Ben-Sira (Lutker), Zvi

Zvi (Zvika), son of Hannah and Ze’ev, was born on August 28, 1951, in Tel Aviv. He studied at the “Rokeach” elementary school and later completed his studies in the 9th grade high school in the real world. Zvika was a talented student, alert and diligent and excelled in many fields – in literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry and history. He was very interested in politics, philosophy and music and his teachers testified that he had deep analytical thinking, linguistic ability and a sensitive soul. He asked for an accurate explanation to every detail, and often came in a long and difficult way to solve problems. He always looked for challenges, to prove that “the impossible – possible” and “hard – means possible” – according to the way that guided him all his life. He was a kind man, active in the school and very fond of his friends. At the end of 11th grade, he went to Europe as part of a youth delegation from the Tel Aviv municipality, and on this trip he met his future fiancée, Josette, in France, who was handsome, with an open face and deep penetrating eyes, a devoted and loving son to his parents and sisters. Zvi was drafted into the IDF in mid-November 1969 and assigned to the Armored Corps. After finishing basic training and after completing his course in the “Centurion” tank course, he was appointed a gunner in the Centurion tank. After he excelled as an excellent instructor in the artillery section of the Armored Corps School, his commanding officer assigned him to write lesson plans on the subjects he taught, which are still used by the school to this day. His commander praised his talent for providing the training material in an interesting and understandable way to all the trainees and his technical sense. Thanks to his excellence, his commanders recommended that he be promoted to the rank of sergeant next to his release from regular service, and at that point he completed his service. During his service, he maintained almost daily contact with his family. He wrote many letters, both to his parents and sisters and to his fiancée. In his letters, his strong love for the people and the country, his concern for the fate of the state and his fighting comrades, and his confidence in the steadfastness of the people and of the IDF were revealed. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Zvika was not recruited because of the low medical profile that was fixed for him when he completed his regular service, but he did not give up and hurried to his unit. Begged, demanded, and pressed to enlist him – and indeed on the third day of the war he was recruited for the post of liaison And was sent to the Golan Heights On October 12, 1973, his tank was hit in the battle near the village of Nesj Babashan, and Zvika was killed on the spot and was brought to eternal rest in the Kiryat Shaul cemetery, A mother and two sisters, and his parents published a pamphlet in his memory, which included the family members and friends.