Helfman, Sidney-Aharon

Sidney, son of Sarah and Menashe, was born in Los Angeles, California on September 28, 1949, and immigrated to Israel in 1970. He studied in the United States at the Caster Avenue High School and the Van Nuys High School. At the Pierce College he purchased teaching certificates for the framework profession. He attended high school in Sydney, combining two professional and humanistic trends – something common in the United States. In the framework of the professional program, Sydney studied in the framework of computers and in computers. Sid, as his friends called him, was able to blend his human and technical inclinations beautifully. He sculpted with metal and painted. He also had an excellent musical hearing and he liked playing the flute and dancing. Of all his hobbies, Acting was his favorite and before he immigrated to Israel, he was active in the Styrian Theater in Los Angeles. When he immigrated to Israel, Sid arrived at Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael, where he met his future wife, Dalia, and later established a new settlement group that consisted of new immigrants. After a training period at Kibbutz Be’eri, the nucleus was completed at Kibbutz Eyal, where Sid married Dalia. The attempt to establish the nucleus failed and after a while, Sid returned with his wife to Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael. Sidney was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in mid-April 1973 and was assigned to the Armored Corps, where he was trained as a tank gunner, was an outstanding trainee in the course and was awarded the highest grades. At the end of the war, Sid was killed in the bombing of the enemy planes. He was laid to rest in the cemetery at Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael. He left behind a wife and daughter, who was born on October 19, 1973, and was named Hadar Orit Helfman. After his fall, he was promoted to corporal. Sid’s commander wrote to the bereaved family: “In fact, he served in the unit for only two days, but in this short period of time he became outstanding as a disciplined soldier and loed by eryone, whose excellent achievements at the Armored Corps School preceded him …” Sid’s friends published a pamphlet in his memory.