Mella and Yehoshua

 

We will take a short pause from Rudy's story and use this chapter to introduce Mella, who will later become a prominent figure in Rudy's life. So, just for a short detour- here is the story of Mella and Yehoshua.

The story starts with Yehoshua, a young man from Palestine, visiting Vienna, Austria during a professional development trip in 1935. Yehoshua was born in 1909 in Petah Tikva to the Shisha Halevi family. His mother Hanna came from the renowned Stampfer-Raad lineage. The Stampfer and Raad families had a seminal role in the pioneer movement that settled Eretz Yisrael in the 19th century, back then under the rule of the Ottoman Turk empire. Yehoshua's grandparents were part of a quite small group of Jews that left the religious studies-based lives in Europe (Hungary in their case), moved to Eretz Yisrael and dedicated their lives to work the land- to become farmers who physically cultivate the holy land. Among many contributions, they are the ones who founded Petah Tikva- Em Hamoshavot- (mother of settlements). Yehoshua Stempfer, our Yehoshua's father's uncle (who was the first of the family to immigrate to Palestine, and by foot!), is even mentioned in one of the most popular Israeli songs- The Ballad of Yoel Moshe Salomon.

The Shisha Halevi family settled in Petah Tikva and had six children. One (Eliyahu) died in his infancy. Yehoshua was the eldest. The family moved to Acre and from there settled in Haifa.

Shisha Halevi family,early 1920s

I will take the opportunity and highlight Aliza (on the left in this picture), the only girl in the family. Aliza was the grandmother of my wife, Anat. This is how I (Gidi, who writes Rudy's story) came to know Ziva and this entire family :) .

Yehoshua started working as a welder-apprentice in the "Shemen" factory in Haifa, and after completing his studies, became an expert welder in the same factory. In 1935, Rudy was sent by "Shemen" to attend an international fair in Brussel, Belgium. His parents asked him to take the opportunity and visit family relatives in Vienna, Austria. Yehoshua visited his relatives but his poor German made it difficult to communicate with them. Luckily, a young local Jewish boy, Herbert, knew a bit of Hebrew from his Bible studies and was called to serve as a translator.

Seventeen year old Mella Zilberman lived with her family (parents Adolph and Sophy, sister Elfi, and brother Herbert) in Vienna. Her brother Herbert is our young translator, who was summoned by Rudy's relatives for help. 

This is how Mella met Yehoshua, and the next part is pretty obvious, as our story unfolds- Mella and Yehoshua fell in love. 

Here are a couple of letters that Yehoshua wrote in German, one to Mella and her parents and one to Hilda, Mella's aunt (Sophy's sister). 

Mella and Yehoshua got married and moved to Palestine. She started learning Hebrew, as we learn from the letter below, where Yehoshua congratulates (in Hebrew) Herbert for his advances in studying Hebrew while still teasing him (fondly) about his mistakes. 

In 1938, the Germans annexed Austria into the German Reich (the Anschluss). Worried about her family in Austria, Mella and Yehoshua were able to take advantage of some connections they had with a local judge and obtained immigration certificates for Mella's family. The family arrived to Palestine just in time. Mella's sister Elfi fell in love with Yehoshua's brother, Malachi. At the end, the two sisters (Mella and Elfi) married the two brothers (Yehoshua and Malachi)!

Yehoshua and Mella settled in Kiryat Haim, a small and developing town near Haifa. They had their first daughter Ziva in 1939, and 5 years later- their son Ariel. Yehoshua continued his work at the "Shemen" factory. In late 1947, the independence war of Israel started. As an essential worker, Yehoshua was not drafted to a full military service but was active in "Plugot Mishmar" that defended Jewish towns both locally and in other parts of northern Israel. In July 24, 1948 he was sent with other soldiers to protect a Jewish post near Miyar in the Galeel mountains.

Yehoshua's (in the front) last photo

Ziva remembers her dad giving her a strong and quick kiss and running with his rifle and helmet to join his friends on the truck on his way to Tarshiha. She was nine. She also remembers her uncle Malachi coming on his bike the next day and wearing sunglasses to hide the tears while he delivered the message.

The group was attacked, and Yehoshua fell in combat.

Ziva's longing for her lost father would become a major part of her artwork in years to come, but one short story that she wrote about the Hanukiah he made for her might be the best reflection of her emotions (see below).

A promising life, a young, happy family, and all ended in one terrible day.

Yehoshua Shisha Halevi, Mella's husband- Yizkor in honor of the fallen