Signal to Embark – Vanya Hadariʹs Diary

This is a thrilling historical novel about clandestine Jewish immigration to pre-state Israel. Vanya Hadari’s diary provides the historical material. After World War II, Hadari and his colleagues covertly brought Jewish children to Palestine. Money was tight and travelling by small cargo ships was perilous, but the biggest risk was entering Palestine without being caught by the British authorities.

Hadari’s testimony is interwoven by with the fictional story of Henrik, a teenager on one of these voyages. Much of his story concerns the action-packed months before the journey, when he and his group move from place to place in Europe, preparing for the trip to Eretz Israel. The teenagers form strong bonds and Henrik meets his first love. Henrik and almost all his friends eventually succeed in reaching Eretz Israel.