Shefami (Vans), Gedalyahu

Son of Nehama and Haim. He was born on August 27, 1923, in the city of Ostrow-Mazowieck, Poland. As a member of a religious family, Gedaliah began studying in the “cheder” and when he immigrated with his mother to Eretz Israel in 1933, he continued to study at the Tachkemoni religious elementary school and continued his Torah studies at Yeshivat HaYeshuv HaChadash, both in Tel Aviv. With all his settling in the world of Torah, Gedalyahu found time to read books on various subjects and to watch theater performances. He was accepted to work as a clerk in the Tel Aviv community council and was successful in his work. He was dedicated and diligent and learned a great deal about subjects related to his work. Gedalyahu was modest, did not brag about his actions, and even his closest friends did not know that he was an active member of the Hagana and participated in bringing down illegal immigrants to the shores of the country. During the great curfew imposed on Tel Aviv following the “Black Sabbath” Gedalyahu was arrested by the British police who suspected him. With the intervention of a Jewish officer he knew, he was released from detention but only after one of the policemen punched him in the head with the butt of his rifle. Gedalyahu concealed the blow from his parents, as he did not want to upset them. On 5 Cheshvan (30.10.1946), hee died in a hospital and was put to eternal rest in the Nahalat Yitzhak cemetery. He left a wife, parents and sister, and his memory was included in the “Ostrov-Mazowieck Community Memorial Book”.