Sha’ar, Binyamin (Benny)

Son of Miriam and Zachariah, was born on December 23, 1952, in the Sha’arayim neighborhood of Rehovot. He was a son of a long-established and rooted family in Sha’arayim, and he was outstanding in his skills and pleasantness. He completed his studies at the “Moriah” religious school and then went to study at the “Noam” school in Pardes Hannah, where he was active in the social and cultural life of the school and belonged to the Bnei Akiva youth movement. Benny was a cantor in front of the ark and sang prayers in various styles, Yemenite, Sephardic and Ashkenazi. In February 1971 he joined the IDF. At first he wanted to enlist in the IAF and serve as a pilot, but due to medical restrictions he volunteered to serve in the Paratroopers Brigade. In April 1972, he was promoted to Corporal. Benny fought with his unit during the Yom Kippur War, and during the war he was promoted to sergeant. After he was discharged from regular army service, he worked as a teacher and counselor at Bnei Akiva yeshivot in Hadera and in Or Akiva. He married and built his home in his hometown of Sha’arayim, where his two daughters were born. Benny aspired to progress and continue to study. He enrolled at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for a pharmacy degree. He studied for one year, but was forced to stop his studies because of financial difficulties. He returned to Rehovot and began working in the legal department of Amidar. At the same time, he was prominent in his public activity in his neighborhood. He was elected chairman of the committee for the establishment of the Tiferet Tzeirei Yemenite Synagogue. When the Peace for Galilee War broke out, he volunteered for the unit in the central sector and advanced on the battle route to the area of ​​Hamdoun, near the Beirut-Damascus road, On 3 Tamuz, June 23, 1982, the unit was deployed under enemy fire. One of the enemy shells hit the unit, and many of its soldiers were wounded. Benny was killed. He was 30 years old. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Rehovot. Benny left behind a wife, two daughters, parents, six brothers and a sister. Defense Minister Ariel Sharon wrote in a letter of condolence to his family: “Sergeant Binyamin Sha’ar gave his life for his homeland, and he was a devoted and loyal soldier with a high morale, and for years he was responsible for the life of his company. In his name, a Torah library was placed in the synagogue of the Yemenite community in Ushiyot. The Tiferet Tsairi-Yemen- Shaarei Binyamin Synagogue, which will be named him, is also under construction.