Levinson, Rafael (Rafi)

Son of Yosef and Miriam. He was born on August 27, 1930, in Konigsberg, Germany, and immigrated with his family to Israel in 1933. Rafi graduated from the Shalva High School in Tel Aviv and received a high school diploma, and during his studies he was very fond of real subjects such as mathematics and physics He was a member of the Maccabi sports association and when he was 15, he joined the Hagana’s youth battalions, was very active in them, and even was appointed commander of a class. In April 1948, he was appointed a sabotage sergeant in the Golani brigade and participated in many sabotage and mining operations. After the fighting, he joined the Israel Air Force, completed the third pilot course and after a period of activity was appointed flight instructor at the flight school. In 1950 he joined the regular army and in 1952 he joined the El Al company. Rafi became one of the company’s first captains. In the last two years he studied economics at Tel Aviv University and excelled in his studies. For 17 years he served in the reserves and was occasionally called upon to contribute his part in defending the country. On the 17th of Marcheshvan 5710 (October 29, 1969), he fell in the line of duty. He left a wife and two children. He was a captain. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul. To commemorate his name, El Al donated a scholarship to the ORT school, which is awarded annually to gifted and underprivileged children.