Ozrad, Yishai
Yishai, Ben Hannah, and David was born on August 31, 1947, in Haifa. As a member of Kibbutz Beit Oren Yishai was drafted into the IDF in mid-November 1966. He wanted to volunteer for the naval commando or paratroopers because he wanted to serve in a unit whose soldiers were operating independently in large areas. During his service, he used to run long distances for the pleasure of it. He was able to travel many miles, but he did so in his spare time, at night and not at the expense of his work. After successfully completing an officers’ course, he asked to serve in the front lines in Sinai. During the War of Attrition, he was wounded in the head and rushed to a hospital. For two weeks he fluttered between life and death and finally overcame his wounds, but he did not fully recover and was forced to undergo several surgeries. In 1972 he married his wife and established a family with her on the kibbutz. During this period Yishai worked in the cowshed and devoted himself to his work. On the 21st of Tishrei 5734 (October 21, 1973) he went out with his unit to fight in the “Misuri” compound. Enemy forces were many Vichy had to surrender and fall captive. The Egyptian officer who had captured him sat in the trench, placed a guard on it, and left. After a while, the guard carried his weapon, shot Lieutenant Yishai in the heart and killed him. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery at Kibbutz Beit Oren. Survived by a wife, a daughter born about a week after his fall, parents, and sister.
