valley and the Shomron. Itzhak is above; the Granot plant is below.
1958-1968

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Israeli President Itzhak Navon (second from left) shakes Itzhak Shemi's hand
as the latter is awarded the 1980 Labor Prize in the president's official
residence in Jerusalem
And when, after a grave report about an increase in work accidents, a
government committee was appointed to investigate the issue, who if not
Itzhak was appointed to be a member of the group, later called the Gonen
Committee.
Toward the end of 1978 he was appointed to this governmental committee for
prevention of work accidents by Labor Minister Israel Katz. The committee
was to present conclusions and recommendations for establishing procedures
and regulations. In this framework, meetings were held with agricultural
workers, academicians and insurance company experts. Itzhak was fully
occupied with plans and made certain that they would be carried out by young
and older people, in oral and written form.
The department for safety and public health in the working settlements was
located in the Agricultural Center Building in Tel-Aviv. Itzhak filled his post
with enthusiasm and concern, productively utilizing the knowledge he had
accrued as an organizational planner, in order to establish protocols that
would protect laborers.

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During those years he also lectured widely on topics connected with his work,
especially at Ruppin Academy [now Ruppin Academic Center] in Hefer-Valley,
where he was frequently invited to speak.

LAST YEARS

At the end of 1980 he was awarded the Labor Prize for his activity and
achievements in the agricultural sector.

During this period Itzhak began his final retirement from urban activity. He
returned to his kibbutz, where he continued to be active and involved, writing
and displaying remarkable interest in events around him.

In 1987, after sudden deterioration in his medical condition, Itzhak Shemi
passed away.

The year before, in an interview with the kibbutz newsletter editor for the 38th
Independence Day celebrations, he stated, "All of our wars were defensive
wars". When asked what form he would give the nation if he could design it,
he replied, "a moralistic, militarily strong state, to deter those who seek to
torment us, with planned and thoughtful integration of immigrants; an
association of allied citizens who are reliable, combative and educational.

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ITZHAK SHEMI
18 March 1907 – 25 January 1987

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TIMELINE

Events in Itzhak Shemi's Life Year Events in World and Land of
Israel
- Born in Blach family home on 1907
Strashun Street in Vilna, Lithuania, 1908 - Shomerassociation set up in
Land of Israel
Russia - First Hebrew Gymnasium (high
school) in Diaspora opens in
1911 Vilna. Two years later, Herzliya
Gymnasium opens in Land of
- Studies in cheder 1912 Israel. Same curriculum and
1913 textbooks used in both schools
- Begins elementary school,
studying in Russian and Hebrew 1914 - World War I breaks out.
- First automobiles reach Vilna,
- Joins Tzofim (Jewish scouting 1915 terrifying the horses, which had
movement) 1917 never seen such monsters

1918 - Balfour Declaration of Jewish
national home in Palestine
- Prepares for Bar-Mitzvah 1919 - World War I ends
ceremony; studies in yeshiva - Lithuania gains independence.
- Wave of anti-Semitism sweeps
- Writes his own Bar-Mitzvah 1920 Europe. Protocols of Elders of
speech and presents it in Hebrew Zion, first published in 1902, is
in fulfilling Jewish commandment widely disseminated
- British rule in Land of Israel.
- Enters Hebrew Gymnasium Mandate includes both sides of
Jordan River: national home
- Loses father; family becomes 1921 - Fateful year for growth of
poor 1922 Palestinian Arab nationalistic
- Continues studies without charge movement.
- Tel-Hai episode
- Tzofim movement merges with - Founding of organization of
haShomer haTzair; Itzhak is Hagana members
- Third Aliya; Kibbutz Degania
founded
- League of Nations founded
- Office for aliya opens in Vilna

- British split Land of Israel and
give East Bank of Jordan River

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among first members and part of West bank to Amir

Abdullah, establishing Kingdom
of Transjordan

- Ottoman Empire crumbles
- Fourth Aliya

- 3 June: White Paper decrees
(W. Churchhill)

