יעקב (יענקל’ה) גרנביץ – גורן (“יפתח”)

Yaakov Eliezer Granvitz (later: Goren), codename “Yiftach”
Born: 18 November 1928, Eretz-Israel
Parents: Mordechai-Menachem & Leah Granvitz
Sister: Malka (Granvitz) Hafner, also a Lehi member, imprisoned at Atlit
Died: 27 June 2020

His Story

In 1945, at age 17, Yaakov joined the Lehi underground youth movement.
His underground work included:
- Gathering intelligence
- Recruiting new members
- Finding and preparing safe houses
Arrested by the British and held in Latrun detention camp, later transferred and released from Atlit.
His sister Malka was also arrested; she was among the Jewish women prisoners transferred to Atlit in 1947.
After release, he continued underground activities until the British departure from Palestine.
Later in life he Hebraicized his surname to Goren.

Connection to This Haggadah

The Haggadah bears his handwritten name: יעקב גרנביץ.
It was printed with the dedication “לאסירינו” (“For Our Prisoners”) by the “Association for Assistance to the Prisoner and Detainee.”
This personal copy accompanied him during or after his imprisonment in the 1940s, symbolizing faith and continuity in captivity.

Legacy

Yaakov’s life bridged two eras: the struggle for freedom under the British Mandate, and the rebirth of Israel.
His Haggadah carries his memory — not only as a detainee in Latrun and Atlit, but as a young man who chose resistance and resilience.
Picture: https://www.maapilim.org.il/notebook_ext.asp?book=46756&lang=heb&site=maapilim
SPECIAL LEHI CREATION OF ISRAEL