On February 7, 1926, during the day, an operation to capture a dangerous political criminal was conducted in the Ukrainian city of Konotop. GPU officers responsible for the operation were hunting for a certain Eliezer, who had arrived in Konotop from Leningrad.

Soon, the underground operative, who was acting as an emissary of the United All-Russian Organization of Zionist Youth (EVOSM), was detained at 27 Chervyakov Lane, in the apartment of a local Jewish woman, Nina Karlina. The GPU agents captured Eliezer while he was preparing Circular No. 3 for distribution among city committees of the Zionist organization. Soviet security officers couldn't have known then that Chaim Marinov, who was hiding under the alias Eliezer, would years later become the deputy mayor of Jerusalem and even serve as acting head of the Holy City for some time.

Chaim Marinov came from a middle-class family in the Belarusian town of Borisov, located almost a hundred kilometers from Minsk. His father, Evel Gershevich, before the revolutionary events of 1917, worked as a clerk at a tar distillery, and after the establishment of Soviet power, he worked at the Borisov railway station, where he was responsible for fuel loading. According to another version, Marinov senior successfully traded in timber and was involved in turpentine production before the Bolshevik takeover. In the early 1920s, Evel Gershevich lost three-quarters of his working capacity and was forced to leave work. The homekeeper in this typical Jewish family of the region was the mother – Chaya Shimonovna, née Aronina. Under her care were six children: four sons – Chaim, Rafael, Isaac, and Gershon, and two daughters – Zlata and Golda.

In his young years, Chaim's education consisted of both traditional religious and secular directions. He learned the fundamentals of Judaism in a cheder, where experienced melameds introduced him to sacred texts, and additional lessons with private tutors deepened this knowledge. Simultaneously, the young man attended a Russian gymnasium where he received a classical education.

Special attention was given to Hebrew studies in the Marinov family. Evel Gershevich, understanding the importance of knowing the ancient language, specially invited an experienced teacher from the provincial center. A notable feature was that girls – Zlata and Golda – were also allowed to attend the lessons, which was rare for Jewish families of that time.

In the pivotal year of 1917, when the Russian Empire was shaken by revolutionary upheavals, an event occurred in young Chaim's life that would determine his future fate. As a thirteen-year-old teenager, he joined the ranks of the Zionist youth movement, whose ideas about the revival of the Jewish national homeland deeply touched his soul.

In the days following the February Revolution, when the streets of Russian cities were filled with excited crowds of demonstrators, among the many flags waving above them, one could see blue and white flags. Chaim Marinov, filled with youthful enthusiasm and faith in the bright future of the Jewish people, participated in these manifestations, taking his first steps as a public activist.

The first arrest in the young Zionist's life came on one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar – the eve of Yom Kippur 1922. On that day, GPU officers detained not only Chaim but also his brother Rafael, known among comrades as Folya, who had also dedicated himself to the national movement.

Chaim Marinov faced serious charges – active leadership in the "Hechalutz" organization. By that time, he was indeed a member of the Borisov committee of this Zionist organization, one of whose founders was the legendary Joseph Trumpeldor.

Under pressure from investigators, the young activist was forced to give a written commitment to cease activities in illegal Zionist organizations. However, dedication to the cause proved stronger than fear of repression. Despite the promise given under duress, Marinov continued his work in "Hechalutz."

During his first encounter with the GPU, Chaim was a student at the Borisov Pedagogical Technical School. Despite political persecution, he successfully completed three years of study and in autumn 1923 left for Leningrad. In the former imperial capital, he continued his education by enrolling in the State Institute of Physical Education.

During the investigation following his second arrest in Konotop in 1926, Marinov revealed details of his participation in the Zionist movement. According to his testimony, in autumn 1925, while studying in Leningrad, he joined the ranks of EVOSM, after which, by decision of its Central Committee, he was sent to work in the Chernihiv region.

EVOSM, according to program documents signed in March 1924, positioned itself as an independent "apolitical" youth movement within the World Zionist Organization. EVOSM emphasized its autonomy from all parties, which was meant to ensure freedom of critical thinking among its members.

Following the example of organizations like Gehover and Histadrut, EVOSM focused its efforts on cultural and educational work. The focus was on studying Hebrew, Jewish culture, history, and theoretical foundations of Zionism. Other important areas of activity – practical preparation for work in Palestine and physical education – were delegated to specialized organizations: the "national" Hechalutz and Maccabi sports clubs.

In Marinov's testimony, the summer-autumn of 1925 appears as a period of his active movement around the country. From July to September, he was in his native Borisov, from where he went to Snovsk, where he spent several weeks on organizational business. It was there that he received the underground nickname Eliezer, which became his new name in the Zionist movement. Notably, under the pressure exerted on him during the investigation, Marinov remained faithful to conspiratorial principles, refusing to disclose the addresses of his safe houses in Snovsk.
The route of his further movements resembled a pendulum: from Snovsk he went to Leningrad, where he spent a month, then at the end of September returned to Ukraine. After spending two to three weeks in Snovsk, in November 1925, he reached the town of Gorodnya. In Gorodnya, he also spent about two weeks dealing with organizational issues and inspecting local cells, and from there returned to Snovsk again.

