Giladi, Yitzchok

Son of Matisyahu and Rachel. He was born on the 6th of Nissan, April 15, 1948, in Kibbutz Afikim. He belonged to the youth brigade of the Union of the Kibbutzim. He attended high school in the “Beit Yerah” regional high school. He was a member of Afikim’s “Hapoel” in the framework of volleyball games. He participated in the national league until his induction into the IDF. Yitzchak proved himself to be a good and devoted worker in the banana industry. The workers in the industry asked him to work less, since he was only 17 at the time, but his answer was, “If my friends who are much older than me can, then I can.” He felt the work should be done in the best possible way, the fruit must be packed so that it reaches its destination in good condition. A year later, Yitzchak accepted membership in the kibbutz, with equal rights and responsibilities. He was drafted into the IDF in November 1966, and joined the navy. He was ordained as a commando, and after a short vacation, he went for another course and further training, all subject to military secrecy. On the 18th Kislev, December 8, 1968 he died. He was laid to rest in the cemetery in Afikim. The commander of his unit wrote, among other things, in a letter of condolences to his family: “A flame extinguished with wisdom and talent, we wanted to breathe it into the fire, so that it would burn and radiate a light, but it died down. And there is no wonder of this, for the wisdom of his hands, the skill of action, the cleverness of thought, and the courage of spirit, all joined together in Yitzchak. For full letter, see Hebrew translation. Kibbutz Afikim published a book in memory of Yitzchak Giladi called “A Smile of Light”.