Siman-Tov Avraham “Hanan” and Hannah “Yisraela” – Freedom Fighters of Israel Heritage Association

NAME: Siman-Tov Avraham and Hannah

LEHI ALIAS: Avraham: "Hanan", Hannah: "Yisraela"

DATE OF BIRTH: Avraham - February 27, 1925.

DATE OF DEATH: Avraham - August 15, 2012, Hanna - October 11, 1970

Avraham, son of Gavriel, was born on Jerusalem, on 27.2.1925, to parents who made aliyah from Persia in 1922. Avraham studied in cheder, then attended elementary school. Because of financial difficulties, the family, with two boys and two girls, moved to Tel Aviv. When he finished elementary school, Avraham went to work, in order to support the family. At age sixteen, he was recruited to Lehi at the recommendation of his brother, Yitzhak, who was already a member (he was killed by the British in 1943). Avraham never had the chance to be active in the underground, as he was seized together with a number of underground leaders while visiting his brother. In December 1941, he was imprisoned in Jaffa Prison, Mizra and Latrun. Ultimately, he was among the first group exiled to Africa on 19 October 1944. They were detained first at Sembel (near Asmara, Eritrea), Carthago (Sudan), back in Eritrea and finally at Gilgil (Kenya). He was released and arrived back in the Land of Israel on 14 May 1947. Until he could enlist in the IDF, he took a firearms course and trained fighters.

Avraham enlisted in the IDF with the other Lehi members, and he served like most of them in the armored 8^th Brigade, in Battalion 82. In addition to his combat role, he was a company sports instructor throughout his service.

In late 1948, he married Hannah Tze’iri, who was also a Lehi member. She joined at age 15 and her nom de guerre was Yisraela. She met Avraham in the underground. They had three children, Yitzhak, Ayelet and Avishai, as well as numerous grandchildren.

Hannah died in 1970 and never saw her grandchildren. She was always optimistic and filled with joie de vivre, and she was always smiling.

Avraham worked in a metal factory from 1950 to 1956, and he learned diecasting. In 1956, he opened his own factory and worked in the field.

Avraham lived in Tel Aviv, dedicating himself to his family’s welfare and wellbeing.

His father, Gavriel, who made aliyah from Persia with the belief in Israel being the Promised Land, saw both his sons arrested by the British. Yitzhak was killed after he escaped from Latrun, and Avraham was exiled to Africa. Gavriel, when he worked as a guard in the Tel Aviv Municipality garage, provided for and protected the Lehi members who ran courses in the garage.