Naaman Belkind
(1889 - 1917)
The nephew of Bilu founder Israel Belkind and the son of
Bilu pioneer Shimshon Belkind, Naaman Belkind was born in Eretz Yisrael. He
grew up in the Bilu community of Gedera, and was later employed in the wine
cellars of Rishon LeTzion.
Along with his cousin Avshalom Feinberg and his brother
Eytan, Belkind joined the Nili espionage group, which was formed in 1915 to assist the British against the
Turkish authorities. The group encountered much opposition to its
operations, in part from the British themselves, but largely from the
members of the Yishuv, who regarded the espionage as subversive and
endangering Jewish settlements. Nili's independence from mainstream Zionist
politics also lent it a controversial nature, but the group maintained its
activities.
In September, 1917, Belkind set out for Egypt to look
into the circumstances regarding Feinberg's death earlier that year. Caught
by Beduin in the Sinai, he was handed over to the Turks and brought to
Damascus. Shortly after, the principal Nili figures were arrested and the
group incapacitated. Belkind was convicted of spying and was hanged on
December 16, 1917, along with Nili leader Yosef Lishansky. He was later
re-interred in Rishon LeTzion.
Sources: The Pedagogic
Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for
Israel, (c) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, Director: Dr. Motti Friedman, Webmaster:
Esther Carciente |