Salem, Menachem

Menachem, the late son of Tziona and Shmuel Yavda, was born on April 4, 1953 in Gedera. He completed his elementary studies at the Horev School in Yad Eliyahu in Tel Aviv. When he was eleven years old, his mother died, and he moved with his little brother Rahamim to a day care center until they found another solution. In 1969 he was sent to the “Ahuzat Yaakov” yeshiva in Gan Yavne, where he graduated from high school. Menahem was an avid sports fan and was active in all kinds of sports, but avoided crashing his friends in organized games. He was a disciplined and pleasant boy who made his family Simcha in everything he did. By nature he was a Simcha and optimistic child, helping his friends and his parents as much as he could, and his mother’s death bravely overcame him and helped his brothers and sisters in overcoming the crisis. Friends loved Menachem, and he loved them passionately, and shared with them their joys and daily problems. He also did much to help his father carry the burden of his family’s livelihood, and worked during his free time from school, electricity, and whatever work he had. He spent a period of time in Sinai, working at an electrical contracting company, and worked there and studied at the same time. Menachem was recruited to the IDF in mid-May 1971 and assigned to the Armored Corps, where he was assigned to an armored unit in the Sinai. His friends during the training and activity periods, all remember him as a obedient and obedient soldier, who did everything he had to do seriously and devotedly, never bragged about his comrades, and even though he was a commander, he did not insist on discipline. His behavior, and his means of execution, and throughout his army service he tried not to worry his family members at home And during the Yom Kippur War, his unit was sent to Sinai and participated in the fierce battles to stop the Egyptian attacks. In the western sector of the Suez Canal on October 18, 1973. Menachem was killed and killed and brought to rest at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem, leaving behind a father, three brothers and two sisters . After his fall, he was promoted to First Sergeant. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, Defense Minister Moshe Dayan wrote: “He was an excellent soldier and a loyal friend. His family and those who cherished his memory published the book Yizkor to commemorate his name.