Sharon Ben-Arieh

Son of Michal and Uriel. He was born on August 27, 1970 in Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The eldest son of his parents. Sharon studied at the kibbutz elementary school. In the fourth grade he joined the kibbutz swimming team and in 1984 he was a member of Hapoel’s swimmers’ team in Jerusalem for competitions in England and Scotland. He began his high school studies at the regional school, also in Ein Gedi, and at the school at Kibbutz Givat Haim, and completed it at the Ort Kennedy vocational school in Jerusalem. In the kibbutz, Sharon was part of the children’s company Sniper. Even when he was a boy, he took part in the farm work and galloped proudly on the tractor. He also worked as part of the weekly work day on the kibbutz’s electrician. Sharon extended a helping hand to everyone, and he did so cheerfully. His teacher, who also accompanied him in the first three grades of the school, said: “In no way can I see Sharon angry, disgruntled or depressed, always looking bright, eyes so bright and smiling … A kind of trademark. ” In the 12th grade, when he traveled to Poland for a “Holocaust-related journey,” it was Sharon who proudly carried the flag, and when he returned to the kibbutz he worked in a restaurant in Kibbutz Ein Gedi, and before his enlistment he managed to become the youngest of the guest rooms. Sharon remained in close contact with his brothers, each of whom had a corner in his heart, and each of them had a pat on the back and a hug – an older brother, who was drafted into the IDF in October 1989 and placed in the Signal Corps. He underwent professional courses in the Corps and became the liaison of a brigade commander in southern Lebanon. He was an exemplary soldier, fulfilling his difficult task with expertise and responsibility, and as a token of appreciation for being chosen to represent the brigade at a meeting of outstanding soldiers with the President of Israel prior to Independence Day. Sharon did not receive this and his parents received the certificate of excellence. On 3 Nissan 5752 (6.4.1992) Sharon fell in battle in Lebanon and was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Kibbutz Ein Gedi, leaving behind his parents and their spouses, four brothers – Roy, Eran, Yoav and Omri, In his condolence letter to the family, the defense minister wrote: “First sergeant Sharon Ben-Aryeh gave his life for his homeland, he was a model of good soldierhood, he volunteered for every mission and stuck to it completely.” His commander, an experienced veteran officer, added: “During my entire service in the IDF I did not have a soldier who would function like Sharon. I used to call him ‘my operations officer’. He understood the brigade’s activity in all its complexity. While I was in meetings he would listen to the network and know how to stop things, find faults, or call me when needed. Sharon was in control of what was going on in the brigade sector. “A year later, the family and the kibbutz published a memorial booklet for Sharon.