Amitai, Raphael (‘Rafi’)

Son of-Aharon and Batya was born on April 5, 1945 in Haifa, and Rafi was drawn to the sea and after completing his studies at Yesodi near Reali he was accepted to the naval officers’ school in Mikhmoret, where he studied for two years He continued to study at Bialik High School and high school, and in the period of time that remained until he enlisted, he worked in fishing boats, Rafi was very talented, engaged in painting and sculpture, wrote songs, entertained his friends in imitations and in acting. He was drafted into the IDF in early February 1964 and assigned to the Navy. During his regular service, a member was trapped in a pin-hole in which the gasoline had ignited. Rafi took out his friend, but was severely beaten and hospitalized for a long time. He did his duty to the satisfaction of his commanders, and when he was discharged, his behavior was described as very good, and he was “an excellent driver capable of organizing and carrying out plans.” At the end of July 1966, Rafi was discharged from regular service. He was assigned to reserve duty as a ‘lead’ driver. During the Yom Kippur War, he was an example and a symbol of reservists and “regulars” in his work with great devotion and devotion. At the end of the war he received the ‘signal of battle’. Even as a citizen he did not abandon his hobby – the sea. He spent most of his free time sailing on a small yacht. One of his dreams was that someday he could go out with his family and live permanently on vessels. Raphi was a devoted and loving father to his two little daughters, who managed to get a lot of heat from him. On 26 October 1975 Rafael fell during his service. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Haifa. He left behind a wife, two daughters, a mother and a brother. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, his commander noted the friendly spirit that Rafi had sent around him and how he had become the center of social life for reservists whenever they met for reserve duty.