Grady, Yehuda

A friend of hers and a Jew. He was born in 1948 in Yemen, to a family of four, and when Yehuda was one year old, the family immigrated to Israel and built their home in Beit Dagan, where Yehuda was raised and educated in Beit Dagan. But he did not give in and was determined to serve in the IDF. He wrote a personal letter to the head of the Personnel Directorate in the General Staff: “I felt guilty in the Yom Kippur War … I felt that the nation was in danger … I did not have the right to do so for others …” He completed his basic training and continued his military training in the artillery course, and was discharged from the IDF after completing his compulsory service and was stationed in the reserves in the construction unit in Tzrifin. In his civilian life he worked as a maintenance electrician. In the middle of December 1987, Yehuda was called to active reserve duty and went to his unit in Zrifin. On December 31, 1987, Yehuda fell during his service in a road accident on the Shapirim-Yehud road. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Rishon Letzion. Survived by Raya – Esther, and three sons – Ofir, Eran and Elad, parents, and three brothers – Meir, Ehud and Amnon. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, the commander of the unit wrote: “Yehuda served in my unit as a reserve soldier for six years … He was very energetic and showed personal initiative and showed responsibility and dedication in everything he did …”