Hochstein, Marcus

Son of Hannah and Joseph, was born on 22.5.1964 in Washington, DC, the capital of the United States. A member of a family with deep Jewish roots and a connection to the Land of Israel. His grandmother was born in Jaffa. His grandfather and father edited and published a Jewish newspaper and published articles in the general press. In his home, Marcus absorbed an atmosphere of love for Israel and love for Israel. He completed his elementary education at a public school in Washington, his hometown, and in the Maclean, Va., Where he also studied three times a week at the Jewish school near the Reform synagogue. In 1979, at the age of 15, Marcus was sent by his parents to Israel for the first time. The trip was organized by the Jewish Center in Washington as part of a summer program with Kibbutz Beit Hashita in the Jezreel Valley. In 1980, Marcus returned to Kibbutz Beit Hashita for another summer vacation, at the end of which he asked his parents to continue his studies in Israel, but the Aliyah institutions convinced him to finish his studies in the United States and only then immigrate to Israel. Marcus returned to the United States and finished his two years of schooling. A few months before his graduation, his mother died. After studying for one semester of Middle East studies at the University of Washington, Marcus returned to Israel and enrolled in a year of study at Tel Aviv University as part of a study arrangement for foreign students. Being a lone student in Israel, he was adopted by the Efroni family on Kibbutz Beit Hashita. After he knew life in Israel both in the kibbutz and in the city, he also wanted to know life in a development town. He chose Maalot and volunteered to stay there and work in a kindergarten. At the end of his volunteer year, Marcus went on a trip to Europe and India. On his way back, he lingered in the United States to organize and help his family when they immigrated to Israel. At the end of 1983, Marcus was registered as a new immigrant in Israel. In February 1984 he enlisted in the IDF and was assigned to the Paratroopers Brigade, where he underwent basic training, completed his military training course in Hebrew, took part in a course for armored personnel carriers and went with his unit to operational employment in Lebanon. On March 30, 1985, Marcus was with his unit on a tour of the Nabatiye sector. The patrol surprised a terrorist squad while preparing a roadside bomb. In the exchange of fire with the terrorists, the patrol commander was killed and Marcus was critically wounded. Two days later, on April 1, 1985, Markus died of his wounds in the hospital and was brought to rest in the cemetery on Kibbutz Beit Hashita, leaving behind his father, brother and sister. Rabin wrote in a letter of condolence to his family: “Private Markus gave his life for his homeland. He served in Battalion 890 in the infantry. Was an outstanding soldier, a beloved friend, admired by his commanders, a figure everyone wanted to resemble. A soldier who was looking for his professional and social closeness. “I did not know Marcus personally, but from his commanders and friends I realized that a Yaffa soul in a healthy body was blocked by a lethal bundle. Its qualities, virtues, achievements, beauty of expression and inner beauty do not comfort us after it has fallen “