volunteer in the Jewish army. “The Zionist Federation of South Africa was actively raising money for the Jewish community in Israel and the Jewish army,” recalls Smoky. “So when Myra and I heard they were in need of additional personnel, we immediately volunteered our help.”“Of course, our parents were very concerned, but they also knew that we were adults and so they never tried to convince us to change our minds.”Hundreds of South Africans volunteered as pilots, doctors, engineers, nurses and combat soldiers in the War of Independence. Smoky and Myra were part of the first advanced group that reached Israel on May 9 after an arduous journey. They flew to Nairobi on a Dakota aircraft that was owned by three South Africans, and from there over Sudan,Egypt and then finally on to Israel. But when it became clear to the pilot that battles were being waged in the area of the Lod airport, he refused to land there and instead continued on to Cyprus. There, after some difficulties, the Simons finally found a plane owned by a Cypriot company that agreed to fly them and the rest of the group to Haifa.“We were worried the British would arrest us upon landing, and in addition, Myra was carrying confidential documents from the Zionist Federation that were meant to reach [then-Provisional State Council head David] Ben-Gurion. She had hidden them in her knickers. Luckily, we landed without any problems in Haifa and didn’t run into any difficulties. The British were apparently busy evacuating their army and