NAME: Mandler Peretz

LEHI ALIAS: Ehud

DATE OF BIRTH: November 21, 1922

DATE OF DEATH: May 20, 1994

Peretz was born on November 21, 1922 in Vienna, Austria, to Leopold and Manuela (née Smolinsky), who were traditional and made their living as merchants.

After studying in elementary school, he made aliyah in 1939 at age seventeen, as part of the youth aliyah. He studied in the Pardes Hannah agricultural school. In 1941, he moved to Ein Harod, for a third year of training. In 1942, he joined Notrim, serving until May 1944. From then until 1949, he was a youth guide and teacher in the Tel Litwinsky school and dormitory.

He joined Lehi and was active in fundraising for the underground in the Petah Tikva area. Later, he worked with supporters in Petah Tikva and Bnei Brak. He was trained in ideology and lectures.

When the State was established, he was discharged from the IDF, so he could work on setting up the Fighters’ List, authorized by the Ministry of Defense, and he worked in the youth division. For some time, he worked in the Lehi camp at Sheikh Munis and was involved in training. After the camp was closed, he went to work at the party headquarters at 2 Pinsker Street on Tel Aviv, and he worked for a certain amount of time in Netanya.

After the Bernadotte assassination, Peretz was arrested and imprisoned in Jaffa Prison. After the riots there, he was transferred to Acre Prison. Due to his refusal to sign a pledge to no longer work with Lehi, he continued to sit in prison, and he was released only when general clemency was granted to the prisoners. With his release, he continued his activity for the Fighters’ List.

In 1949, he travelled to Argentina, to visit his parents, who moved there after World War II. In Argentina, he met and married Vera, having three children and numerous grandchildren.

After fourteen years in the Diaspora, he returned in 1963. He worked in insurance, serving as assistant branch manager and division manager.

Afterwards, he volunteered with the Freedom Fighters of Israel Heritage Fund, becoming one of its most dedicated activists.

He passed away on May 20,1994. He was buried in the old cemetery of Rishon LeZion.