A letter and a "Shana Tova" card from the detention camp in Kenya. August 1947

A letter and a "Shana Tova" card from the detention camp in Kenya. August 1947

* A letter sent from the detention camp in Kenya to the Land of Israel prior to the new year, 21 August 21, 1947. The letter was sent from Yaki to his parents and relatives. after he updated about letters he received, as well as newspaper packages telling about what was happening in the camp: "In the camp, everything goes as before, except that three of the five escapees who escaped from Eritrea at the time were returned. They were caught in the Habash capital and were extradited in violation of any law. In fact, in the country, the law is the money ... and it was difficult for them to compete with the British empire by paying bribes to the various black officials ... I attach a few postcards for a good year. Please send Rosh Hashanah greetings to all our relatives and acquaintances ... ' [1] leaves, 20x 13 cm. fine condition.

* Happy New Year card 'Year of Liberation and Redemption' with an illustration of the map of Africa and the Land of Israel and a landmark of Kenya, the Watchtowers, and the inscription: 'Camp of the Hebrew Expatriates Kenya.' 9x6 cm. Very fine condition.

Attached is the original envelope in which the letter was sent and the "Happy New Year" card.

Beginning in 1944, the Etzel and Lehi exiles were deported to detention camps in Africa in 12 transports. The decision to expel the members of the undergrounds to Africa was accepted by the British in light of the radicalization of the activities of the undergrounds and the recommendation of the Chief Secretary of the Mandatory Government, Acting High Commissioner Sir John Shaw. The British believed that the expulsion to Africa had a strong deterrent element, and would allow the moderate Jewish forces to promote a compromise solution. The detention camps in which they were held were Sambel, near the capital of Eritrea, as well as Carthage in the Sudanese desert and Gilgil in Kenya. A total of 439 persons were deported, and the detention conditions were identical to the conditions in the Latrun camp, where the distance from the families constituted the greatest torture of the detainees, and the detainees suffered from shortages of clothing, toothbrushes, and reading books.

In the Gilgil camp in Kenya where the prisoners were held from March 1947, the conditions were relatively harsh. The former military prison contained dark, stifling cells, infested with mosquitoes and loaded with sewage. A revolt by the prisoners, in which they destroyed the walls to cover the sewers with their stones, finally persuaded the camp commandant to significantly improve the conditions in the camp. With the encouragement of the British, there was extensive educational activity in the camps. A language group was organized under the leadership of Uzi Ornan, and personalities such as Meir Shamgar and Shmuel Tamir acquired legal education through correspondence with British universities and open university examinations. The exiles were returned to Israel a few months after the establishment of the State of Israel.