Mizrahi, Eliahu (Eli)
Son of Rachel and Yonah, was born in 1927 in Haifa. He was a member of Hanoar Haoved. When he was sixteen, he left for Hanoar Haoved, where he served for two years. After returning to Haifa he worked as a metalworker and engraver. From 1944 to 1947 he served in the Palmach, and for one year he was in the Palmach Reserve. At that time he worked in a building material factory in paving floors. With the outbreak of the War of Independence he accepted the call and joined the unit that left for the Negev and was one of the “animals of the Negev.” He participated in all activities from the beginning of the war and during it. His activities revealed his good qualities. In his diary from his days in the Negev (which was concluded in late March 1948) there is considerable awareness of what is going on in the area. The diary is narrowly phrased, precisely and prominently. Eliahu participated in the maintenance of the water pipelines in the Negev and on transportation, accompanied by caravans to the disconnected points in the Negev, in the battles of Beit Hanun, Ashdod, Kfar Darom, the raid on the Egyptian territory around Gaza, the conquest of the villages of Bareer and Hulikat, The third attack) and was lightly injured three times in Kfar Darom, Iraq-Suidan during the battle, and for the third time when the armored vehicle in which he was sitting boarded a mine. In all three cases he continued his work until the end of the battle, and only then did he take care of his wounds, which he did not pay attention to, and only after his infection spread a month in the hospital and went to Haifa for recovery. However, while in Haifa, during his vacation, he was injured in a road accident when his motorcycle crashed into a car – and was burned on September 3, 1948. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Haifa. For his actions, he was nominated for a medal of excellence.
