Levin, Yona (Fritz)
Yona (Fritz), son of Margaretha and Arieh Levine, both physicians, was born on April 25, 1925, in the city of Deutsch-Eilau, Germany. In 1933, he immigrated to Israel and completed his studies with great success. After a year of enlisted training, he prepared for the university entrance examinations and was awarded the highest honors. He was handsome, serious, solid, knew his way, and always admired and respected his circle of friends. Yona studied for two years in Jerusalem and in Rehovot for the third year. He was called with the other students from Rechovot, to serve in Jerusalem. Yona was quick to fulfill his duty even though he was undergoing medical treatment because of illness. Palmach and Hachash fighters were sent as reinforcements to Gush Etzion after the large attack on the Gush on 14.1.1948 departed from Hartuv on the night of January 15-16 and were loaded with weapons, ammunition and equipment, but due to the late hour of departure and the difficulties of the road, they could not reach Gush Katif in the night. At dawn, the fighters were discovered by villagers in the area of Beit Natif, Jaba and Surif, who called the Arabs soldiers to the area and surrounded the fighters. The fighters organized themselves on one of the hills (the “Battle Hill” today) and fought with the masses of Arabs until they all fell in battle on the 5th of Shevat, January 16, 1948. Yona was brought to a mass grave in Kfar Etzion on November 17, 1949 and was transferred with all the fallen of the Gush to eternal rest in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
