Stern, Abraham-Shimon (Shimei)

Son of Ella and Israel (Isidor) was born on May 5, 1920 in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. He studied in a yeshiva, completed eleven grades (seven basic classes and four high school classes) and became a cantor. At the age of 20, he was drafted into the Hungarian army, and in the years 1942-1945 he was forced to work hard and suffered torture and insults. After the liberation he left the Land of Blood and moved to France to immigrate to Israel. His immigration was delayed and his father called on him to return to Hungary and be a public emissary as before. He replied: “How shall we sing … on foreign soil?” Avraham-Shimon immigrated in 1948 to enlist in the IDF immediately and with religious devotion he fought the war of the homeland. He participated in the operation “Winery” in an attempt to capture Beit Jala, and in this battle he fell on the 17th of Tishrei, 5709 (October 20, 1948). He was buried in Sheikh Bader Aleph. After his death, his father immigrated to Israel. On the 17th of Elul 5706 (August 30, 1950) he was transferred to the eternal rest of the military cemetery at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem