Aleksandras Ziselis Machtas
and his family members
moved to Tel Aviv in 1936
to the delight of Rivka and Yaakov
who were very enthusiastic
as members of "Hashomer-Haatsair".
The socialist-Zionist youth movement.

It was seen as a crazy thing back then.
To leave one of the best jobs
in the Jewish community and beyond
and to retire from Lithuania's chess elite
of which he was a very senior member
in the past two decades or so.

for more on that click here

One might of course say now
that as a chess master
he could foresee at least some of what
was about to happen next in Europe.
A decade later on it was clear
that what was perceived by many
in the Jewish community of Lithuania
as a totally crazy thing to do back then
was now seen as the most logical one.

Aleksandras had been asked by Mr. Shenkar,
the head of the industrialists union
in Palestine a year earlier to become
the founder and general manager
of the newly formed "Industrial Bank"
to be situated in the heart of Tel aviv.

In return he got immigration certificates
to all family members.
Not a common gesture by the British.
He also had of course to learn
the Hebrew language from scratch.
He accomplished that very quickly.
His name was also slightly changed to:
Alexander Zisel ( Ziskind ) Macht

The new bank was on Montifioree St.
The family moved into a flat nearby
On 41. Moheliver Street.
On the first floor.

In 1941 the mothers of both
Alexander and Ester Macht
passed away miles apart.
The former's in Kaunas.
The latter's in Tel Aviv.

Alexander and Ester became now
members of the new first generation.
They also became grandparents
about a couple of years earlier.

for more on that click here