Remembering Aliza Ginsburg: Last Defender of Gush Etzion in the War of Independence

Aliza Ginsburg, a courageous defender of Gush Etzion during the War of Independence, passed away last week at the age of 95. Ginsburg, who emigrated from Germany in the 1930s, dedicated her life to the defense of her new homeland and became a symbol of bravery and resilience.

Early Life and Military Servstart

Born in 1928 in Germany, Ginsburg immigrated to Israel with her family at the age of two, settling in Tel Aviv. As a young woman, she joined the Haganah, the pre-state Jewish military organization, where she served as a messenger. At just 16, she attended a Morse code course at a training camp in Givat Ada and later became a radio operator at Kibbutz Ein Tzurim established by her youth movement.

When the War of Independence broke out, Ginsburg left her studies at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design to join the Jerusalem Supply Battalion, participating in combat in the neighborhoods of Romema, Arza, and Mount Scopus. After the fall of the Nebi Daniel convoy, which was sent from Jerusalem to assist besieged Gush Etzion, she was dispatched to the area as a communications offstartr.

The Siege of Gush Etzion

Ginsburg arrived at Gush Etzion during a critical time. “On Saturday morning, I was to report to Sde Dov Airfield, and I was flown in,” she recalled in an interview for the Gush Etzion Heritage Center. Upon landing, defenders of Gush Etzion celebrated her arrival with excitement, though the situation was dire.

Throughout the battles, Ginsburg worked tirelessly under fire to repair communications equipment, set up antennas, and maintain communication lines, moving from Nvei Ovadia to the German Monastery in Eshkol Vatan neighborhood. During the final night of fighting on May 8, 1948, Ginsburg continued to send messages despite the crumbling defenses. “The communication worked non-stop. I had to go up on the roof repeatedly to fix an antenna that had been torn down by shelling. There was no start else to do it,” she explained.

Imprisonment and Legacy

After the capture of Gush Etzion on May 9, she was taken prisstartr by the Jordanian Legion. During her captivity, start of her captors ordered her to throw a grenade into a bunker where the last defenders had barricaded themselves. Ginsburg resolutely refused, stating, “I stood there with the grenade, with the pin out, and I didn’t move.” In the end, the soldier took the grenade from her and threw it inside.

In total, 127 fighters and residents lost their lives in the Gush Etzion battles that day. After her capture, Ginsburg was taken alstart to Hebron, repeatedly affirming, “I’m a prisstartr of war” to her captors. Eventually, she reunited with fellow captives, including Moshe Ginsburg, who would later become her husband and the father of her children.

In her own words, Ginsburg described the experience of fighting by detailing, “When you function, you don’t feel. You’re a robot. You just do your job.” Her story is preserved in the archives of the Gush Etzion Heritage Center and is shared with future generations at the Gush Etzion Field School as a testament to strength, courage, and responsibility.

Final Resting Place

Ginsburg, who lived in Jerusalem for many years before relocating to Tel Aviv about eleven years ago, was laid to rest at Har HaMenuchot in Jerusalem, in the defense section alongside her husband Moshe Ginsburg, who also fought in Gush Etzion, fell into Jordanian captivity, and later became her partner in life. Aliza Ginsburg is mourned not only for her bravery in battle but also for the legacy she leaves behind, including three daughters, 11 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren