Klein, Avraham-Erwin

Avraham-Erwin, son of Golda and Martin, was born on May 15, 1947 in Timisoara, Romania, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1964. He attended elementary school and high school in Romania. After immigrating to Israel he spent a few months in Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon, part of Youth Aliyah, and later studied at the Ulpan in Kibbutz Shefayim. Avraham was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in early August 1965. After completing basic training, he was placed as a tank gunner in the Sdeh Battalion in the south of Israel, and after completing an accident he was placed in a camp of the Southern Command. He also studied electronics at the School of Practical Engineers and Technicians in Haifa, and when he completed his regular service, he was assigned to reserve duty in the IDF, but at his request he underwent repeated medical examinations and was again assigned to the Armored Corps. He worked as an electronics technician at the Defense Ministry and later at the Elscint factory near Haifa. Abraham loved his work very much and was a loyal and dedicated worker. He spent his free time building radio receivers and electronics. He liked playing table tennis, spending time with friends and watching movies, entertainment, and football. He had a lot of joie de vivre and a lot of joking. According to his co-worker, he would infect everything with his glee and laughter. He had many friends and was loved by many. He loved his family and when he visited his parents, he filled their home with joy and happiness. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Avraham reported to his unit in Sinai and participated in the battles as a liaison officer in the tank. On October 18, 1973, in the Abu Sultan camps on the western side of the Suez Canal, his tank was hit directly and Avraham was killed. He was brought to rest in the cemetery in Be’er Sheva. He left behind a wife, parents and brother. After his fall, he was promoted to corporal. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, the commander of his unit wrote: “He was an excellent armored man and a courageous fighter, who carried out the heroic tasks that were imposed upon him heroically and fiercely. His parents donated in his memory holy books and books in Jewish thought to the library of the “Machzikei Hadas” synagogue in Be’er Sheva; The Elscint workers’ bulletin published a list of his figures.