Free Jerusalem: Heroes, Heroines and Rogues who Created the State of Israel

As assistant curator of the Hall of Heroism Museum in Jerusalem, the former Jerusalem Central Prison, from 1979-81, Golan was in charge of research, and met many of the former Underground fighters who were imprisoned in the jail. His tape-recorded interviews formed the basis for Free Jerusalem. He became associated with Rabbi Moshe Segal, former Irgun High Command member and top Lehi official, and assisted Rabbi Segal in many of his public activities till his death until 1985. Rabbi Segal helped open many doors that were otherwise sealed, and many former fighters who had refused to be interviewed before then, agreed to let Golan record their stories. In addition, Golan assisted former Lehi leader Dr. Israel Eldad in some of his work, and benefited from Eldad?s insights into past and current events. Because Golan started interviewing the fighters in 1979, Golan was able to interview and use material provided by people to whom any current researchers would not have access. With the help of 1930?s Irgun High Command member Aharon Heichman, the author was able to locate and get access to the Irgun?s first Commander in Chief, Avraham Tehomi, who lived outside of Israel, and whom Golan interviewed eight months before Tehomi?s death. Previously, Golan had interviewed the Irgun?s second Commander in Chief, Moshe Rosenberg. By 1983 Rosenberg was unable to be helpful to interviewers. Similarly, Golan in 1979 interviewed the two surviving people who had been incarcerated with Jabotinsky when he founded the Hagana in 1920.