As anti semitism grew culminating in Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938, the organisers knew that it would escalate further as the pendulum of political power had swung irrevocably to the right. The plan was hatched and it not only required considerable courage but also great faith. Some of the organisers ended up imprisoned as they couldn't bring themselves to lie to the Nazis and tell them they weren't Jewish when questioned because of their strong sense of purpose and belief.

The group organised themselves, some taking care of finance, others transport and others visas & passports. Most of the planning took place in Mr Fink's apartment in Switzerland. A deal was done with a Swiss Berge Meister and passports were stamped with visas from Switzerland to "Shanghai" on the condition that the passports were to be destroyed on emancipation so that the passengers would not end up back in Switzerland if recaptured. The passengers were freed from Germany and Vienna and the passports were destroyed in Italy leaving the port officials with little choice but to let the passengers leave or end up with their own "Jewish Problem." The hotel Quisisana in Abbazia (Opatija) was used for all the passengers prior to boarding the ship in Fiume (Rijeka).

Not everything went to plan, funds raised were embezzled by unscrupulous shipping companies; getting a much smaller boat than ordered; food was used by the crew and not given to passengers. These were desperate times and many boats used for these journeys and their passengers didn't make it to Israel some being turned back to Germany with disastrous results.