Levav, Eitan

Son of Zehava and Haim, was born on the 4th of Elul 5720 in Nahariya. Eitan began his studies at the Chaim Weizmann elementary school and graduated from the high school in Nahariya. In his parents’ home (his father, a reserve colonel and his mother, a veteran teacher and educator at the Remez school in Nahariya), he absorbed the values ​​of love and of the homeland and these values ​​dictated his way of life. Eitan was a battalion commander in the Gadna and participated in all the Gadna activities carried out in the framework of his school. He was a member of the Chess Federation and played in the Hapoel Nahariya soccer team. His favorite writer was Amos Oz, and the beloved poets Naomi Shemer and Yehuda Amichai. Eitan was drafted into the IDF in early November 1978. Prior to enlisting, he decided to volunteer for the Paratroopers Brigade. Eitan was very attached to his colleagues in the unit, and refused several times to go to the officers’ course, fearing that after the course he would be assigned to another unit. Eitan took part in many raids across the border to destroy the nests of terrorists and knew full well that this was how he was protecting his home and his city, Nahariya, which suffered many years from terrorist raids and Katyushas. In one of the parachute drops, Eitan was hit in the back but refused to move to another unit because of the reduction of his medical profile and fought for his right to return to his unit and succeeded. Even when he was finally persuaded to go to an officers’ course and began his course, he convinced the doctors that he was healthy and fit to complete the course. As the son of a veteran soldier and commander, he was unwilling to surrender to injury or illness. At the end of the course Eitan returned to his unit as an officer. Eitan’s concern for his subordinates was great. “Eitan was a special person, and if any of us had problems we could always turn to Eitan and he would solve them”, one of his soldiers said. His commanders admired him as an excellent and highly motivated officer. At the end of compulsory service Eitan continued to serve in the regular army. With the start of Operation Peace for the Galilee, Eitan led his soldiers to Lebanon. On the 26th of Sivan 5742 (17.6.1982), Eitan fell in battle in Lebanon and was buried at the military cemetery in Nahariya. After his death he was promoted to lieutenant. He left behind his parents and brother, an officer in the IDF who followed in his way. “Eitan radiated leadership and fatherhood among his soldiers, who saw him as a model.” In memory of Lieutenant Eitan Levav, a lookout point, Mitzpe Eitan, near the Keshet cave in the Galilee was established.