Shtal (Waldy), Zeev

The only son of Feiga and Sigmund, he was born in 1930 in Czernowitz, Bukovina, Romania. After the Second World War, his father sent him to Eretz Israel, and Ze’ev, 15, immigrated to Palestine as part of Youth Aliyah in 1945, with the aim of bringing his parents to Israel. He was educated in Ben Shemen and studied weaving. A spirit of volunteerism pulsed in the heart of the lone boy who remained alone in Israel, and soon after completing his training joined the Haganah. During the War of Independence he was one of the fighters of the “Kiryati” Brigade, and was one of the convoy escorts. His friends mention him as a modest, quiet man who faithfully fulfilled his role. On the 1st of Tevet 5708 (14.12.1947), a caravan of seven cars with 48 fighters emerged from Petach Tikvah, as reinforcements through Migdal Tzedek and Beit Nabala. When the army arrived at the army camps in Beit Nabala, a heavy Arab unit of the Arab Legion opened fire on it. Zeev was killed and was brought to rest at the military cemetery in Petach Tikva.