Lacking Hungarian citizenship, the Adler family was deported in 1941 to Kamenetz-Podolsk. The family survived the massacre of Jews which took place there, returned to Irhóc and Betzalel joined the “Hehalutz Hatzair” movement. In 1942 he arrived in Budapest and became active in the then outlawed “Dror” movement. In 1944 Betzalel underwent weapons training. He obtained authentic Aryan papers and legally registered in a police station. Under Neshka Goldfarb’s guidance, he went on missions to provincial towns and forced labor camps, where his fellow members were being held, to supply them with documents and money, thus facilitating their escape. He also supplied equipment for members who were supposed to cross the border into Romania by means of the tiyul. Upon the rise to power of the Arrow Cross Party on October 15th, 1944, Betzalel started wearing the fascist party uniform. Together with Patyu– Martin Weingarten (Mordehai Karmi), he rescued Ephra Agmon and Joseph Meir from being lynched by a crowd on Népszínház Street. He participated in the establishment of bunkers, served as a liaison officer and, riding a motorcycle, he supplied food to those hiding in the bunkers. Betzalel rescued a group of Jews who were being taken by fascists for execution on the banks of the Danube. He was caught and taken to the Arrow Cross headquarters on Andrássi Street 60, where he was brutally tortured but managed to escape. He was eyewitness to the capture of Neshka, Zvi Goldfarb, and Vili Eisikovics in December 1944.
After the liberation in January 1945, he was instructed by his movement to volunteer for service in the Red Army. In 1948 he was demobilized with the rank of lieutenant. From 1951 he lived in Germany where he died. Betzalel is survived by his wife, son and daughter.
