The story takes place during World War II as many Jews try to reach safety in Eretz Yisrael. Lord Moyne, British Minister of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, known for his anti-Semetic and anti-Zionist beliefs, prevented these Jews from reaching the safe shores of Mandatory Palestine. As a result, the leaders of the Lehi underground decided that, in order to effect a change in policy amongst the British leaders, Lord Moyne must be eliminated. Eliyahu Chakim and Eliyahu Beit Tzuri were given the mission of assassinating Lord Moyne. The mission was successful as he and his bodyguard were assassinated in Cairo. As the Two Eliyahus made their escape on motorcycles a British policeman shot and wounded Eliyahu Beit Tzuri. Eliyahu Chakim stopped to help his partner and the two were arrested. Following their trial in Cairo they were sentenced to death by hanging and they were executed. In 1975, at the initiative of MK Yitzchak Shamir, their bodies were brought to Israel for burial. Also present at the arrival ceremony was Geula Cohen who at a later date revealed what had happened when the two coffins were opened: "Shamir walked towards the coffins. I followed him at a distance. They wouldn't let me walk with him. The coffins were placed on the ground with a military honor guard. Shamir reached the coffins and they began to open them. It was a spine-tingling moment. No one knew for sure what would be found in the coffins. It became even more horrifying when the covers were removed from the faces and we see two young and handsome faces staring at us. Not a scratch, as if they had been born anew." (Wikipedia) The Cairo Jewish community, in recognition of the heroism of the Two Eliyahus, dedicated a Torah in their memory and placed it in the Cairo synagogue. In 1962 Mr. Solomon Senior, a resident of Cairo at the time of the assassination and an admirer of the Two Eliyahus, took the Torah to Canada and placed it in Montreal's Beit Orah synagogue. Years later the congregation agreed to let the Torah be brought to Israel and placed in the Jerusalem "Achdut Yisrael" synagogue named in memory of those underground fighters who were hung by the British. In this synagogue we can also find a Torah dedicated to the memory of Yitzchak and Shulamit Shamir. I merited seeing the Torah which told the story of the heroism of the Two Eliyahus and their stand against British hostility in Eretz Yisrael. May their memory be a blessing. |
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