Rotshtein, Emanuel (Ema)

Was born on January 6, 1927 in Tel Aviv and studied at the Herzliya Gymnasium and joined the “Brit Maccabim-Atid” sports organization. He was one of the best swimmers and achieved national records for youth in short and medium distance swimming. His ability and talent in all matters related to swimming (he also succeeded in teaching swimming) brought him to the Naval School in Haifa, where he served as a teacher, and was very daring in his work and on land. Emmanuel joined the Haganah at the age of 14, completed a commanders’ course, guided Gadna in Ramat Gan and the surrounding area, and took part in various campaigns during the period of the Mab In September 1947 he went to study medicine in New York, with the goal of specializing in hydrotherapy, so that his preoccupation with water would connect the pleasant (swimming) with the beneficial (healing) At first he was a studious student, but since the UN General Assembly resolution on partition he devoted most of his time to serving the people and the homeland abroad. Emanuel demanded roles from the Haganah representative in New York and for a time worked successfully in the Propaganda Department and helped collect money for weapons purchases. This work did not satisfy his sense of duty, and therefore he participated in organizing members of the country and others for air service in the defense of the homeland. He joined them on a pilot course in Bakersfield, California. After three months of training, he flew an hour and a quarter test flight with a Flying Fortress bomber and received a flight license. Before finishing the course, he wrote to his parents: “Do not you think that adding another pilot to our air force is so important that we have to put aside our thoughts about the danger of this?” In June 1948 he returned to Israel and immediately joined the IAF. Emanuel made several successful observation and bomb flights over the enemy territory, in the Negev and in the central front. On August 3, 1948, after a hard day in which he completed several flights to the Negev, he volunteered outside his turn to take another flight to Jerusalem, and on the way back the plane fell due to an engine breakdown near Jerusalem. His girlfriend – Zahara service to Levitov. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery at Nahalat Yitzhak. After being shot down, he was granted the rank of airborne officer (lieutenant).