Kotlachuk, Menachem (Monia)

Menachem (Monia), son of Hinda and Yosef Kotlachuk, was born in 1911 in Stolin, Volhynia. At the beginning of the Second World War, Menachem was already married and the father of two children, he was drafted into the Polish army, broke through with his comrades to Russia and took up service in the Red Army. His wife and children were murdered by the Nazis. After the war, Menachem returned to Poland to immigrate to Eretz Israel. Menachem crossed borders and countries in the “escape route” and reached Italy. On his way back, he married and boarded the “Ghetto Rebels” ship. The ship was caught near Haifa. Munia was seriously wounded in the fight against the British soldiers and was sent to Cyprus with everyone. Because his wife gave birth to a child, he was allowed to immigrate to Israel.
Menachem was liked by all as a courageous and opinionated person. On the 3rd of Sivan, June 10, 1948, Menachem was killed by a bomb that was dropped from a Syrian plane. He was laid to rest in the cemetery in Ayelet Hashahar.