Yosef Lishansky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yosef Lishansky
Yosef Lishansky
Born	1890 Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	16 December 1917(1917-12-16) (aged 26–27) Damascus, Ottoman Syria
Cause of death	Execution by hanging
Resting place	Mount Herzl
Education	Incomplete seminar studies
Occupation	Farm manager
Known for	• Founder of the Jewish Magen defense organization • Executed for Nili group espionage during World War I
Spouse(s)	Rivka Broshkovsky
Children	Ivriya (daughter) and Toviah (son)
Parent(s)	Eidel and Ya'akov Toviah

Yosef Lishansky (Hebrew: יוסף לישנסקי; 1890 – 16 December 1917) was a brave Jewish leader and a spy during World War I. He worked for the British in a region called Ottoman Palestine. When he first arrived in Palestine, Lishansky wanted to join a group called HaShomer. But they didn't let him join. So, he started his own group called HaMagen. Later, he joined a secret Jewish spy group known as Nili. The Ottoman authorities were looking for Lishansky because of his activities. He was caught and sentenced to death in Damascus.

Early Life and Education

Yosef Lishansky was born in 1890 near Kiev in the Russian Empire. His parents were Eidel and Ya'akov Toviah. A terrible fire killed most of his family. After this, he moved to the Land of Israel with his father. This move is called Aliyah. They settled with Yosef's brother, Israel, in Metula.

Soon after, his father disappeared during a trip to Jerusalem. Yosef then lived with his brother. He was a very good student. He was sent to a special school called a seminar in Jerusalem. But he could not finish his studies because his family ran out of money.

Instead, Yosef went to Egypt. He managed a farm there for two years. Then he returned to the Land of Israel. In 1910, he married Rivka Broshkovsky. They had a daughter named Ivriya and a son named Toviah.

Jewish Defense Organizations

In 1912, Lishansky tried to join the HaShomer organization. This group protected Jewish settlements. HaShomer made new members go through a trial period. Lishansky was sent to guard different places. These included Poria, Rishon LeZion, Ben Shemen, and Menahemia.

In February 1915, Lishansky's group fought an Arab gang. They killed the gang's leader. HaShomer had a rule to avoid revenge fights. Because of this, Lishansky was not allowed to join. Many thought this was just an excuse. Lishansky was very skilled with weapons, riding horses, and speaking Arabic.

Founding HaMagen

Lishansky then decided to start his own group. He called it HaMagen, which means "The Shield." This group included people who HaShomer had rejected. HaMagen did not want to compete directly with HaShomer. So, they chose to protect Jewish villages in the south. These villages were previously guarded by Arabs.

Lishansky was chosen to lead HaMagen. He traveled south to talk with the villages. HaMagen replaced the Arab guards in places like Ruhama, Be'er Tuvia, and Mazkeret Batya. Later, they also guarded Gedera. HaShomer tried to break up HaMagen, but they failed.

In January 1917, Lishansky left HaMagen. He went to Egypt to focus on his work with Nili. His departure caused problems for HaMagen. This led to the group's decline. However, some HaMagen members joined Lishansky in Nili.

Nili Activities and Capture

Lishansky joined the secret spy group Nili in December 1915. He was recruited by Avshalom Feinberg. Lishansky helped pass secret messages. He would hide notes in bread loaves for prisoners. In January 1917, Lishansky helped Feinberg travel to Egypt. Feinberg wanted to meet with the British.

On January 20, they were attacked near Rafah. Feinberg was killed, and Lishansky was hurt. Lishansky was left for dead but managed to find a British patrol. He was taken to a hospital in Port Said. There, he told Aaron Aaronsohn about Feinberg's death.

Because Lishansky was the only witness, rumors spread. Some people thought he had killed Feinberg. These rumors were proven false much later. This happened after the Six-Day War. Feinberg's remains were found, and local people were questioned.

Spying for Nili

Lishansky returned to Atlit, Nili's main base. He focused all his energy on the organization. He collected spy reports from Nili agents. He also managed money sent from Egypt. In April 1917, Lishansky traveled to Egypt again. He returned in June and continued his Nili work.

In October 1917, Ottoman authorities found out about Nili. They caught a homing pigeon with a message from Sarah Aaronsohn. They also captured a Nili agent named Na'aman Belkind. From him, they learned about a Nili group in Zikhron Ya'akov.

The authorities surrounded the village. They captured Sarah Aaronsohn. But Lishansky managed to escape. He became a fugitive with a reward for his capture. He met with HaShomer members. They were carrying gold. He went with them to Tel Adas.

Betrayal and Execution

HaShomer did not like Lishansky's activities. But they decided to hide him at first. As the Turks put more pressure on them, HaShomer changed their minds. They decided to kill him and give his body to the authorities. On October 9, he was led to a place near Metula. He was shot twice and left for dead.

However, Lishansky did not die. By the time Turkish soldiers arrived, he had escaped. On October 17, Lishansky found safety in Petah Tikva. He stayed with friends of Aaron Aaronsohn. But they did not want to hide him for long. After two days, they sent him away.

He traveled south, hoping to cross into the Sinai Peninsula. He wanted to reach British lines. On the night of October 19–20, Lishansky tried to steal a camel. He was caught by Bedouins in the Shephelah region. They turned him over to the Ottoman authorities.

The Ottomans questioned him in Ramla and Jerusalem. After ten days in Jerusalem, he was moved to Damascus. In prison, Lishansky asked the Jewish community for money. He wanted to bribe his way out. But his request for funds was denied.

Lishansky told the Turks about some HaShomer members. He was sentenced to death by hanging. His fellow Nili member, Na'aman Belkind, was also sentenced to death. They were hanged in a public square in Damascus on December 16, 1917.

On December 24, 1919, their bodies were moved to a cemetery in Rishon LeZion. Few people attended the funeral. This was because of negative feelings towards Nili at the time. In August 1979, Lishansky's body was moved again. This time, it was a state ceremony. He was buried at Mount Herzl, near Avshalom Feinberg's grave.

Public Image and Legacy

For a long time, Lishansky was not seen in a good way. This was partly because Nili itself had a difficult image. There were also rumors that he betrayed Avshalom Feinberg. His grave in Rishon LeZion was damaged several times. In 1937, a play even showed him in a bad light.

Over time, Lishansky's image slowly changed. He began to be seen as a national hero. This happened as Nili's image also improved. After Feinberg's burial site was found in 1967, Lishansky's name was cleared. More Israelis started to view him positively.

A request was sent to Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. They asked to move Lishansky's grave to Mount Herzl. The request was denied at first. But the effort to improve his image continued. It gained strength after "The Revolution" of 1977. This was when the Likud party was elected.

A group called "The Public Committee for the Rehabilitation of Yosef Lishansky" was formed. Important people like Uri Zvi Greenberg and Rehavam Ze'evi joined. This group succeeded in getting Lishansky's actions recognized. His remains were moved in a state ceremony to Mount Herzl on August 8, 1979.

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  Yosef Lishansky