Springer, Shimon

Shimon, son of Miriam and Isaac, was born on February 8, 1952 in Kibbutz Tirat Zvi, where he grew up. He studied at the joint elementary school at Sde Eliyahu and continued his high school studies in the same school, with a professional track. Shimon was a lively, cheerful, playful boy who was always at the center of the children’s company. He had no desire for studies, and although he was talented and quick-paced, he preferred to work the land. He was drafted into the IDF in early February 1971 and assigned to the Armored Corps. After basic training, and after completing his tank training course, he was sent to a tank commanders course and then completed an officer’s course and an armored officer course. At the end of the training period he was assigned to one of the units in Sinai. During his service in the army he grew up and became a responsible and disciplined person who managed to adapt to the rigid framework and meticulously fulfilled all that was required of him. According to the testimony of his company commander in the officer’s course, he was an excellent and resourceful trainee. He was a good commander, who did not follow his subordinates with discipline and treated them as a friend who could be approached when necessary. But at the same time demanded a serious attitude and dedication to work and a tank. Shimon was careful to keep in close contact with the home and the agriculture, wrote home often and inquired about the safety of each member of the family and the state of the branches of the agriculture in general, and the branch of his favorite table in particular. But as a boy who had been educated in the tradition and diligently guarded it, he had come home for only a few holidays, since the vacations fell on Fridays and Saturdays. He did not want to desecrate the Sabbath and therefore preferred to remain at the far base. On the few occasions he came home, he was so happy he wanted nothing but to be with the family. But of course he did not give up driving a tractor to see how the fields were. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Shimon was stationed in the northern sector of the Suez Canal. On October 6, 1973, he took part in the battle against the enemy forces who crossed the Suez Canal, and was killed. He was buried in the cemetery in Tirat Zvi.