Women in the Jewish Underground

During the British Mandate, women were openly recruited by the Haganah; however, the Irgun and Lehi were more careful because of the ideological nature of the groups. Women as young as 16 joined the underground, many of whom were from traditional backgrounds who had to cope with a clandestine existence that was very different from their family life.

Women served in a number of capacities, from secretarial jobs to command and management positions. Women in the Haganah and Palmach had separate training courses for command positions. Few women were given command positions in the Irgun or Lehi. Many women served in the headquarters of the Haganah, primarily in secretarial and administrative positions, while the other organizations had few women in their headquarters.

Women were trained in arms and self-defense, but also communications, medicine and surveillance. Training for the Irgun and Lehi usually took place with commanders in hideouts. These sessions were also used to indoctrinate women in the groups’ ideology.

About 180 female fighters captured by the British were held in the Bethlehem prison. At the end of December 1947, they were transferred to the detention camp in Atlit. When the Mandate ended on May 14, 1948, the prisoners were released. Most joined the IDF and took part in the War of Independence.

Women were part of the general transitional process from the underground to the IDF. The IDF also created a Women Army Corps comprised of former members of the underground. Joining the regular army led to a regression in their status and, at the end of the 1948 War, women were out of field units. The 1949 Defense Service Law, however, gave the recruitment of women legal status and they subsequently, over many years, became involved in virtually all aspects of the IDF.

Source: Museum of Underground Prisoners