1916 or 1917
Mendel Portugali Dies
Historical context
Mendel Portugali, a founder of Hashomer, died after his weapon discharged following a night on guard. Accounts date his death to 1916 or 1917.
Archive record
Read the event, then follow its documented sources and archive threads.
- Date
- 1916 or 1917
- Verified sources
- 4
- Archive threads
- 6
Mendel Portugali, a founder of Hashomer, died after his weapon discharged while he was cleaning it following a night on guard. Yaakov Yaari-Poleskin’s memoir records that the shot wounded him in the neck and that he died of it. A JewishGen account from Kalarash says his brother Yakov reported that he died the next day.
The year is disputed. An Israel Defense Forces archive exhibition dates the accident to 1916. Project Ben-Yehuda’s author record gives the years 1888 to 1917.
Research trail
Sources and further reading
- Mendel Portugali · Yaakov Yaari-Poleskin · Project Ben-Yehuda View source
- Mendel Portugali, a Founder of HaShomer · JewishGen · KehilaLinks View source
- The Decision to Found the Haganah · Israel Defense Forces and Defense Establishment Archive · Haganah Archive exhibition View source
- Mendel Portugali · Project Ben-Yehuda · Project Ben-Yehuda View source
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