Few Israelis have likely heard of the man named Meir Max Bineth. That, despite his utmost dedication to the establishment of the State of Israel, which eventually cost him his life.
Born in Hungary in 1917, Bineth grew up in Germany, coming to Israel with his family in 1935 following the rise of the Nazi party to power. Bint then joined the Haganah [the main Zionist paramilitary organization in Mandatory Palestine], and worked in assisting the organization with bringing more Jews to Israel.
In 1942 he was sent to Abadan, Iran, to work as a representative of Solel Boneh – a construction company in Israel. While there, he made it his mission to also try and educate the local Jewish community, placings efforts into forming a youth group in which he taught Hebrew, Jewish history, and more.
Archival files on Bineth were passed on to the National Library of Israel some years back, and now the library is finally unveiling some of the documents.
Among many fascinating stories that can be found in the files, one stands out in particular - Bineth's determination to teach the locals in Iran about the holiday of Tu BiShvat [translated from Hebrew as "New Year of the Trees"]. The holiday even coincided with the date when members of Bineth's youth group would be accepted into the organization.
Prior to the holiday, he edited and published pamphlets where he collected poems and illustrations from Israel, articles about the importance of the Jewish settlements, and more. Bineth also held small ceremonies to plant trees – as is tradition during the holiday.
Dekel Katz, who works in the library’s archives said that Bineth stayed in touch with his students in Iran even after he left in 1945. “They would tell him about the activities of Jewish youth groups in Iran years later. They also asked for help to make Aliyah.”
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Letter by Meir Bint about Jewish holidays in youth groups
(Photo: National Library of Israel)
Bineth joined Mossad in 1952, and was sent on a mission to Egypt under the guise of a German businessman. In 1954, following a failed Israeli operation meant to prevent the UK from relinquishing control of the Suez Canal, Bineth was jailed for allegedly funneling money to support the operation.
On December 21, 1954, Bineth was found dead in his cell in an Egyptian prison. He was initially buried in Rome before his body was brought to Israel in 1959.