Klein, Joseph (“Yossi”)

Son of Binyamin and Dina. Born in Petah Tikva on December 24, 1949, to his Holocaust survivor parents, he studied at the regional school in Moshav Betzet in the Western Galilee, and when he graduated there his parents moved to Nahariya, where he studied at Yad Natan High School “He was a quiet, modest and kind boy who did not try to stand out and was an example of the positive Israeli boy, the boy who had the fate and future of the country on his shoulders. Yossi was drafted into the IDF in August 1968 and volunteered to serve in a paratroopers unit. He knew what was before him. Basic training was very difficult for him and he often had crises, but he stood with all his strong will and proudly put on the red beret and wore the jump wings – proudly but not arrogantly. He did not speak very much, and when he spoke, his words were equal. But he was nevertheless a cheerful soul and loved mischief, playfulness, and youthful gaiety. He always remembered his friends at the bench and even though he rarely alerted him while in the army, he was close to them anyway. He became very friendly with many friends he had bought during his service. Every time he came home from a vacation he would bring them all the best and give up for them. He also took care of his friends and if one of them lost equipment in training or pursuit, he would take care of the missing and put it on his friend’s bed without notice. Then he would announce the loss as if it were his, or he would buy the money. In the world of parachutists, Joseph found his whole world. He found satisfaction in the friendly spirit among them, in the brotherhood of the fighters, in the sense of mission and in the pursuit of every effort. Thus he took his first steps as a squad commander and looked up to the ladder of roles. His plans were numerous and his commander recommended that he be sent to an officer’s course. After that he aspired to continue his studies. He did not excel in heroic feats, but with the same virtue of deep inner discipline and seeing the great goal before his eyes. Joseph was a wonderful son to his parents. His loyalty and modesty made him a source of great happiness and honor in his parents’ home and served as a model for other children. His days off were parental holidays. He would bring his savings from the army to them and whenever he could, he would help him wherever he could. On May 14, 1969, he fell in the area of ​​Kantara with enemy shelling. He was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Nahariya. The commander of his unit wrote to his family in a letter of condolence: “There was peace of mind and confidence in him, and he had an attractive smile, and when he had to choose soldiers for action behind the enemy lines, Yosef was chosen. Death of heroes fell when they kissed his hands. “