Chen( Ben-Hamo), Rafael

Raphael, son of Esther and Hanania, was born on January 18, 1954, in Haifa. He studied at the Sinai State Religious School in Kiryat Yam, where his family lives. Afterward, he graduated from the “Rodman” high school in the biological track and passed the matriculation exams. Raphael, who was known as Rafi, was a diligent and diligent student, and did well in his studies. He had made great progress at school, but had not been able to see the fruit of his labors, since his high school diploma had reached his home after his fall. He was a kindly young man who was prone to shyness. He was known for his modesty and his kindness. He was active in the social life of the school and was sent to a course for squad commanders in the framework of the Gadna, and he understood the hardships of his family, which was full of souls, and devoted most of his free time to work to help support the family. Who was trained as a paramedic in his military service, took advantage of his vacations to work in a hospital and paid his family, and was the main supporter of the family and the source of a visa, enabling him to continue on his way to school. . After basic training, he was sent to a course for combat medics and successfully completed it. In this course and later as a medic, he could use the knowledge he acquired in his studies in the biological track in high school. He was sent to serve as a combat medic in a tank battalion of the Barak Brigade. His brigade was responsible for securing the northern border of the State of Israel, and with it he participated in a great deal of operational activity. He was a loyal and disciplined soldier, meticulously and thoroughly fulfilled all the tasks he was assigned as a medic, and gave his friends devoted and loyal medical treatment. On the eve of the Yom Kippur War, he was given a special vacation and even had a place of work for a month, so that he could earn and support the family. But he did not get to go on vacation. In the Yom Kippur War, the Barak Brigade was on the first line of fire in the Golan Heights and participated in the battle against the Syrians. The brigade managed to stop the enemy’s progress while conducting bitter and bitter battles, which suffered heavy losses. In the battle that took place on the day of Yom Kippur, on the 6th of Tishrei 5734 (October 6, 1973) in the area of ​​Hoshenia, Rafi was killed and killed, and he fought at that time as part of a force that succeeded in blocking the Syrian armored units. In Haifa, left behind his parents and six brothers, and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in a letter of condolence to the bereaved family: “Your son, Sgt. Raphael, served in an armored unit. “He said. His parents donated a Torah scroll to the Tiferet Israel synagogue in Kiryat Yam.