Germany Delivers Passenger Liner “zion” to Israel at Hamburg Port

The 10,000 ton luxury liner “Zion,” built under the reparations program as one of two vessels that are the largest under the Israel flag, was transferred today to her Israeli captain in a solemn-ceremony that took place in the waters of the international Free Port here.

Director Scholz of Germany’s largest shipyard, the local “Deutsche Werft,” delivered the ship to Dr. A. Bergmann, the deputy head of the Israel Purchasing Mission in Germany. He in turn passed it on to director Zyi Yehieli of Zim-Shoham Lines, her new owners. As the Israel flag was raised, and the strains of “Hatikvah” rang out over the chilly air of Hamburg harbor, from the throats of hundreds of crew members drawn up on the deck, Captain Joseph Golandsky assumed command of the newest unit in the Israeli merchant marine.

Together with her sister ship “Israel,” which was put into service just five months ago, the “Zion” will be assigned to the Haifa-New York run, covering the distance in 12 days on a regular schedule of departures from both ports every three weeks. Intermediary stops will be made at Naples and Halifax.

The “Zion,” which recently completed a highly satisfactory shakedown cruise, is loading general reparations cargo until next Sunday. She then proceeds to Le Havre, where Yaakov Tsur, Israel ambassador to France, will be host at a big reception for the French authorities and the French press, as well as for Jewish delegations from. France and other countries. Chief Rabbi Jacob Kaplan, of France, will dedicate the ship’s synagogue. The “Zion” will reach her home port of Haifa on March 2. A week later she departs for New York on her maiden voyage and thereby inaugurates the regular three-week schedule of sailings.