Hamishiya
The Story of Five Friends
by
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At the conclusion of my Negev assignment ,I was part of a team chosen to guard Prime Minister David Ben Gurion's residence .After he resigned from office on December 7,1953,B.G.,as he was affectionately called,decided to live in Kibbutz Sde Boker,and the media published photos of the bungalow built especially for him. As he had not retired from the Knesset (Parliament),his personal secretary Yitzhak Navon ( who became Israel's President from 1978 to 1983) joined him in the Kibbutz. Every morning,before returning to political life,B.G. walked by the gate and chatted with us .I was impressed by his simple manner,and honored to be part of a team selected to protect the founder of the State of Israel. After the Sde Boker posting,I was sent home on leave for a few days. David Ben Gurion died after a stroke on December 1st,1973,at the age of eighty-seven.
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About the Book
This is a story about a lifelong friendship that spans over the better part of the twentieth century and beyond. It also reflects some historical events that occurred in Alexandria, Egypt, during the fifties where the members of the 'Hamishiya" (the Hebrew word for quintet) were born, paralelled with the creation of the State of Israel. The history of the social, political, and religious events as they relate to the Zionist Movement, played a very important backdrop to this lasting friendship. The author, Marcel Louza, was instrumental in keeping this friendship alive for over sixty years! Here, his own life unfolds, from being a prisoner in a Lebanese jail, to becoming a commando fighting terrorism in Israel, and still managing to keep in touch with his four friends. This is a snapshot of their common adventures during their youth and their personal journey into adulthood to the senior years. While being captivated by serious episodes, you will also laugh heartily by some hilarious vignettes. It's all in there!
About the Author
Marcel Louza was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1935. He was 14 when he joined a youth group emigrating to the new state of Israel. After living in a kibbutz, and serving in the IDF, he continued his studies in Switzerland and in France. He graduated in Hospitality Management and Engineering; as a result, he had a most exciting career with international hotel chains. Mr. Louza finally settled in Canada where he became a college professor in Toronto. Now retired, he keeps active with consulting work.