Levi, Yehuda-Aryeh

Was born on January 29, 1916, in the city of Janina, Greece, where he moved to Milan, Italy, where he completed his high school studies. In 1936 he immigrated to Israel and instead of joining the family business, as his father wished, he chose to be a member of the Betar companies. For three years he studied economics at the University of Genoa, by correspondence. During the period when he was in Italy for his studies, he also acquired military technological knowledge with the help of two friends, one a career army officer and the other a weapons factory owner. With the rise of anti-Semitism in Italy, he decided to stop his studies there. Yehuda Aryeh moved to Netanya and there, along with diamond polishing, established a club for workers, among which he taught the use of weapons. In June 1940, when Lehi was established, he joined his ranks and received his underground name “Shmuel.” He founded the first underground radio station of Lehi, on the roof of one of the houses near Café Ravel on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv. During the first period of the station, he was the only announcer in it. Due to his extensive technical knowledge, he was appointed head of the technical department of Lehi, and achieved impressive achievements in the development of weapons, explosives and the building of slikes.After the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 29 November 1947 on the partition plan, In the wake of the ideological conflict, Yehuda Aryeh was abducted from his home by his comrades-in-arms, and was brought to a speedy trial. In the Ra’anana area, and on the same day was executed by his comrades with pistol shots. No message was given to his anxious family until three weeks later. When his body was found he was brought to rest in the Nahalat Yitzhak Military Cemetery. On his gravestone, the family wrote the words: “The Builder of the Rebirth of the State / Yehuda Aryeh Bar Moshe Levy / was born on the 4th of Kislev, 1917 / was murdered on the 4th of Shvat 5708 by Zadim / for the defense of the homeland / for the sake of his people.” Thirty-four years after his death, his name was added to the List of Lehi Martyrs, and his 100-year-old father was given the “Aleh” and “Lehi” certificates in an investigation conducted in 2017. He was found in Nahalat Yitzhak, Tel Aviv, Israel.