Katz, Rafael (Rafi)
Son of Avraham and Haviva. Was born on December 4, 1944 in Tel Aviv. In Rishon Letzion, he studied at the “Sinai” elementary school and completed his high school studies at the Bilu School in Tel Aviv. Was a youth counselor, tended to journalism and played on stage. He was diligent and talented, but he listened attentively to every sincere advice given to him. He founded the Southern Command Band and participated in the Haifa Municipal Theater. He was drafted into the IDF in 1963 and served in the Negev commando unit and in the Southern Command Company, where he volunteered for a reconnaissance unit and served as a combat medic, and participated in the Six-Day War in which he fell north of Ruhama on the fourth day of the battles. A squad from his unit followed an Egyptian commando unit, and one of the soldiers was seriously wounded, and Raphael, in his capacity, rushed to help him, but while doing so he was hit by a cluster of enemy bullets. A second wife died after six months of marriage, and was buried at the military cemetery in Bari and later on In his book “The Heroism” published by the Association of Journalists in Tel Aviv and survivors of Bergen-Belsen, the story of his last battle, which was mentioned by the chief of staff praise. In the book “Maalot Giborim”, edited by Israel Erlich, several pages were devoted to him and to his memory.
