A gripping firsthand account of the desperate attempts made to save the lives of Jewish people following Hitler’s occupation of Austria in 1938, including how the proclamation of Israel’s independence in 1948 sought to defeat all limitations on Jewish immigration in this “story of triumph as well as tragedy, of high adventure and desperate ingenuity” (The New York Times).

Born in Vienna, Austria and joining the ranks of the Zionist-Socialist youth movement, Ehud Avriel found himself amongst the organizers of escape and rescue operations when Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938. When he was finally able to reach Palestine himself, after World War II had already begun, Mr. Avriel help found a kibbutz in Gailee that became home for he and his family.

Open the Gates! is the story of Jewish immigration to Israel amidst the exiling hate of World War II, filled with details of the Haganah, the Jewish resistance movement, from one of the central figures himself.

Since his move to Palestine, Mr. Avriel has been Israel’s first fully fledged ambassador, which led to his work in the Prime Minister’s Office and the treasury, as well as his success being in charge of African Affairs and International Cooperation.

From a story of resistance to a story of success, Open the Gates! is filled with the resiliency, bravery, and determined work that turned the prescribed life of an “illegal” immigrant into an inspiring success story.