- Receives diploma upon 1924 - Half of Vilna's population is
Jewish. City has second-largest
completion of gymnasium studies 1926 concentration of Jews in world
- Enrolls in teaching seminary 1927 (after Poland with 4 million)

- Member of central leadership of - Kibbutz Ein-Shemer founded in
haShomer haTzair in Lithuania Shomron by haShomer haTzair
- Receives 404th badge of members from Poland and
haShomer haTzair worldwide Lithuania
- Has full responsibility for his - Bloody incidents in Land of
family's livelihood; tutors pupils to Israel
- Fifth Aliya
earn money
- Nurenberg Laws in Germany
- Studies librarianship in university deprive Jews of their rights as
citizens
- Finds employment in big,
important library on Strashun - Disturbances (1936-1939) –
difficult time of bloody clashes of
Street with respectable salary Arabs against Jewish settlement
in Land of Israel
1929 - British build series of Tegart

- Sails to Land of Israel as 1932
member of Vilna Maccabee
athletic team and participates in 1934
first Maccabiah Games ever held 1935
- After games end, joins friends on 1936
Kibbutz Ein-Shemer and meets
wife-to-be, Regina

- Following period of hard labor in
groves, drainage, clearing fields of
rocks, etc., contracts malaria

- National Library of Hebrew
University in Jerusalem applies to
Ein-Shemer to release Itzhak to
work in library; request denied
- Begins work as field guard
[Noter, ghaffir]

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1937 forts –fortified police stations
- Britain sends 100,000 soldiers
Graduates from course of 1939 to Land of Israel; Jewish
residents number 600,000
company commanders in Joara - Notrut corps established
[underground school for Hagana - Lord Peel's Partition Plan
command] - Etzel founded by activists who
abandoned Hagana
1940 - White Paper decrees against
1941
Aliya
- Decides to join British army in 1942 - Period of "illegal" immigration
order to get to Europe, fight by Jews to Land of Israel
1943 - Germany invades Poland;
Germans and do what he can to 1944 World War II begins
save family. Attempt fails [thwarted - 22 June: Pearl Harbor attacked
- Palmach founded; works
by Eliyahu Golomb, who has alongside Notrim and Hagana
planned special role for him in - Orde Wingate, haYedid, comes
to Land of Israel
Hagana's German section: to - Wannsee Conference in
fortify Hagana set-ups in Land of Germany: Nazis decide on Final
Israel in view of danger of German Solution
invasion] - German and other Axis forces
reach Alexandria under
- Itzhak's extended family in Rommel's command
Europe annihilated - 23 Oct.: Rommel decisively
defeated at el-Alamein
- Guiding and mentoring at
commanders' school in Joara - 16 May: Warsaw Ghetto
Uprising defeated after raging on
- Itzhak's second daughter, Hagar, for 63 days
born on Ein-Shemer - 24 Sept.: Vilna Ghetto totally
liquidated
- Hagana organized; Itzhak made
responsible for recruiting

volunteers and preparing them
physically and morally for future

war against Arab countries. His
area of activity, Shomron District,

is between Carmel and Alexander
River

- 26 Nov.: Area of activity 1945 - World War II ends
extended to Tel-Aviv and Haifa. - "Season" of hostile acts

Hard work, 24/7, under very harsh between Hagana and opposing
underground conditions Jewish forces that left it

