Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at thejewishnews.com

54 | JANUARY 4 • 2024 J
N

High-Flying Heroes
I

t is still the 75th birthday year of modern Israel. Unfortunately, however, the cel-
ebration has been marred by the heinous Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7. Once 
again, Israel is at war.
The Israel Defense Forces have a wide range of branches: paratroopers, infantry, 
special forces, intelligence logistical groups, a navy and an air force. All ranks are 
filled with brave, dedicated men and women. Perhaps the most highly skilled of all 
are the pilots of the Israel Air Force (IAF). 
An unlikely path led me to research the IAF. On Sept. 11, 
2023, actor Paul Ruebens (Rubenfeld), 
better known as “Pee Wee Herman,
” 
died at 70. His obituary noted that his 
father, Milton Rubenfeld, a U.S. WWII 
veteran, was one of the early IAF pilots 
who flew smuggled planes into Israel 
during the War of Independence in 1948.
I thought I’
d look into the William 
Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History 
to see what stories I might find about the early IAF. 
Beginning in the 1940s, there are over 500 pages that cite 
the IAF. Many of these are good stories about those who 
served in the IAF.
The first story about the IAF is “
Air Force of Israel 
Sprouts Wings in Just Five Years” (July 22, 1948, JN). 
Published while the 1948 War of Independence was still raging and victory 
was not assured, this story speaks to an important factor regarding the origins 
of the IAF; that the elite Palmach branch of the Haganah began planning for 
an Israeli air force five years before modern Israel itself was established. 
The IAF was officially formed on May 28, 1948. But it had a serious prob-
lem: It desperately needed combat planes and pilots. In response, many 
foreign pilots — largely Jewish, along with a few non-Jews — decided to 
help Israel defend itself. The first four combat planes were purchased from 
Czechoslovakia and smuggled to Israel. Soon, the IAF built strength through 
additional WWII-era combat aircraft, along with civilian planes, and its own 
comprehensive pilot training in 1949. 
Although vastly outnumbered during the War for Independence, the IAF 
grew in strength and contributed to the final victory. Today, it is one of the 
world’s leading air forces.
There are good stories in the Davidson Archive about early IAF members. For example, the JN ran an obituary 
for Sydney Cohen, who was one of the first four pilots of the IAF and commander of its famous 101st Squadron. He 
was South African and had been a pilot in Royal Air Force during WWII (Dec. 8, 2011).
“High Flier” is an article about another IAF pioneer, Detroit-born Rudolph “Rudy” Newman. Newman said, “I 
didn’t go because I was a Zionist.
” He went to Israel “because I loved flying. But if you’ve ever been to Israel, you 
know the feeling when you first set foot there … that’s when I became a Zionist” (June 2, 1995). Newman also 
amassed an important archival collection regarding the early IAF.
BTW — we should not forget the all-important and highly skilled ground crews upon which the IAF depends.
I’ll end with a salute to a friend of Detroit, Yiftah Leket, a community shaliach from Israel for three years. He is a 
reserve IAF pilot on duty now. May he always fly safe. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

An unlikely path led me to research the IAF. On Sept. 11, 

during the War of Independence in 1948.

Beginning in the 1940s, there are over 500 pages that cite 
the IAF. Many of these are good stories about those who