Ephraim (Effi), son of Naomi and Yehoshua, was born on May 14, 1951. At the age of five, he grew up in the Dovrat group, where his parents were members, and from the age of six attended the Degania elementary school in Beer- Seven years later, he continued his studies at the military boarding school of the Herzliya high school, in the electronic-physical trend, and was an outstanding student, and his teacher told him: “He had a wide range of information and was interested in many fields. He had a sharp eye to distinguish between the essential and the non-essential, the desirable and the undesirable. He was handsome and fulfilled, uncompromising. His teachers demanded sincerity, integrity and self-interest – consistency, perseverance and dedication. “In high school, he achieved second place in the competition for knowledge of the land, and was awarded a scholarship to purchase books. The military boarding school testified to him: “He was a very thorough person who always aspired to learn and to know things to the heart.” In 1967, the newspaper “Camp-Gadna” published a list of Effi’s day, “The Boarding School from Within.” Effi was a member of the Scouts movement and liked to go to labor camps, to travel around the country. He was a sports fan and especially liked football and volleyball. Electronics was his main hobby, and he worked extensively in assembling and upgrading electronic devices. He also found time for music and to relieve the tension of daily life, painted with a brush and carved wood. Effie was exceedingly diligent and did his work with great care, without pride and without condescension. He was optimistic and cheerful, and had an excellent sense of humor. He was open-hearted, truthful, very honest and conscientious. He loved his family very much, consulted them with great respect and gave great honor to his parents.
Effi was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in early August 1969 and was assigned to the Israel Air Force, where he volunteered to serve in the Golani Brigade, where he took part in a course for infantry commanders and infantry officers. After a week he was sent to a company commander’s course, but after a week he was called back to his battalion and was appointed commander of a company: “He is very independent, dedicated to his work, entrepreneurial, knows how to organize himself and prepare himself for future situations. He knows how to anticipate developments and knows how to prepare for them. He is devoted to his unit and invests great energy in improving its condition. He is intelligent and responsible, dedicated and talented, thoughtful and well-informed, with a very strong with profound willpower. “One of his fellow officers said:” Effi was willing to take upon himself the most difficult tasks, and he would carry them out with devotion. He led with strong discipline in his unit, with constant concern for his subordinates. The soldiers did not appreciate this concern, but when he left, they felt and noticed that he was the one who cared so well for the best conditions they received from all the brigade companies. “During the Yom Kippur War, Effi participated in battles against the Syrians on the Golan Heights front. On October 8, 1973. On the slopes of the Hermon, he was brought to the eternal rest of the cemetery in Be’er Sheva, leaving behind his parents and two brothers. He was promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the “Medal of Valor” “On October 8, 1973, the late Lieutenant Effi Shneur was attached to a battalion that went up to Mount Hermon, and during the battle it became clear that the scout’s point force A. The late Effi Shneur, who did not belong to the unit, volunteered to head the rescue force. The force climbed under fire up the mountain. At one point, the operator was killed, and Effi Shneur took the grenade from him, fired a bomb and destroyed an enemy position, then organized an attack on that position and captured it under intense fire, with heart, cool-heartedness, leadership-ability and adherence to a model mission. ”
In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, his commander wrote: “The commanders did not particularly appreciate Effi, for being a fighter for absolute justice and integrity. “Another battalion commander, because I always preferred officers who should be arrested, than those who need to be pushed. Effi was a first-rate fighter. His success as an officer came to him, because he was a good soldier.”
His parents published a pamphlet in his memory that included things about his character, memoirs, letters and photographs; His battalion published a pamphlet in memory of its fallen and Effi among them; His parents donated three scholarships to three students, including those from the Golani Brigade; A group of his friends in Be’er Sheva dedicated a forest in his memory to Lahav, where they used to go out with him to collect mushrooms.
