Levi, Shalom (Salim)

Son of Shoshana and Jacob. Born in 1891 in Haifa. As a child, he studied at the Alliance School and after graduating began to work in carpentry. One night thieves broke into his house. Shalom awoke, shot two and wounded them mortally. For this, he was tried and put on trial in the Acre prison. Here he met with Hashomer members and was influenced by the conversations with them. After his release from prison he was drafted into the Turkish army and sent to serve in Damascus, but the military life was alien to his spirit and therefore he deserted his unit. He returned to Eretz Israel, joined the Hashomer association and held guard positions in Hadera, Karkur, and Merhavia. Shalom was known for his courage, and the Arabic and his Oriental face helped him in his relations with the Arab neighbors. Later, the Turkish government declared a pardon for the deserters, and then Shalom arrived and returned to the army. He was sent to Damascus and he disappeared and his traces have not been known. He left behind parents and three brothers.