Yael was born in Jerusalem’s Succat-Shalom neighbourhood in 1928. Her Chassidic family descended from a line of Admors, whose roots went back to the Baal Shem Tov and the holy Rabbi Avraham Halevi Horowitz. Her father, the late Rabbi David Arieh Brandwein, vigorously upheld the Jewish tradition, and had strong nationalist opinions. Owner of the “Zion” Bank, involved in land acquisition and construction of new Jerusalem neighbourhoods, he assisted many in immigration to Israel. Her mother, Esther Malka nee Horowitz, helped the needy, managed the household and looked after the education of their two daughters and three sons. Yael studied at the Mizrachi Teachers’ Seminary; from her youth she was greatly interested in Jewish history. She joined Beitar, then Brit- Hachashmona’im, through which she found her way to Lehi before age 15. At first she was active in the youth cells, pasting up info-bulletins, circulating info-material. Afterwards she participated in operations such as the assassination of General Barker, and Dr Israel Eldad’s ” kidnap” from arrest, an operation for which she had to leave her mother in her final living hour. She was active in surveillance, gathering information, laying explosive charges and transferring weapons. Due to an informant (Arab coffeehouse owner) who exposed information regarding Dr. Eldad’s release operation, Yael had to go underground and leave Jerusalem. The kidnap and murder of her trainee Alexander Robovitsch, left deep scars embedded within her heart. Shortly before the outbreak of the Independence War she got married. From this marriage, ending in divorce, she had daughter Sarah. On first opportunity, she returned to Jerusalem, finished studies and married fellow Lehi member, Shabbtai Ben-Dov. They have two children, Nava and Yair, thirteen grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Yael worked many years as a kindergarten teacher, and as a teacher and administrator in special education. After retirement, she volunteered in ‘Listening Ear’, instructing in institutions for special-needs children, and remains active in preserving the Lehi legacy. After the liberation of Jerusalem, she moved with her family to Beit-Hanina, (eastern part of the city) with other former Lehi- member families.