- Siege of Kibbutz Givat Haim;
bloody struggle between armed

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- Appointed 131st Battalion's 1947 British and unarmed kibbutz
1948 members who hid "illegal"
commander of Alexandroni Jewish immigrants – Holocaust
Brigade with rank of major. His survivors
- Kibbutz haMa'apil founded
responsibility covers Shomron opposite Arab village of Kakun
District's settlements and fighting - Kibbutz Ma'anit founded to east
of Ein-Shemer
forces - 29 Nov. 1947 historic UN vote
- War of Independence begins
- 25 April: British evacuate airfield - Nov. 1947 – March 1948: first
stage of war
south of Ein-Shemer
- Itzhak negotiates with British - 1,000 Jewish settlers in Land of
Israel killed in war
about turning over military police - April-May 1948: second stage
stations to Jews of war
- Declaration of founding of State
- 15 May: Capture of airfield of Israel
despite presence of Iraqi brigade - Arab invasion
- End of British Mandate
along hills to east - Severe shelling of area of 131st
- Alexandroni Brigade turns over Battalion. Women and children
evacuated to rear
best weapons and ammunition - 31 May 1948: IDF founded
and young fighters to Jewish - 11 June 1948 – 8 July 1948:
First armistice
forces in Jerusalem - Ten days of battles of
- 131st Battalion under Itzhak's Operation Policeman
- 18 July 1948 – 15 Oct. 1948:
command deploys along lengthy, Second armistice
winding frontline; fights against - Operation Lot

Iraqi battalion and local pockets of
resistance of Arab villages (see:

Qawuqji and Operation
Policeman)

- 131st Battalion becomes IDF's 1949 - Armistice agreements
926th Battalion in Givati Brigade.
Lieutenant General Tzur takes - First Israeli Knesset election
- David Ben-Gurion becomes
over command
- Itzhak continues army service, Israel's first prime minister
- Chaim Weizmann becomes
including creation of reserve army
system Israel's first president

- Becomes one of first students at 1952
1953
newly-established Avshalom

Institute devoted to study of Land

of Israel

- Discharged from IDF with rank of

lieutenant colonel

- Member of inner secretariat of

Organization of Hagana Members

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- Occupied with setting up civil 1956 - Sinai Campaign
defense 1958
- Teacher and educator on kibbutz - Granot regional factories
1967 established for marketing of
- Youth guide and mentor at 1968 agricultural produce
Gadna farm in Be'er Ora 1971
- Six-Day War
- Starts new job as organizational Agricultural Center in Tel-Aviv
manager of Granot, new
agricultural factories set up by
Hefer-Valley and Shomron
kibbutzim

- In last year of work at Granot,
begins complex studies on issues
of insurance and safety
calculations

- Member of newly founded
Department of Safety and Public
Health in the Agricultural Sector

- Itzhak is invited to represent
Israel in World Congress on Safety
and Health at Work, held in
Vienna, Austria; gives lecture in
German

1973 - Yom Kippur War
1979
- Gonen Committee for Safety in
- Receives Labor Prize for his 1980 Agricultural Work established
work in agricultural sector.
Ceremony is held in Tel-Aviv
Museum; Itzhak is invited to
residence of president of Israel in
Jerusalem
- 25 Jan.: Itzhak Shemi dies in his 1987
home on Kibbutz Ein-Shemer

REFERENCES

- From the estate of Itzhak Shemi's estate and family albums

Letters to daughter and grandson in Paris

Lectures

Articles and letters to editor as published in daily newspaper Al
haMishmar and weekly newsletter Alon-haMeshek of Kibbutz Ein-
Shemer

- HaAretz newspaper archives

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- Shimon Duvnov Divrei Yamei Am Olam [Chronicles of the People of the
World], Dvir, Tel-Aviv, 1952

- Benny Morris, 1948, Am Oved/Sifriat Sapir, 2010

- Kibbutz Ein-Shemer archives

Revision of Yitzak Shemi's lecture on the topic of "the War of Independence in
the Hadera Zone", which edited by the Memorial House for Fallen Soldiers in
Hadera on behalf of the Khan Museum in Hadera (03 June 1985) was carried
out by Hagar Zalko.

Itzhak Shemi's personal files and personal archives contain material of great
interest, including concise reviews of the history of the Hagana in the Land of
Israel and rare photographs. [In 2013 Itzhak Shemi's entire archives were
conveyed to the Zionist Archives in Jerusalem, where they can be viewed.]