Literatureרחל מכבי

Rachel Maccabi

Rachel Maccabi was an Egyptian-born Palmach member and Israeli writer known for her memoirs.

1915 to 2003Memoirs of Alexandria and IsraelThe book My EgyptService in the Palmach

Born: 10 November 1915, Alexandria
Died: 12 October 2003, Hatzor
Occupation: writer

Rachel Maccabi was born in 1915 in Alexandria

Rachel Maccabi was born Marie-Louise Green in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1915, to a wealthy Zionist family. Her father, Felix Green, was a senior figure in the Jewish community and a local Zionist leader. Her mother, Jeanine, was the daughter of Baron Félix de Menasce.

She attended a French gymnasium in Alexandria and later studied law. She was active in Hashomer Hatzair and visited Mandatory Palestine several times from 1925.

In 1935 she married Maccabee Mosseri-Mani and moved to Moshav Tel Tzur, taking the name Rachel after the poet Rachel. Her husband died of wounds from an ambush in April 1948 during the War of Independence. She then took his first name as her surname and enlisted in the IDF.

In 1953 she married Lovka (Aryeh) Sternin and moved to Kibbutz Hatzor. Her son Oded died of cancer in 1964, and her son Yoash fell in the Yom Kippur War. She wrote 5 memoir books about her life.

She died in 2003 and was buried in Kibbutz Hatzor.

Milestones in Rachel Maccabi's life

1915
Born in Alexandria, Egypt.
1935
Married Maccabee Mosseri-Mani.
1948
Her husband died of wounds from an ambush.
1953
Married Lovka Sternin and moved to Kibbutz Hatzor.
1968
Published the memoir My Egypt.
1978
Published Jerusalem Nights.
2003
Died and was buried in Kibbutz Hatzor.

Rachel Maccabi served in the military

She served in the Palmach as a radio operators' instructor. After 1948 she enlisted in the IDF, served as secretary to Yigal Alon, and later completed an officers' course.