Reuven Dafni (Hebrew: ראובן דפני; born Ruben Kandt; 1913 in Zagreb – 2005 in Israel) was a wartime British officer and special forces soldier and a soldier and diplomat for Israel. He was also one of the founders of kibbutzEin Gev and a longtime assistant director of the Yad Vashem memorial center.[1]
Dafni was born on November 11, 1913, in Zagreb, in what was then the largely-autonomous region of Croatia-Slavonia in Austria-Hungary. He came from an educated family that was Croatian and Jewish; he had two siblings. At the end of the World War I, the region was united with the Serbia, to form the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
In the early 1930s, Dafni was studying in Vienna, where his father was a diplomat: he was a keen athlete, a member of the student union and an activist in the Zionist youth movement.
In 1936, Dafni emigrated to Mandatory Palestine, then under British administration, and became one of the founders of kibbutz Ein Gev.
In 1942, a new Palestine Regiment, was created and Dafni was one of its soldiers. He also volunteered for training for special operations.
In mid-March 1944, along with several other agents, Dafni was parachuted behind enemy lines into occupied Yugoslavia. He met up with the Partisans and kept them in contact with the Western Allies; he spent six months in Croatia.
For his war-service, Warrant Officer (Company Sergeant-Major) Dafni was recognised with a Mention in Despatches (MiD).[2] He was also commissioned as an officer.
Post-waredit
Eretz Israel
After the war he returned to his kibbutz, but in 1946, as a member of the Haganah, Dafni went to the United States to raise funds and purchase weapons for the defence of the Yishuv; one of his contributors was Bugsy Siegel. Dafni returned to the United States in 1948, now helping to raise funds for the newly established State of Israel.
Diplomat
In 1948, he was also appointed as the first Israeli consul in Los Angeles. From 1953 to 1956, he served as consul general of Israel in New York City. Later, he also served as consul general in Bombay, India, and also served as ambassador to Kenya (1969 to 1973)[3] and Thailand.
Yad Vashem
For 13 years, from 1983 to 1996, Dafni served as assistant director, in Jerusalem, of Yad Vashem: Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.
Family lifeedit
Dafni was married to Rina (née Grossman) with whom he had two children, a son, Yoram, and a daughter, Avital. The couple later divorced and Dafni remarried twice.[4][5][6]
Referencesedit
^"Jasminka Domaš: Holokaust" (in Bosnian). Behar - Bošnjački časopis.
^"Reuven Dafni (1913 - 2005)" (in Hebrew). Geni.com.
^"The story of Reuven Dafni: A Jewish Paratrooper in WWII". YouTube.
December 20, 2023
reuven, dafni, hebrew, ראובן, דפני, born, ruben, kandt, 1913, zagreb, 2005, israel, wartime, british, officer, special, forces, soldier, soldier, diplomat, israel, also, founders, kibbutz, longtime, assistant, director, vashem, memorial, center, around, 1945bo. Reuven Dafni Hebrew ראובן דפני born Ruben Kandt 1913 in Zagreb 2005 in Israel was a wartime British officer and special forces soldier and a soldier and diplomat for Israel He was also one of the founders of kibbutz Ein Gev and a longtime assistant director of the Yad Vashem memorial center 1 Reuven DafniReuven Dafni around 1945BornRuben Kandt 1913 11 11 11 November 1913Zagreb Kingdom of Croatia Slavonia Austria HungaryDied15 June 2005 2005 06 15 aged 91 IsraelNationalityCroat Israeli Contents 1 Early life 2 War service 3 Post war 4 Family life 5 ReferencesEarly life editDafni was born on November 11 1913 in Zagreb in what was then the largely autonomous region of Croatia Slavonia in Austria Hungary He came from an educated family that was Croatian and Jewish he had two siblings At the end of the World War I the region was united with the Serbia to form the Kingdom of Yugoslavia In the early 1930s Dafni was studying in Vienna where his father was a diplomat he was a keen athlete a member of the student union and an activist in the Zionist youth movement In 1936 Dafni emigrated to Mandatory Palestine then under British administration and became one of the founders of kibbutz Ein Gev War service editIn 1940 he took up arms against the Nazis and joined the British Army He served in the Greek Campaign and in the Battle of Crete as well as in the North African Campaign In 1942 a new Palestine Regiment was created and Dafni was one of its soldiers He also volunteered for training for special operations In mid March 1944 along with several other agents Dafni was parachuted behind enemy lines into occupied Yugoslavia He met up with the Partisans and kept them in contact with the Western Allies he spent six months in Croatia For his war service Warrant Officer Company Sergeant Major Dafni was recognised with a Mention in Despatches MiD 2 He was also commissioned as an officer Post war editEretz IsraelAfter the war he returned to his kibbutz but in 1946 as a member of the Haganah Dafni went to the United States to raise funds and purchase weapons for the defence of the Yishuv one of his contributors was Bugsy Siegel Dafni returned to the United States in 1948 now helping to raise funds for the newly established State of Israel DiplomatIn 1948 he was also appointed as the first Israeli consul in Los Angeles From 1953 to 1956 he served as consul general of Israel in New York City Later he also served as consul general in Bombay India and also served as ambassador to Kenya 1969 to 1973 3 and Thailand Yad VashemFor 13 years from 1983 to 1996 Dafni served as assistant director in Jerusalem of Yad Vashem Israel s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust Family life editDafni was married to Rina nee Grossman with whom he had two children a son Yoram and a daughter Avital The couple later divorced and Dafni remarried twice 4 5 6 References edit Jasminka Domas Holokaust in Bosnian Behar Bosnjacki casopis No 37349 The London Gazette 15 November 1945 p 5574 Kenya Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Retrieved 25 May 2020 Dafni Ruben in Serbian El Mundo Sefarad Reuven Dafni 1913 2005 in Hebrew Geni com The story of Reuven Dafni A Jewish Paratrooper in WWII YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reuven Dafni amp oldid 1182681484, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
