NAME: Orly (Rubinstein) Binyamin

LEHI ALIAS: Chuchu

DATE OF BIRTH: August 25, 1919

DATE OF DEATH: August 6, 1975

Binyamin was born Chaim Yosef Rubinstein, on August 25,1919 in Lodz Poland.  Father Zvi worked in commerce; his mother Yochevet was a housewife and raised their eight children. Binyamin studied at the local elementary school, later high school, graduating in 1937.  He was a dedicated Beitar member aspiring to reach Israel. In 1939, declaring he was heading for a  Paris university, he set sail for Israel on the ‘Katina’ illegal-immigrant ship; only his  elder sister knew the truth. After arrival in Israel he joined the  Beitar Troops and resided in Rosh-Pina, Ekron and Be’er-Ya’acov. He was recruited to Etzel, then following the split, joined Yair and became a Lehi member. His photo  appeared in the ‘Most Wanted’ Lehi member list, sought by British Police with a high reward placed upon their heads.  The British arrested him 1942, shortly before Yair’s assassination. He was taken to Mizra, then Latrun, with other inmates. His nickname ‘Chuchu’ derived from a beret he wore which his  friends claimed  resembled an old Polish lady’s (in Polish: Chucha). Binyamin was among twenty Freedom Fighters who escaped November 1,1943, through a tunnel they’d dug  over many months, from inside their shack to outside the Camp fence. He was afterwards re-integrated within the underground’s activities; he resided in Herzliya and worked in a supply warehouse. He Hebraized his surname to Orly, and first name to Binyamin ( as youngest son in a family which completely perished in the Holocaust). During establishment of the State, he possessed a false ID  under the name Gershoni, and was registered thus. When Lehi members were integrated into the IDF, he joined the 8th Brigade and was Yitzchak Sadeh’s Signaller. He was discharged July 1949. Binyamin married Miriam Moreno 1952. They had four sons: Yair, Yaron, Ilan and Amir.  Binyamin afterwards worked at the Communications Bureau as telephone technician, as  work supervisor, as manager of public switchboards,  and  in other projects. He passed away on August 6,1975 aged fifty-six. Binyamin received the Lehi decoration, Prisoners of the British Mandate decoration, Combatants of the State commendation and the War of Independence medal.