Chanovitz, Shmuel (Sammy)
Son of Rivka and Israel. He was born on October 2, 1919 in Houston, Texas, and in 1922 immigrated with his family to Palestine. Shmuel received his education at the Ahad Ha’am School for Boys in Tel Aviv. Afterward, he moved to Pardes Hannah and managed the family orchard. From his youth he wanted to contribute to the Zionist enterprise. He served as a youth counselor in the colony, and during the riots of 1936-1939 he was active in the Hagana and joined the operations of the “Night Squads” commanded by Orde Wingate. He also spent some time in Hanita. During the Second World War, he was one of the Haganah’s best commanders, and was one of twenty-three fighters who sailed on the “Ari-Hayam” motor boat on 21.5.1941 to sabotage the oil refineries in Tripoli, Lebanon, as part of the Yishuv’s aid to the Allied war against the Nazis and their allies. The twenty-three Yordei Ha-Sira became an unforgettable chapter in the history of the Jewish community in Israel. To this day, no one knows what happened to these young people who were among the best youth of the Yishuv at the time. They did not reach their destination, and did not carry out the mission, but did not return to safety. Shmuel left behind an extensive family in Pardes Hanna and other places in Israel. A biography was published in the book “Secret Shield”. His burial place is unknown.
