Shalhevet Freier

[1] In 1937, while studying at a Christian school, he composed an essay expressing opposition to Nazi doctrine, which led to his expulsion.

In 1940, he immigrated to British Mandated Palestine and was accepted as a student in the Department of Mathematics at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Upon completing his first year, his mother arrived and settled in the Katamon neighborhood of Jerusalem, after which he joined the British Army in 1941, and served in the Jewish 462nd General Transport Company in North Africa and Italy.

While crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Alexandria to Malta, German planes spotted the 27-ship convoy, resulting in an attack where the Erinpura sank within four minutes.

In 1946, he joined other former 462nd members in the clandestine "Ha’Chavura" organization, also known as "The Shadow Unit", whose aim was to assist Jewish refugees and bring them to Palestine.

Freier was apprehended and sent to an Italian prison, where he nonetheless continued to operate, until his release and military discharge in late 1946.

In this capacity, he played a leading role in the scientific cooperation between the French and Israeli governments in initiating atomic research in Israel.

Additionally, The Weizmann Institute of Science holds an annual contest in physics: "The Shalhevet Freier Safe Competition".