Benny and David. He was born on 17 August 1974 in Nahariya. Eyal was born in the seventh month of his mother’s pregnancy, and was the first in the newly established NICU in Nahariya. But Eyal quickly recovered, and a frail little baby became a pale-eyed, fair-haired boy who had grown into a handsome boy, conspicuous in his appearance. In elementary school, Eyal studied at “Katznelson” in Nahariya. At the age of twelve, the family moved to Moshav Mauna in the Galilee, and Eyal continued his studies at the Western Galilee Regional High School. Schooling was not important to Eyal, but the desire to take advantage of life and all that the moment offered. Eyal loved the countryside and the landscapes of the Galilee and the expanses, which were his freedom. He loved animals, but most of all he loved people. He had many friends from all sectors, regardless of religion, nationality, color or age, the main thing was man. In his appearance, Eyal resembled a “flower boy”: he tried to keep his originality, his long hair, the chains and the bracelets he wore, in “discarded” clothes. Eyal’s closest friends were his family – his mother, his father and his sisters Dorit, Riki and Lior. A particularly warm and open relationship was between Eyal and his mother. Eyal drove freely with Etti, his mother, shared her experiences and deliberations, and together they reached conclusions and decisions. His sister Dorit, who was only a year younger than him, took him out with his friends. Eyal was independent, did not like being set up, but he knew how to set the limits for himself. He always loved to be busy, to do, to be surrounded by friends, to listen to music, to compose songs, to play the guitar, to paint, to create. The walls of Eyal’s room are covered with frescoes he drew and inscriptions he wrote, things he loved, and he wanted to be always in front of him. Six months before they fell, Eyal met with Noa. There was a great love between the two. They planned plans for the future and Eyal wrote to Noa songs. Ayal’s mother says that Noa was Eyal’s first big love. In August 1993, Eyal enlisted in the IDF, volunteered to serve in the Golani Brigade, Eyal served in his unit, and served as Eyal’s commander: “Eyal was a soldier in the auxiliary company and I knew him personally. It was hard not to recognize him-tall, bearded, conspicuously above all, and most important of all-a sense of humor. Eyal was a Magist in the company, a real professional. Ever since I’d known him he had been with Mag on his neck. Always at the top of the force, at the soldiers’ point. Eyal loved life, loved Golani, believed in a mission in the combat service and in the justice of the road. “Eyal fell in battle in Lebanon on October 15, 1995. He was twenty-one years old when he fell, Ohana, Staff Sergeant Guy Shalem Hadad, Staff Sergeant Eyal Simh, Sergeant Yotam Inbar and Sergeant Yair Barak, who was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was buried in the military cemetery in Nahariya. Eyal was survived by his parents and three sisters. A song written by Eyal: “There are things / for which a person lives / to enjoy and live / there are good moments and quiet / there are moments of depression / there are moments of failure / / there are things / for whom a person lives / at least for me and maybe for you / But in my opinion everybody lives / for one thing / good thing / nice thing and he loves / sometimes goes or maybe runs away / but love everyone wants together / but when she runs away, / we run away together. Eyal’s family published a book in his memory, telling the story of his life. A scholarship for his name is given to dyslexic children; A basketball tournament for elementary schools was held each year in Maale Yosef, in memory of Eyal; The community center in Maale Yosef, serving the northern and southern communities of the regional council, NakarA named after him.
