1947 Knesset Israel Immigration Boat Pendant
This rare pendant, one of only three known, was handcrafted by a Jewish detainee in a British internment camp in Cyprus. Made from a polished King George VI Cypriot coin, it reflects the ingenuity and resilience of Jewish immigrants who, despite the trauma of the Holocaust, attempted to reach the shores of Israel. Engravings on one side depict the ship Knesset Israel, along with symbols of confinement: barbed wire and a guard tower. The reverse features a Star of David with "Cyprus" inscribed in both English and Hebrew, representing both the detainees' forced location and their enduring hopes. This pendant symbolizes the journey and struggles of Jewish refugees. Diameter: 24mm, with a 1mm hanging hole. Condition: Good.

Historical Background
Between August 1946 and May 1948, more than 50,000 Jewish refugees who had survived the Holocaust were intercepted by British authorities while attempting to reach Israel by sea. These refugees were detained in internment camps on Cyprus, where around 10,000 remained even months after the founding of Israel. The camps, finally closed in February 1949, confined detainees behind barbed wire, where they lived in tents and tin shacks, enduring harsh conditions.
Despite these challenges, the detainees sought ways to build a sense of purpose and community. Viewing Cyprus as a transitional stage between the horrors of the Holocaust and a new life in Israel, they organized educational, cultural, and recreational activities. Art, theater, sports, and self-defense classes fostered Jewish identity and resilience. Supported by the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), art workshops allowed detainees to craft small souvenirs and personal items, using limited materials and primitive tools supplied by the British. Some detainees even studied under Israeli artists, including Naftali Bezem and Ze'ev Ben-Zvi, who came as emissaries.
The Knesset Israel pendant, one of these unique creations, reflects the detainees' resilience and resourcefulness. Coarsely crafted from a polished King George VI Cypriot coin, it displays engravings of the ship Knesset Israel, barbed wire, and a guard tower. The reverse side features a Star of David with “Cyprus” inscribed in both English and Hebrew.
The Knesset Israel itself was one of the largest immigration ships, carrying 3,445 refugees on a perilous journey from Yugoslavia that began on November 5, 1946. Originally named The Hebrew Resistance Movement, it was renamed by Moshe Sharet and Golda Meir of the Jewish Agency to Knesset Israel (“Assembly of Israel”) just before reaching Israel, aiming to reduce friction with the British during sensitive legal proceedings. The journey was fraught with challenges: after enduring a storm that forced passengers from a companion vessel, Aba Berdichev, to transfer aboard, the Knesset Israel carried 3,845 refugees. It was intercepted by a British destroyer on November 24, 1946, and brought to Haifa, where a violent clash ensued as British forces forcibly removed passengers, resulting in casualties before they were deported back to Cyprus.
An emblem of defiance and hope, this pendant is a compelling addition to collections focused on Jewish history, Zionist movements, and wartime artifacts