Ofir, son of Ruth and Aryeh, was born on May 22, 1952 in Kiryat Bialik. He studied at the Chaim Nachman Bialik Elementary School and continued his high school studies at the ORT vocational high school in Kiryat Bialik, in the field of instrumentation, and in the summer of 1971 he successfully passed the final exams. Ofir was a lively and cheerful child. From his early childhood, he was evident in his kind and kindly laughter. In the kindergarten he looked curiously at everything, and in elementary school he excelled as a diligent student. His teachers loved him and he was loved by his classmates. After eight years of studies, he was accepted to the ORT vocational school, where he wanted to be accepted to. Already in his first year of studies, he had an extraordinary talent for theoretical and practical studies. The principal of the school said: “Ofir was the best student in his balanced and responsible personality, his integrity, his outstanding talents, his perseverance and devotion, and above all, the warmth and tenderness that radiated around him.” In his second year of studies, Ophir was sent as a representative of his school to a national drawing competition. ” Also this time he did not disappoint,” his friends said, it was amazing how he won second place and was the most prominent of the fifty representatives who came from all over the country. To finish his studies, he designed a sophisticated elevator, which was praised by everyone. The picture of the elevator was published in one of the daily newspapers. Ofir’s main hobby was the repair of delicate instruments, such as listening devices, radio receivers and watches. “For many hours, Ophir sat in his room and dealt with electrical elements and various devices.” He played in the orchestra of the Kiryat Bialik Council, and excelled in his musical talent and the ability of his organization. Ophir was a friendly boy, and his friends talked about him as if he were still alive and sitting between them, “because how can you believe that Ophir is not there … the wounds are open … We remember his jokes, his funny movements, the taps on the shoulder, the good words he told us.” He used to go out with them on trips around the country, stayed with them at parties and helped them with sincere advice. Micha, The enthusiasm, and dedication marked all Ofir’s actions. He was a devoted son to his parents and a loving brother to his brother Yaakov and Oded. He spent many hours with his family and had a great source of pride and joy. Ofir was drafted into the IDF at the beginning of November 1971 and was assigned to the Ordnance Corps, despite his physical difficulties and distance from his parents’ home, where he served as a machine gunner in a field company. His place in the reconnaissance unit. Despite the difficulties, he did not hesitate. For us, knowledge was a source of constant concern. But when Ophir came back for a short vacation, and a smile of gold on his lips, we calmed down, even for a little while. “In his unit, Ophir was known as an excellent instrument and a devoted soldier. Two days before the fighting broke out, he called his parents’ home and wished the family a good final conclusion: “It was supposed to be his last Shabbat with the guys. And therefore decided to stay with them, and return on Sunday to serve in one of the bases in the Haifa area. “During the Yom Kippur War they fought on the Golan Heights. On eleventh of Tishrei (10/06/1973) Ophir was hit from a heavy artillery shelling killed at Quneitra in the Golan Heights. He was laid-rest at the cemetery in Haifa. He left behind his parents and two brothers. After his fall he was promoted to sergeant. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved parents, the commander of the unit wrote: “Ophir served in my unit as an operational unit, and most of the time was in the front lines … During his service in the unit he passed all those difficult moments that accompanied a prolonged stay under pressure. Ophir was a quiet and orderly soldier, loved by his friends and commanders alike, knew how to listen and help with everything. ” Ofir’s parents donated a Torah scroll to the synagogue of the Georgian community “Zur Shalom” in Kiryat Bialik.