The series of travels around the Chernihiv region ended on January 30, 1926, when Marinov settled in Konotop. It was here, after just over a week of active work, that he was arrested.

The circumstances of Marinov's arrest are revealed through the testimony of Nina Karlina, daughter of local merchant Nathan Karlin. According to her, at noon on February 7, 1926, a stranger knocked on their door, introducing himself as her cousin from Leningrad – Marinov. Without asking the guest for documents, the girl offered him to wait for her parents' return. The young man sat at the table and, after asking for paper and ink, immersed himself in working on some notes. An hour later, there was another knock – GPU officers appeared at the doorstep, who after a search took the "cousin" away. Clearly, Nina maintained a safe house and was part of a cell.

The story told by Nina raised suspicions with USSR GPU Konotop Department officer Klimenko, who arrested Marinov. During the interrogation, Klimenko was interested in Nina Karlina's strange behavior, as she began visiting the prison to see a supposedly unfamiliar person. "Why do you bring him meals, clothes, and visit him?" Nina explained her actions as compassion for a person arrested in their house. Whether he was really their relative, the family had not determined by the time of Nina's interrogation, according to her.

The investigation's doubts were reinforced by a Maccabi organization leaflet found during the search of the Karlins' house. Nina couldn't explain the origin of this compromising document. All these details led investigators to believe that the connection between Marinov and the Karlin family was not familial, but rather party-related.

Obviously, Marinov's arrest was not accidental – GPU officers were carefully monitoring the Zionist underground, skillfully using their intelligence network. The young activist's name was well known to them long before his detention in Konotop.

During his arrest, correspondence was found on Marinov, but he showed resilience during interrogations, refusing to reveal the identities of his correspondents – a certain girl, and Zionists Boris and Leva. Marinov managed to destroy one paper in his possession. When directly questioned by Klimenko, an authorized officer of the USSR GPU Konotop Department, the arrestee calmly replied: "It was torn up before, but I don't know why into small pieces."

Among the seized materials, investigators were particularly interested in the November-December 1925 issue of "Tsei'rei Tzion" ("Hitachdut") magazine – the printed organ of the Zionist-Labor party "Tsei'rei Tzion" (Hitachdut). Marinov gave a vague explanation about how he obtained this magazine, only saying that he received it "from someone."
The investigator also obtained a letter from Sosnitsa, Chernihiv region, sent by a certain Tsipa to her Kyiv friend. It contained interesting details about Marinov's visit to this town. He arrived in Sosnitsa unexpectedly to conduct a political inspection of the local EVOSM cell.
According to the letter, the young inspector did not make a favorable impression on local female activists. "He's too difficult a person," wrote Tsipa, describing how Marinov hastily left their meeting without saying goodbye, "flying out of the house as if scalded." She also mentioned that at his request, she gave him her comrade's Kyiv address, adding: "If he visits you – send greetings."

However, Marinov's behavior was quite understandable. Operating illegally and coordinating the work of the Zionist movement across an entire region, he couldn't afford social pleasantries. His mind was occupied with far more serious matters – ensuring the organization's security and the success of their common cause. It wasn't just his fate at stake, but the position of the entire underground. However, completely securing the organization was impossible: GPU's methods of dealing with the Zionist underground resembled a sophisticated cat-and-mouse game, where every move of the activists was under constant surveillance.

At the end of February 1926, Marinov's case was transferred from Konotop to the Secret Department of the OGPU USSR in Kharkiv. Here, authorized SOGPU officers Khoze and Cherdak took charge of his fate. Despite their Jewish origins, the Kharkiv security officers showed no sympathy for Marinov.

On April 16, 1926, the Special Council of the OGPU Board reviewed the case and issued a harsh verdict – three years of Siberian exile under Article 61 of the Ukrainian SSR Criminal Code (assistance to international bourgeoisie). A long, exhausting journey to the place of exile began. For months, Marinov was transported from one prison to another, keeping him and other prisoners in unbearable conditions.

However, fate had an unexpected turn in store. On January 7, 1927, almost nine months after the first verdict, the Special Council revisited case No. 37296 opened against the young Zionist. The previous decision of three years' Siberian exile was revised – Marinov was allowed to leave the country through southern ports with the right to emigrate to Palestine.
Behind this remarkable change in attitude toward the prisoner was Ekaterina Peshkova – writer Maxim Gorky's first wife and head of the "Aid to Political Prisoners" organization. Thanks to her intervention, the punishment turned into a long-awaited opportunity to emigrate.