Schwartz, Shmuel

Shmuel, son of Leah and Nachman Schwartz, was born on 13.1.1923 in the city of Uman, Russia. His parents died in the Diaspora and his uncle, who immigrated to Israel in 1935, brought with him the 13-year-old orphan and took him to the Diskin orphanage in Jerusalem. Later, Shmuel moved with his wife to Kfar Hasidim. For seven years he worked in a leather factory, and later in construction. Shmuel was a cheerful man by nature, a loyal father to his family and a veteran member of the Haganah.
At the beginning of his enlistment in the army, he turned to the recruiting office after a guard night to postpone his full-time enlistment due to the condition of his pregnant wife. His request was not accepted, he was immediately recruited and was not even able to say goodbye from his family. Shmuel was stationed in the newly established brigade 7, underwent short training for several days and was sent immediately to the Latrun sector. He took part in Operation son of-Nun A, the first attack on the Latrun Legion in an attempt to break through the road to Jerusalem. The attacking forces encountered better enemy forces and had to retreat. In this battle he fell, on the fifteenth of Iyar 5708 (24.5.1948) on the seventh day of his enlistment.
He left his wife, Esther Zippora, and two daughters (the youngest was born after his death). On the 11th of Adar 5702 (28.2.1950) he was brought to eternal rest, with the rest of the victims of the battle, in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.