Gazit, Amikam

Amikam, son of Yehudit and Yitzhak, was born in Tel Aviv in the midst of the Yishuv’s struggle for independence in Eretz Israel. Amikam was drafted into the IDF in February 1962 and volunteered for the Paratroopers Brigade, where he completed a basic training course and completed a parachute training course. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Amikam was called to join his unit. On Sunday he separated from his wife and children and headed north to the Golan Heights. On the 23rd of Tishrei 5734 (19.10.1973), while he was commanding a security squad for the saboteurs who were busy clearing the route east of Kuneitra, artillery opened fire on them. Amikam and his soldiers took shelter in a shallow drainage canal at the side of the road. A shell fell near Amikam and a piece of shrapnel hit his head. He died on the way to the evacuation point. Amikam was buried at Mount Herzl. He left a wife and two sons, parents and brother. After his fall, he was promoted to First Sergeant. His mother said about him: “The sun went down and the star that illuminated its path went out.”