MACHAL'S YOM HAZICHARON SERVICE
ON TUESDAY, 16TH APRIL, 2002
 
1.  Once again, we shall meet at the World Machal Memorial to honour the
memory of our 119 Fallen Comrades.  Unfortunately, many of our
fellow-Machalniks in Israel and abroad have passed away since our last
Memorial service.
2.  I wish to express a most earnest appeal to our Machalniks to make an
effort to attend this commemoration service. After all, Machal was a
"special" group of men and women who participated in the great historic act
of helping to found the Jewish State, and it behoves those of us who
survived, to pay our respects to our comrades who made the ultimate
sacrifice.
3.  THE SERVICE WILL COMMENCE AT 10.55 HOURS SHARP!  Please aim to
arrive at Sha'ar Hagai by not later than 10.30 a.m., so as to avoid being
late for the service.  Early arrival at the Memorial will also give you the
opportunity of meeting your former Machal comrades.
4.  Our esteemed friend, Rabbi David Rosen, will once again conduct the
religious side of the ceremony.
5.  I'm very pleased to inform you that two contingents of Machalniks
from abroad - from England and France - will be participating in our
service.  Should you know of any Machalniks from abroad who may be visiting
Israel at the time of Yom Hazicharon, please invite them to join us.  All
Machalniks are of course more than welcome to invite relatives and friends
to join our ceremony.
5.  In accordance with our tradition, the memorial service will be
followed by a "bring-your-own-picnic-lunch".  Why not enjoy the opportunity
of spending time with your comrades and friends in the delightful picnic
area of Sha'ar Hagai?
6.  Please note that participants have to arrange their own transport.
We suggest you contact fellow-Machalniks to make transport arrangements
between yourselves.
7.  As in the past, all the necessary facilities and logistics for our
service will be provided by our very good friends at Keren Kayemet Le
Yisrael: In order to cover the costs of these facilities, we are requesting
Machalniks who will be attending the service to contribute an amount of NS
30 per person.  Payments in cash can be made at the ceremony to Zippy
Porath, Rafi Seroussi, Eddy Kaplansky, Murray Greenfield, and Smoky Simon.
For those who pay in cash, please be good enough to arrange the exact amount
of cash, as finding the right amount of change is always a problem.
Machalniks who wish to pay by cheque, please issue your cheques in favour of
World Machal - NS 60 per couple, or NS 30 for a single person, and kindly
mail your cheques to our Machal address.
8.  The Information Service of the Foreign Office has distributed many
thousands of pamphlets, FOCUS ON ISRAEL, in English and French, which tell
the Machal story.  The pamphlet has been read with great enthusiasm by Jews
in the Diaspora.
9.  The Machal Committee is still making efforts to establish a Machal
Museum.  As mentioned previously, space in the leading military museums is
tremendously expensive, and Machal's resources are very limited.  However,
we are still appealing to all Machalniks for photographs, articles, books,
and any other memorabilia, and of course cash contributions would be greatly
appreciated.  Memorabilia should be sent to: David (Migdal) Teperson, 9
Havatzelet Street, Kfar Shmaryahu 46910 (telephone 09-958-2718, and fax no.
09-956-0673).
10. The Machal Committee (with profound thanks to Zippy Porath, Migdal
Teperson, and Doreen), is preparing material for a "Mobile Machal
Exhibition" which will be conducted by the American Jewish Historical
Society.  The committee is putting together a wealth of material -
photographs;  personal testimonies;  a range of documents relating to the
War of Independence;  a bronze sculpture designed by Machalnik Sol Baskin;
a beautiful wall tapestry woven by a Finnish Machalnik;  a painting of the
"Negev Airlift 1948";  the Golden Book presented to Machal by Va'ad LeMa'an
HaChayal";  memorabilia relating to Machal Reunions;  a vast number of books
and publications;  Machal websites;  films and video cassettes;  newspaper
features, and information on present-day Machal volunteers in the IDF.
11. MACHAL ITEMS
    We still have a limited supply of Machal caps (cost NS  3.50),
Machal flags (cost NS 16), and Machal medallions (cost NS 60).  Anyone who
might wish to acquire any of these items, should please arrange to pick them
up before or after the Yom Hazicharon service at Doreen's office, Room 821,
El Al Building, 32 Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv.  Please phone Doreen at
03-621-2764, so that she can prepare your requirements.
11. Change of Address or telephone numbers - Please inform Doreen at
03-621-2764.
12. We very much look forward to seeing you on 16th April, so please
stay healthy, take good care, and keep pedalling.
 

Sincerely,
Smoky Simon
for  ISRAEL MACHAL COMMITTEE
(Sol Baskin, Dave Baum, Murray Greenfield, Sol Jacobs, Eddy Kaplansky,
Zipporah Porath, Raphael Seroussi, David Shachar, Smoky Simon,
 Migdal Teperson, Joe Woolf)
 
 

c.c.    Maurice Fajerman (French Mahal)
    Dr. Jason Fenton (Machal West)
    Rolfe Futerman (South African Machal)
    Eli Bergman (AVI)
    Barney Meyerson (Australian Machal)
    Stanley Medicks (UK Machal)
    Jerry Rosenberg (Canadian Machal)