Starkshall, Michael

Michael, son of Wanda and Joseph, was born in Krakow, Poland on August 3, 1954. In 1957, the family immigrated to Israel and settled in Tel Aviv, where Michael studied at the Bloch elementary school and at the high school – Urban IX. Michael was very active in social life. He was a member of the “Hashomer Hatzair” movement, participated in the activities of the “Beitar” organization, and as a Gadna commander he successfully completed a platoon commander’s course, and later served as a counselor in the Gadna until he completed his studies at the school. His main occupation, apart from school, was sports. He was a great runner, an excellent basketball player, but he was especially attracted to the handball industry. He has participated in many competitions in this field, and has been awarded numerous certificates of excellence. His friends said: “Michael brought together the three qualities that make a boy socially acceptable – he was a good athlete, a good student and a very friendly man.” The boys, as girls, always aspired to be with him. Michael was drafted into the IDF at the end of October 1972 and assigned to the infantry corps. During his service he became involved in a great deal of cultural activity. Once, the commander of his unit decided to conduct a dialogue between his soldiers. He chose the participants from the unit.
During the Yom Kippur War, he participated with his unit in battles on the Golan Heights. On October 8, 1973, during the bitter battle on Mount Hermon, his unit encountered a Syrian commando and Michael was killed. He was brought to rest in the military section of the Kiryat Shaul cemetery, leaving behind his parents and sister, and was promoted to the rank of corporal two and a half years after his death.