Ayalon, Avishai

Son of Tony and Aryeh, was born on April 21, 1951 in Kibbutz Shamir in the Upper Galilee. As a child, Avishai enjoyed a life of freedom in the countryside and the magnificent view of the Galilee mountains and the slopes of Mount Hermon, but he also tasted the taste of Syrian shelling on his kibbutz and the entire region. Avishai devoted a great deal of his free time to sports activities and loved mainly swimming. He participated in many swimming competitions and accumulated numerous certificates of excellence and awards. After completing his studies at the high school, Avishai was accepted to the IDF’s academic reserve and began studying at the Technion in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, where he was an outstanding student, even though he devoted part of his time to work. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Avishai served for half a year in the IDF. He fought in the Egyptian front and to the outskirts of the city of Suez came. After graduating, Avishai began his regular military service. Although he was a graduate of the Technion and had professional skills, he preferred to serve in a combat force. He took an officer’s course and served in the Artillery Corps. After completing his regular service Avishai continued to serve for a year and a half in the career army, as engineer in the Engineering Corps. In this unit, Avishai found a broad platform to express his skills and contribute his ability as an engineer to develop special weapons. At that time Avishai met Tami and they married and established a family. Avishay was discharged from the IDF and began working as an engineer in a high-tech factory in Rehovot, where he invested considerable effort in innovative technological projects in the field of electro-optics, and was given a certificate of appreciation for this work. When the day of the liberation of his unit was approaching, Avishai was ready for his last assignment, to collect the heavy equipment of the unit to the Palmach. On his way to liberation, Avishai fell on duty on 15 Tamuz, July 7, 1982 and was brought to rest in the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul. He left behind a wife, son and daughter, parents and three brothers.