October 31, 2007 / 19 Cheshvan  5768

60 years after it was deported from the shores of "Eretz Israel", there will be a reenactment of the voyage of the “Exodus” ship on the initiative of the Appel Unifie Juif de France

300 Jews from France will reenact the historic voyage of the “Exodus” on a chartered ship leaving Cyprus and docking at Haifa on Thursday November 1 at 8:00

60 years after being expelled from the shores of Mandatory Palestine, the Exodus ship returns in a reenactment done by 300 French Jews. They will be sailing from Larnaca on a chartered ship and will be arriving in Haifa port on Thursday November 1 at 8:00am.

The sailing marks the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel on the initiative of the Appel Unifie Juif de France, headed by Pierre Besnainou, and the event in Haifa Port is organized by Keren Hayesod, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the AMI Organization.

On the ship will be Jewish donors from France, dozens of new immigrants, Jewish children celebrating their bar mitzvah in Israel and Holocaust survivors.

As the ship enters Israel’s territorial waters, it will be accompanied by an Israeli navy vessel which will perform a ceremonial salute with its water cannons in commemoration of the historic “Exodus”.

This will be followed by a reception in the presence of the Chairman of the Jewish Agency Zeev Bielski, President of the Appel Unifie Juif de France Pierre Besnainou, mayor of Haifa Yona Yahav, head of the Jewish Agency’s delegation in France David Roche, and leaders of Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal. New immigrants and soldiers will also take part in the reception.

The “Exodus” ship left southern France on July 11th 1947 carrying 4,500 Holocaust survivors. The British, refusing to let the ship land, boarded the ship by force and forced the refugees onto deportation boats headed for a displaced persons camp in Germany. Three shipmates who were part of the illegal immigration operation were killed in the skirmish with the British authorities and dozens were wounded. After a protracted stay in the displaced persons camp, the Exodus passengers made aliyah to newly-founded Israel.

Security check for journalists at 8:00 by the “Bat Galim” gate, Haifa Port, with GPO ID and additional photo ID (entrance to docking ceremony by bus and not private cars).