Heruti-Stempler, Yochanan (Yohik)

Son of Amalia and Yehoshua, was born on September 1, 1925 in Altuna, near Hamburg, Germany, when Hitler came to power in Germany, immigrated to Israel with his parents and continued his studies in Tel Aviv and later in Bat Yam. During the bloody riots of 1936-1939, he volunteered to help the young defenders of the place in the establishment of defensive positions, and in the service of singing served as one of the best in the profession Because of the danger on the roads during the riots and the need to travel daily from Bat Yam to a school in Tel Aviv, he could not continue his high school studies, He worked in the banana groves and worked in irrigation at night, and during his spare time devoted himself to completing his knowledge of studies and physical training. Members of his training as a Palmach company in Beit Hashita, worked in the quarry and specialized in the use of a compressor. In 1944 he volunteered for the Jewish Brigade and at the training camp at Zrifin he was promoted to the rank of major sergeant. Won prizes for sports and light weapons, and was even offered to remain a regular camp counselor, but he refused to stay. By the time he reached Italy, the enemy had collapsed, but he had managed to help She’erith Hapleitah in the camps and roads and bring the Jewish youth in the Netherlands and Belgium closer to Judaism and Eretz Israel. His diary notes from his travels and his activities in Europe excel in the wealth of expression, observation and experience, and reveal his fondness for nature and the mountainous landscape, and above all for his devotion to the war aims of his people. In his temporary service in the British Engineers Corps, he worked as a compressor operator in the rehabilitation of the Arnhem Bridge in the Netherlands. He soon learned Dutch and was active in Hebrew culture among local Jewish youth, teaching Hebrew and teaching Israeli songs while playing the accordion, harmonica or flute. After the brigade was hastily disbanded and its members released, Yochanan remained in Europe for another year to help transfer Jewish refugees from Austria to Italy via the Alps, bypassing the British Guards. Many were active in the Bericha service in Europe, and often risked his life. He returned to Israel in the summer of 1947 and joined Kibbutz Manara two weeks later, where he took upon himself the most difficult tasks: quarrying a pond in the rock, preparing land, afforestation and behavior, and striving to reach a production exceeding the accepted maximum. Positions in the defense of Manara, which was an isolated kibbutz on the Lebanese border, took part in military information, took part in the mining of the road to the spot at night and in the morning dismantled the mines for the day, trained and mentored new people who came to defend the place, As he entered with his apprentices after training for the gun room, they all perished in the explosion of one of the mines. Manara.