Rotkov, Menachem (Mendel)

Was born on November 11, 1925, in the city of Ariehov, in Bessarabia, Romania. He attended the “Tarbut” elementary school in his city and in 1936 immigrated to Israel with his parents and continued his studies. Due to the family’s difficult financial situation, the family was forced to stop school even before the age of 13. After a long and oppressive job search, he was hired to work in the Anglo-Palestine Bank, and his practical talents, his agility, his love of order and his dedication to work, and especially his developed sense of responsibility, soon became apparent. Of the protestors against the “White Paper” and was wounded during the demonstration, always carrying in his Lev the idea of ​​national independence and the whole life of the group, and aspired to a life of work and creativity, and in his letters and notes he expressed his thoughts and aspirations Menachem joined the Scouts and Gordonia, , But he had to postpone it for several years until his father At 17, he moved to Kibbutz Degania A, and a year later moved to Neve Eitan, and from there to his permanent place in the group of Hermonim (Hamdiya), was a member of the Degania secretariat, a labor committee coordinator, Menahem knew that he was in the Haganah and was in his place at any hour, even though by nature he was not a fighter. After the establishment of the State in May 1948, he enlisted and served as a member of the Golani Brigade. Participated in the defense of the farms in the areas of Bet Shean and Gilboa and in the Jezreel Valley. As a soldier and as a commander, he had a great influence on his people, his appearance, his personality, his persuasion and his confidence. On July 9, 1948, at the end of the first truce, the Iraqi forces launched a large-scale offensive and began advancing toward Zerayn. Some of their forces headed toward the Gilboa to the east, towards Zandela Mazar. Menahem and his class were in a company whose function was to stop the advance of the enemy in this area and to maintain the left wing of our forces. During a clash with the enemy on Tuesday, July 10, 1948, a soldier was wounded from his class, and Menachem came out of his shelter and felt the victim’s body injure his neck and fell on the spot. The bodies of the heroes were handed over to the IDF and Menahem was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Hamadia