Dance of the Fire

A critical first-hand appraisal of the activities, achievements, and importance of the Jewish Brigade by IDF Major-General Shlomo Shamir (Rabinowicz), its Covert Internal Commander on behalf of the Haganah and the Jewish national institutions in Palestine. Some myths surrounding the Brigade’s activities are also dealt with in this appraisal. The Jewish Brigade, a unit of the British Army during WW2, played a crucial role on behalf of world Jewry in the fight against Nazi Germany. Comprised mainly of Jewish volunteers from Palestine, the Brigade was formed in 1944 after four years of struggle for deployment as a fighting force. The Brigade participated in the Italian campaign, distinguishing itself in the battles along the Senio River and proving that Jewish soldiers could fight as a unified force against a well-trained enemy and prevail. Beyond combat and under Shamir’s guidance, the Brigade was the first to search for, meet, and care for survivors of the Holocaust. Despite British disapproval, its members worked at numerous Displaced Persons camps in Germany, particularly at Bergen-Belsen, and facilitated the illegal journeys of many survivors to Palestine. The story of the Brigade therefore, exemplified a dedicated pursuit of both military goals and Jewish national aspirations. With many Brigade members subsequently becoming leading figures in the fledgling Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the book shines a light on how the experience of these Jewish volunteers in the British Army was irreplaceable in shaping both the military and political landscape of the nascent State of Israel.