Rechnitz, Alter-Gershon

Son of Gitel and Aharon, was born in 1914 in Poland. From childhood he studied in a room and yeshiva according to the tradition of his pious parents. At the same time, he also graduated from high school. At that time, his spirit could no longer be reduced to four halakhic principles, because he was caught in the spirit of the Jewish youth, and the pioneering act captured his Lev. He went to the hachshara and was one of the first immigrants from his training. From the first day he arrived in Israel he was a member of Kibbutz Ma’aleh Hahamisha, one of the founders and builders of the kibbutz. In particular, he devoted himself to preparing the mountainous terrain, and many saw it as a road level in everything related to agricultural settlement on the mount. At night he stood guard and spent his day at the test station where he deepened the problems of plantations in the stubborn rocky terrain. From suffering and love, perseverance and security, he continued his work in the plantation industry without fatigue and surrender, and with the efficiency of the action he did not divert his attention from the aesthetic form of the orchard, thus expressing the sense of beauty in his soul. After his success, he was called upon to establish the other branches of the agriculture and became the center of economic activity for the group. He reluctantly accepted this role, because it was a shame to abandon the plantation in the rock, which was his child-nurturing, but for the benefit of the agriculture he accepted the friends’ request. This period of concentration and management of the group’s affairs was highly active and successful and many people attracted to it because of its personal charm – and hence continued to the top five. In 1937 he was appointed commander of the Ma’ale Hahamisha area and participated in courses for commanders in various places, and after World War II he obeyed his Lev and volunteered for his new position. The Mossad le-Aliya to Europe, where he saw the Holocaust, learned about his personal disaster (the annihilation of his entire family) and immediately devoted himself to his holy work – caring for Gordonia youth training points, arranging a temporary arrangement on Polish soil for those coming from Russia and even redeeming Jewish children from the gentiles. Even when he was far from home and was deeply interested in the difficult and responsible mission, his eyes were fixed on me Two years (until 1947) he dealt with these issues of the Bericha and Hechalutz in Poland and France, and when he returned from his mission he returned immediately to his agriculture and to his position, devoted himself to the problems of the group and the value of his work. Plans for the future Six months after his return from abroad, he was able to travel to Jerusalem on the 18th of Shevat 5708 (18.1.1948). The convoy was attacked by the Castel and Alter Gershon was hit and fell. He was laid to rest in the cemetery at Ma’ale Hachamisha. In the “thirty” of the fallen, members of Ma’ale Hahamisha published a pamphlet called “Me’aleh ha-Har” dedicated to his memory.