Bergman, Yosef

Their eldest son is Oded and Shulamit. He was born on the 13th of Av 5761 (15.8.1951). He attended elementary school in Ra’anana and the Ostrovsky High School in Ra’anana, in the real world. Yosef liked sports and was a member of the Maccabi Hatzair movement, but his interest in exact sciences was great since his youth and therefore, after graduating from high school, asked to be admitted to the Hebrew University of Haifa and to specialize in physics. One feature stood out above all else and was straightened out. This feature was deeply ingrained and expressed in everyday life, in relation to all those around him, his friends and teachers. He was grateful to his teachers for everything they had given him in the field of education. He had no dry intellect, but was accompanied by deep emotional emotion. From his youth his gaze was clear and intelligent, and his manner was pleasant and gentle. He always had the good, shy smile on which he greeted everyone. He used simplicity and modesty in all his ways. The class was not a bit noisy, not much to vote for, and it did not stand out either. But when he answered, his answers were relevant and clear. There were those who dealt with a particular issue and would have different doubts about him, and then he did not rest until he checked the matter, satisfied his will and settled the contradiction. Once he had overcome his doubts, his gaze could be felt in the mind. It was a sign of his dread of the truth, of that scientific “clean hands” that was his mental background for any real research. Thus learning about him became a pleasure rather than a necessity. In addition to this he excelled generously and lovingly to help others. He always gave his own willingly, always loved to give himself to others. As stated, he was accepted to the Hebrew Technion in Haifa and sought to study physics. The postponement of his military service was approved and he was accepted into the academic reserve. But because of the situation on the front of the canal was called for service. In mid-November 1969 he was drafted into the Armored Corps and on April 15, 1970, only five months later, he fell in combat in the Suez Canal area. He was laid to rest in the cemetery in Ra’anana. The commander of his unit wrote in a letter of condolence to the bereaved parents: “Joseph was on guard duty and was killed by a mortar shell, and for half a year he served in the IDF, including three months in my unit, and all his commanders agree that Yosef was a obedient soldier. In this short period of time, the son in the stronghold in the Kantara region proved himself to be an excellent soldier. All of us, on the front and in the rear, must be strong and continue to hold on. The memory of the son will not be erased from our people. “After the publication of a pamphlet entitled” Friends Talk about Yossi, “a donation of 15,000 Israeli pounds was distributed among his admirers for the establishment of a physics lab in his name at Raanana’s high school; Out of loyalty to his aspirations in the field of science and research, the family established a scholarship for academic studies, for an outstanding student of the Raanana High School in 1973, a scholarship of 500 IL was awarded, whereas in 1975 the scholarship was raised to 1000 IL; Bank Leumi le-Israel BM also set up an annual scholarship of £ 1,000. Therefore, starting this year, two scholarships totaling 2,000 IL will be distributed in Yosef’s blessed memory.