Brothers For Resistance And Rescue By David Gur

Wiesel HaimWiesel BernátBorn in Salgótarján on 16.12.1924Member of “Bnei Akiva”Haim studied at yehsivot in Galánta and Újpest and learned the job ofgrave builder in Györ. He moved to Budapest and in 1942 he joined themovement. On the day the Germans invaded Hungary on 19.3.1944,Haim was staying in a hostel in MIKÉFE - Magyar Izraelita Kézmüves ésFöldmüvelő Egyesület (Hungarian Jewish Artisan and AgriculturalAssociation). In May 1944 he was enlisted in a forced labor unit. Inautumn, equipped with forged Aryan documents, he arrived in Budapest.The movement gave him rescue missions. Haim operated under afictitious name, Balogh Sándor, worked in an electronics workshop andreceived a certificate as an indispensable worker for the war effort. Haimtravelled to forced labor camps and gave documents to comrades fromthe movement so they could escape. He also engaged in the transport offood to the children’s houses. In December 1944 Haim arrived at the“Glass House” and moved to the next-door building, which beforehandwas used as the Football Association club, and was a member of thearmed defense unit. After the liberation he arrived in Temesvár where,with his friends, he set up a hahshara for members of his movement. Sixmonths later he returned to Budapest and continued with his activities,especially taking care of children and their aliya. In June 1948 Haimmade aliya and, right off the ship, he was drafted to the Hagana. He didmilitary training and took part in the conquest of Lod and Beer-Sheva. Hewas a member of Moshav Nir Etzion and later settled down in Petah-Tikva.Yaar ShoshannaElefánt ZsuzsaBorn in Lazony (Ložin) on 5.1.1924Member of “Hashomer Hatzair”In 1944 Shoshanna moved to Hungary and joined the undergroundactivities of the movement under the name of Ilona Jávor. Shemaintained contact with the members of the underground and transferredforged documents and papers to those in need. In the summer of 1944Shoshanna worked as a German governess for the attaché of theBulgarian embassy in Hungary. After the war she made aliya and lived inYavniel. Shoshanna is Moshe Alpan’s sister.Brothers for Resistance and Rescue 255