In the 1930s, the Jewish community of British-controlled Palestine joined forces to achieve independent statehood, combat Arab rioting, and provide for the general self-defense. One group, ideologically aligning itself with Ze'Ev Jabotinsky's Revisionist Movement, rejected the "Restraint" policy of the Jewish Agency's Hagana forces. The Revisionist forces carried out armed reprisals against the Arabs, and after publication of the British "White Paper" restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine from Nazi Europe, conducted sabotage activities against the British. The underground organization was known as the Irgun Zvai Leumi (Hebrew for National Military Organization) and was headed by Israel's late Prime Minister Menachim Begin.
When Irgun members were caught, they were interned in various prison camps in Palestine (Acre, Latrun, Mazrea, and Sarafund) and in Africa (Asmara, Carthargo, and Gilgal). They were moved frequently to prevent escape, though many managed to do so.
This simple postal item has led to an unusual discovery. Postmarked "May 13, 1948, Minhelet Ha'am Jerusalem" with a Palestine 10 mill stamp, it appears to be completely innocent. Only the fact that the school "Yeshivat Hovevei Tora, Jurusalem" did not exist makes it so intriguing.
After some research and interviews with people who were active at the time, the following story emerged.
The Irgun Zvai Leumi used various institutional envelopes (mostly religious to avoid detection) for sending its anti-British leaflets to local citizens and members as a subterfuge against the British. But when such genuine envelopes were not available, they would print names of non-existent institutions on blank ones--as in this case--a non-existent religious school!
A former professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an Irgun Zvai Leumi commander in Jerusalem, substantiated these facts and said that his wife was among those who prepared and sent these envelopes containing the leaflets.
Only a handful was ever produced and most were destroyed upon receipt due to the obvious dangers of possessing such anti-government material. It is believed that maybe only one other envelope may exist, but unless that can be confirmed, this item is truly unique.
Mark Sommer holds a BA in Political Science from Yeshiva University and an MA in International Relations from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He teaches at Stevens Institute of Technology in the Humanities Department. His published works in the intelligence field include. "Getting the Message Through Clandestine Mail and Postage Stamps. " MIPB, October-December, 1992 and "Undercover Addresses of World War II," International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Fall 1993.
COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group
