Son of Shemaryahu HaKohen and Shoshana. He was born on August 18, 1947 in Jerusalem. He was among the last born in Jerusalem to be born at the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus. His first years of life in Jerusalem were spent during a difficult period, during the period of the War of Independence. He grew up in the air of bombardment, siege and lack of food, and sleeplessness in shelters at night. But despite these conditions, Danny grew up to be a healthy, sturdy, handsome boy – and always cheerful. In 1949, when Danny was two years old, he moved with his family to Haifa, where, when the time came, he began his elementary studies at the Leo Baeck School. When he was in third grade, the family again relocated to Tel Aviv because of the needs related to the father’s work. Danny went on to finish elementary school at the A School. D. Gordon, and then continued his high school studies at the New High School. In all his years he was an outstanding student. He was a friendly and cheerful boy, kind and sensitive and very much loved by all his friends and teachers. From school he always came back with a whistle on his lips. He would spend a short time preparing his lessons, and immediately turn to his other pursuits – friends, a great reading, listening to music. He never complained of a load of lessons, and he never seemed to devote himself to his studies for a short time. His achievements at school were always very good, because he was very talented. The characteristic that characterized him more than any other day of his short life was the joy of his life. Every task in and out of school was carried out with great vigor, with joy, quickly and easily. In his relations with those around him – his parents, his brothers, his sister, his friends – he characterized him more than his human and very sensitive attitude, far beyond what was expected of his contemporaries. He was always open to talk, to understand and to consider. Danny belonged for a number of years to the United Movement, and later to Hapo’el-Yam. He had a great love for the sea, a love that began even in his early childhood. From an early age he was an excellent swimmer (at the age of six he won first prize in a swimming competition) and swimming excelled at the end of his short life. This love for the sea made him decide, even when he was at the beginning of high school, and in his high studies he would choose ship engineering, and he was sure he would make that decision. Music loved intense love. For many hours he would sit in a company or alone – and listen. He himself excelled in playing the accordion, in which he played, with pleasure and never in an effort of training. He loved his family very much and unmediatedly. After completing high school, he faced the possibility of joining the academic reserve. He went to the reserve exam and, as always, was successful, but then decided to give up. In the end, he decided to fulfill the most sacred duty, the duty to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, and only afterward to return to studies, ship engineering studies at the Hebrew Technion in Haifa, as he had planned. After basic training, he moved to the Armored Corps School, and at the end he immediately went to the Tank Commanders Course. He did not have much time to serve as a tank commander and began the officers’ course. At the time he characterized him more than his devotion to the world of the IDF, and in his behavior, and in his conversations with the family and friends, he displayed a patriotic, idealistic spirit that was sincere and pure. He completed his officers’ course successfully, very close to the outbreak of the Six-Day War, and in those days of tension before the war there was, as ever, the joy of life and the deep sense of security in the IDF’s strength. This confidence was expressed in one conversation with his teacher, during his last vacation. These were his words: “If there will be war, know, that IAnd we will win. I said, “You will be very proud of me.” He went on his way, and in his last exile to his family he wanted to calm their spirits so that they would not worry about him – and confidently wrote to them In the end, the IDF will win. He also wrote to his girlfriend in confidence that they would return as victors – and that they should be proud of belonging to the Jewish people. As an officer in the Armored Corps he went to the Six-Day War. Danny managed to participate in all the battles of his regiment. He fought valiantly and with devotion. When the tank that commanded him was hit, Danny moved to another tank and continued to fight until he reached the outskirts of Kantara. Here, at the end of the fourth day of the fighting, on May 8, 1967, Dani was injured and fell. He was buried in the military emergency cemetery in Bari and was later transferred to the eternal rest of the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
