Ashkenazi, Shimon

Son of Leah and Zvi, was born on March 1, 1927, in the town of Chodorov in eastern Galicia (then Poland) and began to study in a “cheder” and a public school. Once he refused to go to school and until he obeyed his parents’ orders (due to fear of punishment under the Compulsory Education Law) arrived late and was punished by standing on his knees before the cross. For years, the memory of his weakness, that he succumbed to coercion and “knelt down to the idol,” weighed on him. In June 1935, he immigrated with his parents to Israel, and his father took upon himself the financial responsibility for establishing the “Talmud Torah” in Magdiel, where they lived, so that his son would receive a complete religious education. Shimon excelled both in his studies and in his behavior. During the years of the riots of 1936-1938, he assisted the Haganah in liaison services. When he studied at Yeshivat Hebron in Jerusalem he was an active member of the Haganah, underwent training and completed a course for battalion commanders, and later was sent by the Haganah to organize and train the Religious Department of the Dan Region, Religious youth, “Bnei Akiva,” “Ezra,” “the Union Youth,” and “Elitzur.” His work in instruction and education was conducted in a national-religious spirit, which also gave him reflections on historical and current issues on the problem of society and the individual. “He tried to fulfill all the commandments, and when he was forced to eat without washing his hands, he was very sorry for that.” In the winter of 1948 he fought with his class in the religious branch for defensive and combat activities Dan and the coastal plain. They took part in the conquest of Kolonia near Motza and later in the battles in and around Jerusalem and in the area, and during the break. In the 10 days he commanded a combat platoon and repulsed enemy attacks in the Mandelboim section, during which he went down to the Triangle area and took part in the conquest of Tira and other activities and took part in sabotage operations on the way to Hebron and afterwards In the battles for the liquidation of the Faluja pocket During Operation “Horev” Liquidation “, intended to eliminate the” pocket of Falluja, which was besieged an Egyptian brigade. The attack took place on the eastern flank of the “pocket” in the area of ​​Iraq al-Manshiyya. Forces “Alexander” burst into the village from the south and took over the part, but the assault was repulsed mound north of the village. Meanwhile, the Egyptians recovered and attacked and forced our forces to withdraw. Part of the force remained trapped inside the village. In this battle, on December 28, 1948, Shimon fell on a battle in Al-Manshiyya in Iraq, breaking into the second position of the Egyptian enemy. He was buried in Faluja. On the 17th of Kislev 5710 (8.12.1949) he was transferred to the eternal rest of the military cemetery at Nahalat Yitzhak.