Otmi, Shalom

Son of Shulamit and Yefet Menashe was born in 1920 in Yemen and immigrated to Israel in 1928 with his parents who settled in Sha’arayim in Rehovot. Shalom attended elementary school and later went to work as an agricultural laborer, specialized in packing and working in citrus. From the age of 14 he was a member of Hanoar Haoved, organized and acquired friends in Sha’arayim and Marmorek. His friends saw him as a young and active force, capable of organization and leadership. In 1937, he joined the Haganah and underwent training courses for various types of weapons, and became active in the Haganah in 1939. He joined the Talmon organization in 1939. In 1942, And served for four years in the maintenance of the Tel Nof military airfield, reached the rank of sergeant (sergeant), and during his service served as a mentor for many Haganah members in a military regime and in the use of weapons. In 1946 he was discharged from his post and in 1947 he moved to the Haganah from a military training course, sat down with my friends His organization was in the workers’ labor camp on the way from Beit Lid to Tulkarem, where he married a wife. Peace was the driving force in all the affairs of the moshav at its inception and served both as treasurer and secretary. On behalf of the Hagana he was appointed commander of the area and devoted a great deal of time to the military training of the members of the moshav. In the winter of 1948, with the outbreak of the War of Independence, he and his comrades stood before the enemy raids and attacks, and with a personal example, he breathed courage and heroism into his people, and with the force of the enemy, , Repulsed them and caused them heavy losses, thus saving the seat from destruction.After the enemy was repulsed, the IDF company remained there as a garrison, and he, as commander of the area, was attached to the company headquarters. On Thursday, July 12, 1948, when he was sent to a tour of enemy territory, he volunteered to serve as a mentor in the area. On the way he got on a mine and was killed on the spot. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Netanya.