Spielberg, Gedalyahu (‘Gadi’)

Son of Aliza and Aharon. He was born on April 11, 1936 in Herzliya. On his fifth anniversary, the family moved to Kfar Haim, where they bought a farm. Gedalyahu attended the Hadar Am elementary school in the village. From an early age, he demonstrated musical talent, learned to play flute and performed at various events in Kfar Haim. Gedalyahu was involved in society and village life and was a member of the Working and Studying Youth Movement. During his free time he listened to music. Due to the difficult economic situation at home, Gedalyahu helped with the various economic projects, and his parents, for their part, did not spare the expenses of his music studies. At the end of his elementary studies, he left his parents’ home and went to high school in an agricultural boarding school near Gedera. His studies had a decisive influence on shaping his personality. In August 1955, Gedaliah was drafted into compulsory military service in the Israel Defense Forces, and after completing his basic training, he took a course from anti-aircraft gun and anti-artillery units and was assigned to serve against artillery in an anti-aircraft unit. After graduating from the IDF, he studied economics and political science at Beit Berl for a year and a half, and in 1960 he married his girlfriend Varda and the two established their home in Kfar Haim near his parents’ home. He was the center of the orchard in Kfar Hayim, and in 1967 he was the coordinator of the Emek Hefer Regional Council for 15 years, after which he became an independent and was told that “the farm was in his blood and destined for him. Gedalyahu was endowed with thoroughness, punctuality and seriousness, and his qualities were expressed in all his fields of activity He was a member of the Emek Hefer singing group and later joined the Zemer HaSharon choir with which he performed until his dying day, during which he fought in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. (11.7.1985), during his reserve duty, Gedalyahu fell during his service, during which he suddenly lost his Lev and died. He was forty-nine when he fell. He was laid to rest in the military section of the Kfar Haim cemetery. Survived by a wife, three daughters, a mother and a sister – Mira. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, the unit commander wrote: “Gedalyahu was devoted to his job and his soldiers, an initiativeist, who gave a good and pleasant spirit to his subordinates and those around him. In every position he was assigned, Yizkor, which was held by the Ministry of Defense)