Remembering Avraham (Yair) SternAvraham Stern was born in Poland in 1907 and immigrated to the Land
Remembering Avraham (Yair) SternAvraham Stern was born in Poland in 1907 and immigrated to the Land of Israel on his own at the age of 18. Stern excelled in classical languages and literature studies at Hebrew University and was awarded a scholarship to study at the University of Florence. Upon returning to Israel in 1929, Avraham joined the Haganah.After the Arab Riots of 1929, Stern abandoned the ideology of restraint, and when his friend and Haganah commander Avraham Tehomi founded the Irgun (Etzel), he rushed to join. It was at that time that he adopted the underground name Yair, as a tribute to the commander of the Jewish zealots at Masada.Stern wrote Irgun textbooks on military training and soon joined the ranks of the Irgun High Command. He spent much time traveling back and forth to Europe in attempts to illegally smuggle Jews to Israel.In 1940, the Irgun announced a cessation of hostilities against the British throughout the course of WWII. Stern, disagreeing with these tactics, split from the Irgun to form the Lehi – Lohamei Herut Yisrael (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel).The Lehi (dubbed by the British as the Stern Gang) continued operating against the British and Yair’s picture began to appear on wanted signs throughout the country. On February 12, 1942, the British discovered Yair’s hiding place and executed him on the spot.Although a controversial figure during his lifetime, Yair and the Lehi have become national symbols of heroism and sacrifice. The struggle of the Lehi together with the rest of the Jewish Underground is viewed as one of the major factors that led to ousting the British and establishing the State of Israel.Yair was also a gifted writer and poet. His most famous poem, Unknown Soldiers, was the anthem of the Irgun, and was later adopted as the anthem of the Lehi: Video LinkIm Tirtzu -- source link