Avigad (Sharabi), Raphael (Yehuda)

Son of Zippora and Zechariah was born on September 23, 1929 in Tel Aviv. He attended a “Mizrachi” boys’ school and a yeshiva of Rabbi Ya’akov Tzuri. He was a thirsty youth and spent nights and nights studying sacred and profane. Already in his early youth, he showed sharpness of mind and passionate love for the homeland. When he read the haftara in the synagogue, he gave an enthusiastic speech, which lasted three hours, attesting to his knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. After graduating from elementary school, he studied for a year at Yeshivat HaYeshuv HaChadash. Afterward, he went to study a profession and completed his studies in electrical and metalwork. When he was a student at the school, he joined Bnei Akiva and joined many members of this movement. In Adar 5707 he joined the Hanoar Haoved movement and went to a recruits for training in Revivim and Tel Yosef, where he joined the IDF, the motorized regiment of the 8th Brigade (“the Commando”) and excelled in the battles to conquer Lod and Ramle. Raphael fell on October 27, 1948, after taking part in the conquest of the Beit Jovrin police. In the counter-attack of the legion, his half-track was hit, Raphael was wounded and died of his wounds, and he was buried in the village of Warburg.