Bergson, Avichai

Avihai, son of Manya and Gershon, was born on February 3, 1952 in the “Alonei Yitzhak” school, attended the Yefe Nof Elementary School in Jerusalem and later at the Hebrew University High School. When he was sixteen years old, he traveled abroad as a member of the delegation and was a member of the “Nechemia” youth club. And visited Holland, Belgium, Italy and Germany. He had a large collection of stamps and records and spent his spare time devoted to three more hobbies – photography, books, and train-planes. Prior to his matriculation exams, he wrote an annual paper on “The Air Force from the Sinai Campaign to the Six-Day War.” For his work he received a very good grade and praise from the work’s evaluators. Avichai was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in early February 1970 and sent to the Israel Air Force’s Air Force School, where he completed his course and was transferred to the Armored Corps. He was given a low level of health and a slight permanent disability, and his request was approved for early release from the IDF. After his discharge he began to study economics and psychology at the university. He completed his first year studies with a very good grade and for his livelihood worked as a counselor in the aviation circles. In addition to training and studies, he also volunteered, read, traveled, listened to music and played chess. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Avichai was not stationed in the unit and was not called to report. So he hurried on his own to join the fighters. He participated in the battles of containment and incursion against the Egyptians on the Sinai front, as commander of a tank unit. On the 19th of Tishrei 5734 (19.10.1973), during the break-in on the “Lexicon” axis in the Sinai, he was hit by shelling and killed. He was laid to rest at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. Survived by his parents and sister. After his fall, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant.