President Zalman Shazar distributed the first “Fighter Medals” to veterans of pre-1948 organizations that constituted the defense force of Jewish Palestine and who fought for Israel’s independence. Among them were several Army generals and Cabinet members, members of the Haganah, and the other underground organizations, Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern group. Also on hand to accept the awards were descendants of the early pioneer fighters who were members of Hashomer (guardsmen), a force created when Turkey ruled Palestine, and relatives of such legendary figures as Yosef Trumpeldor, Sarah Aaronson, Dov Hos and Gen. Itzhak Sadeh. One contemporary recipient was Capt. Ike Aharonovitz who commanded the illegal refugee ship Exodus in 1947.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
