Yechiel, son of Shprintza and Pinchas, was born on October 29, 1944, in Russia, to which his parents fled Poland when World War II broke out. In Russia, Yechiel and his sister Tzipora were born in a labor camp. When the war ended, the family returned to Poland, and in 1951 immigrated to Israel and settled in Ramat Gan. In Ramat Gan, Yehiel studied at the Yahalom Elementary School and Dvir High School. He was also a member of the local scout movement and an active guide in the nest. When he was 17, the family moved to San Francisco, where Yehiel (or Jerry – as his friends in the United States called him) completed his studies at the University of San Francisco and specialized in psychology and criminology. During the entire period of his studies he worked as a probation officer in the rehabilitation of prisoners, and in order to supplement the lack of funding for his studies, he also worked as a reception clerk in a hotel. In 1965 Yehiel met Beverly, a student who sat with him on the school table, and in 1967 they married. After Yechiel received his first degree in psychology, he immigrated to Israel with his wife. The couple settled in Kiryat Ono. Yehiel was drafted into the IDF at the beginning of May 1968. He began his career as a psychologist in the Nahal paramilitary brigade, and was later assigned to the mental health clinic at Tel Hashomer, In the beginning of November 1970, Yechiel volunteered to serve in the regular army, and in the course of his military service he completed his military service, And was assigned to the Paratroopers Brigade, whose main function was as a mental health officer and as the officer in charge of the paratroopers’ classification, and because he was very successful in his work, In addition to being a psychologist, Yechiel was also an excellent fighter, and he spent most of his time with the Paratroopers, much more than was necessary for his work in the army, and indeed received warm praise from his commanders, excellent. Was devoted entirely to his work and was very proactive. Fulfills his role with great success. Excellent as field man. He identifies with the soldier and is very popular with his friends and commanders. With a high level of command potential, who should be promoted to the ranks. “Despite his work as a career soldier who robbed him of most of his time, Yechiel was devoted to his wife and a loving and enthusiastic father to his two sons, Arik Shai and Gilad. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Yechiel refused to settle for a rearguard position and joined the fighting paratroopers on the southern front as an education officer. In the harsh battle that took place at the Chinese Farm, Yechiel fought with the soldiers, and on October 17, 1973, he was hit and fell in battle. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Kiryat Shaul. He left behind a wife and two sons, a father and a sister. In his letter of condolence to the family, his commander wrote: “Yechiel did more than what was required of him in the fields of education and mental health, and Yechiel helped with his own efforts to build the brigade not only in the selection and training of soldiers, but in his behavior and devotion to his role, The youth, in order to recruit volunteers for the paratroopers, did so outside of normal working hours, and Yechiel took part in operational activities, which was no longer customary in his post. To commemorate Yechiel, his father established a fund for needy children.
