“Operation Michaelberg” (or Operation “Wing”) is how Mossad representatives called a daring action in 1947, in which about 46 Jewish repatriates were secretly transported from Iraq to Palestine on American Curtiss C-100 Commando aircraft.

British authorities fiercely resisted repatriation. Despite this, two American pilots, whose names went down in Israeli history - Michael and Wasenberg (hence - "Michaelberg"), risked landing planes under the cover of darkness, on board of which, among others, were future Israeli ministers and members of the Knesset - David Nameri and Shoshana Arbeli-Almozrino.

They planned the daring operation Shlomo Hillel and Jerahmiel Assa, who later also were destined to become members of the Israeli parliament.

Since then, the organizers of Operation Wing and the Iraqis rescued thanks to their fearlessness in 1947 dreamed of delivering at least one of the two American aircraft that became historical relics to Israel, but there was no money to transport the ancient aircraft.

At the beginning of January of this year, Shlomo Hillel met with his fellow student from the legendary Herzliya Gymnasium, entrepreneur Meshulam Riklis. Both are venerable elders, both are over 90. Hillel heads the Ayalon Institute, which conducts research in the history of the state of Israel, Riklis enjoys life in retirement.

The meeting of classmates took place at the Ayalon Institute, where Hillel invited his old friend. At first, Riklis and Hillel indulged in nostalgic memories of how they prepared for conscription into the Haganah and what campaigns they went on as members of the Tzofim youth movement.

Not without mentioning Kibbutz Asher, who secretly produced weapons for Jewish fighters with the British authorities.

In 1986, Shlomo Hillel founded the Ayalon Institute, but there were no funds to maintain the museum operating there. Hillel contacted his classmate Meshulam Riklis, who was successfully engaged in business in the United States, and asked for support: it is unacceptable that the new generation of Israelis does not receive first-hand information about the history of the creation of their state. Riklis immediately donated 100 thousand dollars to the institute (by 2015 standards - more than two million shekels!).

During a meeting of fellow veterans at the Ayalon Institute in Rehovot, the conversation naturally turned to Operation Wing. Hillel told Riklis with great regret that the C-46 plane, which delivered repatriates from Baghdad to Palestine in 1947, is now in South America, but delivering a historical relic to Israel requires a lot of money, because the “wings” can only be transported by cargo ship

“On this plane, Jews were transported from Baghdad to Israel, and my classmate Shlomo Hillel was the star of Operation Wing, the rumor of which spread throughout the Jewish Yishuv,” said Mehulam Riklis. “I understand perfectly well how important it is to deliver a relic to our country, which hundreds of thousands of compatriots, especially young people, will see here, so I decided to raise money to pay for the transportation of the plane.

Riklis, who still has warm relations with the Jewish community in the United States, firmly promised Gilel to turn to America for help.

“I hope the Jewish community will be able to pay for the transportation of the Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft to Israel,” said Meshulam Riklis.

A priceless relic - the memory of the daring Operation Wing - will be installed in the Illegal Immigration Camp Museum in Atlit.