Mordechai Limon

Mordechai Limon (Hebrew: מרדכי לימון; January 3, 1924 – May 15, 2009) was the fourth commander of the Israeli navy, serving from December 14, 1950, until July 1, 1954.

Mordechai Limon
Mordechai Limon (left) with David Ben-Gurion
Native name	מרדכי לימון
Born	(1924-01-03)January 3, 1924 Baranavichy, Second Polish Republic
Died	May 16, 2009(2009-05-16) (aged 85)
Allegiance	Israel
Branch	Israeli Navy
Years of service	1940–1954
Rank	Aluf
Commands	Commander of the Israeli navy
Battles / wars	World War II 1947–1949 Palestine war

Limon was born in Baranovichi and made aliyah to Mandatory Palestine in 1932. He grew up in Tel Aviv and joined the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement.

During World War II, Limon joined the Palmach, and served in Palyam. After the war, Limon captained at least one vessel transporting Jews that wanted to emigrate from Europe to Mandatory Palestine from Sète, a harbor city close to Marseille, France; one reported crossing carried Shraga Weil and Eli Reismann, then members of Hashomer Hatzair.

Limon oversaw the Cherbourg Project that involved smuggling five missile boats that had originally been purchased by Israel and embargoed by France. He would be subsequently expelled from France.^[1] His daughter, Nili Limon (born 1951), is married to Nathaniel Robert de Rothschild, son of Élie de Rothschild.^[2]