Jonah, Avner

Avner, son of Yehudit (Mazal) and Shimon, was born on August 13, 1952, in the “Machane Yisrael” camp near Lod. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Pardes Hanna, and at the age of two his family settled in the Beit Eliezer neighborhood of Hadera. He studied at the elementary school, the religious-religious elementary school in the neighborhood, and later graduated from Bnei Akiva High School in Kfar Haroeh, where he grew up and was educated in the spirit of Jewish tradition and faith in the God of Israel. He studied both Torah and Halakha, and when he completed his high school studies, he continued to study at the Har Etzion yeshiva in Gush Etzion, where he was able to combine his military service with religious studies. , He excelled in his studies and was considered a clear thinker and analyst, as is well known in the studies and articles he published Avner’s aspiration was to finish at least two more years of yeshiva study, after completing four years of hesder, and joining a new community or settling a book in order to impart to others the knowledge he had acquired and to enlighten them Of other young people in the light of the Torah, whose special qualities were modesty and humility, he was known for his pleasant manner, his kindness, and the peace of mind that characterized him. At the same time, he was active in the social life of the school. He participated in debates and social gatherings and expressed his views clearly and firmly. His words were to the ear of his listeners and spiced with joke and refinement, through his amusing sense of humor. He knew how to defend his views with devotion and yet quietly and with good spirit, without getting caught up in the fervor of the debate. His classmates loved him for his willingness to always help anyone. He was willing to listen to the problems of his friends and would try to do his best to help solve them. His friends would often ask him questions about the Torah and Jewish law, and he would answer them all, he explains comfortably, interpreting the impasse and clarifying the unclear. He did not keep the great knowledge he had acquired, but took the trouble to impart it to others. Avner was drafted into the IDF at the end of July 1970, and together with his friends in the hesder yeshiva he joined the Nahal Brigade. After basic training he combined training and operational activity in yeshiva studies. On the eve of Yom Kippur 1973, he was sent to serve as a public emissary in an armored unit in the Golan Heights. When the war broke out, he joined the unit, which participated in the battles of containment and infiltration against the Syrians. In the battles he was discovered as a superb fighter and an exemplary team man. In a battle that took place on the 16th of Tishrei 5740 (October 12, 1973) near the village of Nesj, his tank was hit and he was killed. He was brought to rest in the cemetery in Be’er Sheva. Survived by his parents, four sisters and a brother. After his fall, he was promoted to corporal. His family published a pamphlet containing, among other things, the words of friends about his character; In addition, a booklet was published by the “Har Zion” Yeshiva in memory of him and to the memory of his comrades who fell in battle.