Reichert, Rafi

Son of Berta and Zelig was born on August 25, 1951, in Tel Aviv. Rafi began his studies at the “Hayyal” elementary school in Yad Eliyahu, where his family moved to Givatayim, continued his studies at the Masada School and was a student in his first class, and was influenced by his father. He had a very high technical sense, and he liked to dismantle and assemble different instruments, and Rafi devoted himself to studies in the field of the history of the Land of Israel. He participated in folk races and took rides on his motorcycle. Was a member of a group that joined the Nahal Brigade in October 1969. He underwent basic training, a parachuting course, and was promoted to the rank of corporal, and Rafi served in the Armored Corps during his Yom Kippur War in the south. After completing his military service, Rafi began working for the Israel Electric Corporation, where he continued his studies as an engineer at the Ramat Aviv Engineering School, and was appointed as an employee in the Planning and Control Division The quality of the electric company. Rafi married Gilo nee’ Herzog and established his home in Givatayim. The couple had a daughter, Maayan, and a son, Erez. Rafi was a good son to his parents, a warm and loving husband and a dedicated and caring family man. On February 16, 1983, during an active reserve duty in the Lebanon War in the Ein Zahlata region, when he was in an army vehicle on his way to his base, Rafi encountered a terrorist ambush and was shot and killed along with his good friend, who was with him. He was brought to rest at the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul, where he left behind a wife, daughter, son, mother and sister, and Defense Minister Moshe Arens wrote to his family: “He was an excellent soldier with energy and initiative.”