Ginzburg, Raphael

Son of Gertrude and Ludwig was born on March 9, 1925 in the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 1933 he immigrated to Israel with his parents who settled in Ramot Hashavim and established an agricultural farm in which his father worked, in addition to his work as a doctor, (In the name of the angel, he explained), he worked willingly and devotedly to the parents’ farm, and after finishing tenth grade at the Kfar Malal school in 1941 he began to study agriculture at the Kadouri School, After completing his training in 1943 he joined the Palmach and joined the nucleus that settled in Kibbutz Beit Keshet, but was not allowed to stay permanently in the kibbutz, because his commanders demanded that he continue During the struggle against the British, he participated in several daring and dangerous operations of the Palmach (the explosion of the radar on the Carmel, the release of the Ma’apilim from the Atlit camp, the blowing up of the trains, And more). He was injured several times in these operations. On 29 November 1947, the day of the United Nations General Assembly resolution, he was a commander in the Western Galilee, and later served as a commander in the Western Galilee, but refused to continue his service at the rear. He did not really like the army and the war. “I am willing to give up the Zionist solution, if I knew another solution to the question of the Jews,” he wrote – “but apparently there is no other way.” Therefore, he fulfilled his duty in this unique way, with dedication and success. First of all he would sue for himself, so he found a sympathetic ear in others and was able to educate hard human material into disciplined and active companies. The Yiftach Brigade participated in many operations and battles against the gangs, and later, with the rank of captain, against the regular armies of the enemy. During the occupation of Lod he was wounded in the leg and three weeks later returned to his company to the Negev. Its battalion carried out the opening operation of Operation Yoav to break through to the Negev – the capture of the Beit Hanoun wedges on the night of 15-16 October 1948. This move was intended to disconnect the Egyptian forces north of Gaza and to mislead them regarding the main effort. The Egyptians attacked the fortresses with great force. On this day, on the 17th of Tishrei, 5709 (17.10.1948), he was seriously injured and managed to call his deputy: “Keep our company,” and he died. Rafael was brought to rest in the cemetery at Beit Keshet.