Meltzer, Yisrael
Yisrael (Srulik), son of Esther and Eliahu, partisans and Holocaust survivors, was born on May 5, 1944, in a forest near the crematorium of Sobibor, Poland, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1950. From his early days he wandered with his parents, He grew up in Moshav Neveh-Yarkak near Petah Tikva and studied at Neve Ne’eman Elementary School, where he studied printing in Kfar Chabad. He was a disciplined student and loved by his teachers and friends. A sports fan was enthusiastic about the basketball game. He also liked to travel around the country and explore its landscapes and sites. His friends tell him that he loved agricultural work very much. In the field, in the cowshed and in the chicken coop, he invested great effort and energy. He was diligent and punctual and did his work with faith and responsibility. Israel was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in mid-November 1961. For his health, he was not assigned to a combat unit, and after completing his basic training he was assigned to a reserve unit and was a good soldier disciplined and devoted to his role. During the Six-Day War, he served in the reserves and was seriously wounded in the head when his half-track was turned into the sands of Sinai. For his part in the war he was awarded the “Six Day War Award”. In 1969 he married his girlfriend Tzipora and eventually had two daughters. Yisrael devoted all his energies to his family, was a very devoted father and a loving husband, and made sure to satisfy the needs of his family and fulfill all the wishes of his daughters. He loved man and knew how to respect others’ feelings. He was always a peace seeker and eager to make peace among his friends. He was loved and respected by his friends and won their trust and appreciation. He liked company and was hospitable, kind and pleasant. On October 10, 1973, Yisrael was killed in aerial bombing of Iraqi aircraft between Ramat Magshimim and El Al. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Kiryat Shaul. He left behind a wife and two daughters, a father, a mother and two brothers. After his fall, he was promoted to corporal.
