Dagan, Yisrael

Yisrael, son of Tikva and Asher, was born on the 24th of Tishrei 5710 (17.10.1949) in Kibbutz Naan. He studied at the kibbutz elementary school, and then continued his high school there. In his early years at school, Israel was characterized by childish honesty and enthusiasm for patents. He was resourceful and was often chosen to organize activities in the later classes of the school. He was a member of the Kibbutz HaMuhad division of Hanoar Haoved. Israel was an active athlete and a member of “Hapoel” Naan, played volleyball and was an outstanding swimmer. He had a sense of justice and he was morally uncompromising. He liked to do whatever he did, he did it modestly. In 1968, after graduating from high school, Yisrael (known to many as Dagan) joined the ranks as part of a third-year recruitment program, To a core of boys, which was to complete Kibbutz Yiron. He spent several months in Byron until he was drafted, and worked there in the plantation. In a short time he had gathered the workers around him, for it was pleasant to be with him. Although he tried not to be in the center and stand out, he was elected secretary of the nucleus. Israel was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in early February 1969 and was assigned to the Armored Corps, where he was assigned as a tank driver in the Armored Corps and participated in the battles of the War of Attrition. Tanks in an armored battalion in the Suez Canal sector. In this capacity, his commander noted him as “a very good officer, disciplined and independent, a decent and honest commander, patient with his subordinates and efficient in his job.” After that, he was appointed to the rank of lieutenant, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on his release certificate. After completing his regular service, he was assigned to reserve duty as a tank commander in the armored corps patrol battalion. After the liberation, Israel first returned to Na’an and after a few months moved to Yiron. After a short time, in February 1973, he married his girlfriend from Kibbutz Givat Haim Meuhad and moved to this kibbutz, where he worked in the avocado industry. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Israel was called to his unit, and he participated with it as commander of the tank division, in the battles in the Sinai, in the rescue of the men of Maoz, and in the battles to break through the Suez Canal. At the Chinese Farm, they crossed the canal and cleaned the area and helped the paratroopers conquer the Serfaum compound, which took part in the purification of the agricultural buffer zone and on the 22nd of Tishrei 5734 (22.10.1973), the division under its command was sent north to the city of Ismailia. Yisrael ordered to abandon the tanks and after jumping from the tank, was hit and killed. His body was returned from the area held by the Egyptians only five months later and he was brought to rest in a mass grave in the Kiryat Shaul military cemetery. He left behind a wife and son (born after he fell), parents, sister and brother. After his fall, he was promoted to captain.