Kells, Raphael (“Rafi”)

Son of Shmuel and Rivka were born on the sixth of Av 5747 (23.7.1947) in Kibbutz Ramat Hashofet in the Menashe Mountains. Raphael attended the local elementary school. In 1960 he entered the regional high school “The Harry Ephraim Educational Institute”, which is shared by four kibbutzim of the region. Even when he was a child, Rafi was discovered to be a natural lover of nature, who devoted much of his time to raising animals. When he was in the open, he was able to identify birds by their voices and to observe the behavior of animals, reptiles and birds. At home bred dogs and cultivated aquarium species rich. In his work at the kibbutz – Mata and Pardes – he was close to nature. And it gave him great satisfaction. Raphi loved to hear music and to deal with it. In high school he spent several years playing the accordion. As a dancer, he spent many hours editing tape recordings for dance music for the kibbutz members. Even at an early age, Rafi stood out with his honesty. The purity of his thoughts, and his willingness to get out of any volunteer mission that seemed vital at the time. He was a member of the Hashomer Hatzair movement and was one of the first volunteers to train youth in Moshav Elyakim. Was loved by his students-with his shy, mischievous smile. In his warm and loving gaze, in his eternal calm and in the air of an atmosphere of security – that “he will be good.” The bad guys who always surrounded him were a true testimony of his intimacy with the kibbutz society, which he was devoted to with all his Lev and connected his dreams to him. At the kibbutz he took upon himself various positions with a sense of volunteerism, and did not spare any effort to fulfill all his duties. In November 1966, Rafi enlisted in the IDF and was assigned to the Armored Corps, where he passed through the regular course of this soldier. He rose to the rank of Captain. He served as a guide in Armored Corps schools and completed his service in November 1969 with the Beit She’an area. Rafi was still a ‘fresh’ soldier when the Six-Day War broke out. He took part in the fighting. Was one of the first members of the Egyptian defense establishment and one of the first to arrive at the Suez Canal after a strenuous operation, without sleep for four days. Rafi also took part in the Karameh operation. During the Yom Kippur War, Rafi, with the rank of captain and deputy commander of a company, worked with his reserve unit in the Golan, on the front of Hoshenia. He showed responsibility, resourcefulness and courage, which were praised by his commanders and by his subordinates. In the opinion of Rafi’s superiors, he said: “He is committed to carrying out his tasks, courageous, excels in treating nausea and has very good leadership ability.” It was not easy for Rafi to acquire leadership skills, because his delicate character and his friendly attitude toward his subordinates made it difficult for him at the beginning of his military career to insist on carrying out his orders to the end. But the more experience he gained, the more confident he became and the more authority he had over his subordinates. However, he always took care of his people and took them into consideration and their difficult situation, even with self-sacrifice. He knew how to reconcile the differences in the unit. But the guiding principle he adopted was that in no way did he give up everything that the unit was required to do, even if it was an order he did not like. Raphi was very attached to his tank crew. Any attempt to separate them for the purpose of re-ordering was always rejected. He was willing to do anything for his subordinates. As long as you are with them. His only condition for returning to regular service was that at least he would remain in the emergency appointment with his own company. In the Yom Kippur War, Rafi volunteered for every action. His commanders knew that Rafi could count on him anyway. He continued to serve in the War of Attrition in the north – about seven months. It was cold winter days, constant rains, mud and puddles. But there was never a complaint. Even before the war, Rafi had married his wife Rina. And they had a son, Sivan, with whom he had a love and a pampering. They built meHe finished in the kibbutz, and Rafi worked mainly in the orchard. He was trained in the Armored Corps, with the rank of Major, who was always regarded as a symbol of caution and was able to discover and identify mines from far away – He died on a landmine and was wounded by mortal wounds, and died on 7 October 1975 and was brought to eternal rest at Ramat Hashofet. He was survived by a wife and a three-year-old child, the mother of a sister and twin brother. He was 28 when he fell. His family and the kibbutz published a booklet in his memory.