Pikersh, Avi-Yosef

Avi-Yosef, son of Sarah and Israel, was born on the 6 th of Tishrei 5711 (7.10.1950) in Hadera. He completed his elementary studies at the Tachkemoni School in Hadera, then moved to the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva in Ra’anana and studied there for two years. He continued his high school studies and graduated from the “Bnei Akiva” yeshiva in Hadera. My father was very kind and humble and modest. He had a wonderful sense of humor and often participated, along with his friends, in acts of rudeness that stemmed from joy and good playfulness. All his life he had been a friend and a good friend and was always surrounded by friends and friends who loved and respected him. My father was drafted into the IDF at the end of September 1968 and volunteered for the Nahal Brigade. After basic training, he was sent to the Nahal Brigade Corps and in 1970 he underwent a parachuting course. About six months before his release from the regular army, he underwent a tank training course at the Armored Corps School, and was then assigned to the post of tank loader. In October 1971, Avi was released from regular service and then married his girlfriend and set up a home in Israel. He went out for periods of reserve service whenever he was called and fulfilled his duty faithfully and willingly. In 1973 he began studying mechanical engineering at the Ruppin Midrasha, but did not finish his studies. When the Yom Kippur War broke out he was drafted and sent to his unit in the north of the country. After a quick supply, he boarded a tank and set out for the Golan Heights to join the forces that had stood in the battle against the Syrians. After several days of difficult and heroic fighting, his unit began to move beyond the Syrian border. On the 12th of Tishrei 5740 (12 October 1973) during a battle in the vicinity of the village of Khan-Aranabe in the enclave, his tank was hit and disbanded. My father and his friends decided to wait until dark and try to connect with our forces under cover of the night. In the evening they began to move toward the Syrian village and advanced from rock to rock, covering each other with his brother. A Syrian force that discovered them opened fire on them and killed one of them. Then they decided to wait until the moon was gone and there was total darkness. In the middle of the night they continued to crawl toward the village, and a Syrian infantry unit passed by in the morning, and when Avi and his friends noticed that the Syrians had discovered them, they opened fire on them, and Avi was killed and killed. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, his commander wrote: “My father fell in battle while carrying out his duties in the vicinity of the Khan-Arnabeh village. My father served in an armored unit and was one of the outstanding soldiers in the unit. He always fulfilled his duties in the best possible way and to the satisfaction of all his commanders. He performed the tasks assigned to him out of a sense of duty and responsibility. He was a gentle and kindhearted fellow and thanks to these qualities he was loved by everyone, commanders and friends alike. “