The only son of Avraham and Shoshana (Rosa). He was born on 28 November 1913 in Dusseldorf, Germany. He was only three years old when he was married to his father and then raised and raised by his mother. Yehuda graduated from high school in Germany and said to continue his studies: he wanted to study medicine, or to be an engineer like his father. But the hatred of the Germans for the Jews had already begun to unfold and as a Jew he was prevented from continuing his studies. He studied commercial studies for two years and worked for a year in a very large Jewish store, but again the Germans intervened and confiscated the store, and Judah was forced to leave Germany despite his mother’s reservations. He went to the Netherlands for training and worked for two years with a farmer, first as a “black laborer,” until he soon became the head of the agriculture. In Holland he first contacted animals, especially dogs, a hobby that had accompanied him throughout his life. He loved photography very much, he was very fond of landscape and nature. His charming photographs show the connection between him and nature and the landscape. In 1936 he immigrated to Israel and was a member of Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in southern Jerusalem. Meanwhile, World War II broke out and he joined the Jewish Brigade. At the outbreak of the War of Independence he joined the ranks of the fighters (February 1948) and fought in Ramat Rachel, Mount Zion, and in various places in Jerusalem. After the war he returned to Ramat Rachel. Yehuda was the regional commander of the dairy farm, the center of work and the center of the dairy industry, and in a letter written by one of the members of Ramat Rachel after the fall of Judah, he describes his personality and notes that, But he always tried to make sure that he was full and thorough, he was friendly, but at the same time punctual and meticulous, and his hobbies, photography, and animal care did work with precision and devotion. He found satisfaction in this, and as for the treatment of animals, Judah was not only satisfied with it, but also brought important security benefits to the IDF. In June 1960 he joined the career army, despite his age, and reached the rank of major. He served ten years in the career army until he fell ill, and on the day of the 28th of Adar 5740 (August 4, 1970), he died of his illness. He left a wife, three daughters and a son. He was laid to rest in the Ramat Rachel cemetery. On the day after his passing, a certificate of appreciation and honor was given to Yehuda Gotteshalk, on behalf of the Chief of Staff, which reads: “He saw his service as a mission and he was devoted with great devotion and love. True and devoted, he always dedicated himself to increasing the strength of the IDF and nurturing its spirit, “On behalf of the Southern Command, a letter of appreciation was sent to his wife, stating, among other things:” Yehuda served with us in the Southern Command for many years. With talent and devotion, he carried with us the daily burden of security problems and was a faithful partner to every task and role. His great love for nature and for animals was miraculously integrated into his work, and he served with us as an excellent officer, kneeling and a friend. ” In a letter of condolences from the Nature Reserves Authority, the writer notes that his connection with Yehuda began in the early 1960s, when Yehuda came to the Southern Command at his request and dealt with matters of security and security of the farms in all areas of the Southern Command. He notes that Yehuda succeeded, with his knowledge and dedication, in instilling security in these communities, most of them new immigrants. The author adds that studying the dog’s value to the person and cooperating with such a clever animal was not an easy job because there was no mistrust on the part of the farmers.But in a short time, Yehuda, with his passion and personal example, managed to overcome this distrust and the fear of the farmers and thus contributed greatly to the security of the settlements and the farmers themselves. The IDF donated a trophy trophy in its name, which will be awarded annually at a national dog show, to the best service dog in the service of the security forces.
