Selah, Chaim
Son of Malka and Aharon, was born on 10.1.1940 in Ramat Gan with his father Minivah (later the Commissioner of the Israel Police) to the commander of the northern district of the Israel Police, the family moved to Tiberias and then to Haifa. Haim graduated from Massada Elementary School in Haifa. He was a member of the United Movement movement. Chaim dreamed of a Zionist agricultural way of life, and therefore spent high school in the agricultural high school in Kfar Galim. At the school, Chaim was the chairman of the student council for all four years of his studies there. In August 1958, Haim enlisted in the IDF – the Nahal Brigade. His promotion in service was quick and constant. He took a commanding officer course and in 1959 he completed an officers’ course as an outstanding trainee. The minimum time required between the rank of lieutenant and captain was three years, but Haim was promoted to captain after only two years. He successfully completed a platoon commander course, and in 1963 served as a company commander in Battalion 51 of the Golani Brigade. In 1965 Haim was appointed commander of the “Egoz” reconnaissance unit, where he dealt with routine security and the development of unconventional weapons. In the Six Day War, he commanded the commando unit. Haim served as battalion commander of the Golani Brigade at the end of his position, and was sent to the Inter-Divisional College of Command and Staff in 1969. In 1969 he commanded the 12th Battalion of the Golani Brigade with the rank of lieutenant colonel, And the regiment under his command, during the War of Attrition in the Canal Sector and in the Beit Shean Valley. In all his command positions at Golani, as a company commander, deputy commander and battalion commander, Haim devoted a great deal of time and attention to the care and nurturing of soldiers and officers, and convinced many of them to serve in the army. When he completed his duties as battalion commander, Haim was trained in an officers’ school. He then studied at Tel Aviv University. He graduated with honors in history. Alongside his studies at the university, he served as an instructor at the Inter-Branch College for Command and Staff. During the Yom Kippur War, Haim served as a division commander in the division, and was appointed brigade commander and promoted to the rank of colonel. Southern Command. Before one full year in office, a major disaster struck the family. Hadas, 8, was killed in a road accident. In order to support his family, Haim sought to be discharged from his position as an army officer, and in 1976 he was appointed IDF attache and head of the Defense Ministry delegation to Southeast Asia and the Far East. He was responsible for Thailand, Burma, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan. In August 1979, Chaim returned to Israel with his family and was immediately appointed deputy commander of the division. In May 1980, Haim resigned from the IDF, although he was promoted to active duty in the IDF in April 1981 and served in a senior position in Clal Trade. Haim was married to Talma, and the father of three children: Rakefet, Gideon and Nurit. On June 10, 1982, Haim was killed by terrorists in the Peace for Galilee war in Juha on the outskirts of Beirut, together with his close friend, General Yekutiel Adam. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul.
