Avraham Tehomi
(1903 - 1991)
Avraham Tehomi (originally Silberg) was born in 1903 in Odessa. He belonged to a Zionist group that organized self-defense units during the Bolshevik revolution. He immigrated to Eretz Israel as a pioneer and worked on roadmaking. He settled in Jerusalem and joined the Haganah. In 1925, he was appointed deputy commander of the Jerusalem District. In 1929-1931, he served as District Commander.
The 1929 riots caused unrest in the Haganah ranks because the organization was not ready and some members felt it did not respond adequately to the Arab attacks. The disputes on this issue led to Tehomi's departure from the Haganah and the establishment of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, which he headed. Tehomi tried to unite the two organizations and, in 1937, returned to the Haganah to take up a senior position. When the Haganah failed to fulfill its obligations under the amalgamation agreement, Tehomi resigned and devoted his energy to clandestine immigration activities and intelligence work. Several years later he retired from all activity. He moved to the United States and, later, to Discovery Island off the Hong Kong coast where he became a wealthy diamond dealer.
He died at the age of 88 on October 12, 1991.
Sources: The Irgun Site;
Jerusalem Post, (October 15, 1991).
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