THYOTHONICIN, ANDREY

Ben Natalya and Alexander. Born on 20.7.1974 in the Soviet Union, the eldest son of his parents and an older brother to the wadis. In the Soviet Union Andrei graduated from high school and began to work at odd jobs. In 1993 he decided to immigrate to Israel himself, without his family. As soon as he arrived in Israel, Andre began his studies at Ulpan, first in Geva and later in Ashkelon. At the end of his studies he began studying at the Negev College in Sderot, specializing in film and television. At the end of the first semester, after a visit to his family in the Soviet Union, Andrei was drafted into the IDF in November 1994. Immediately after he was drafted, he was recognized as a lone soldier, and was given the benefits and relief in accordance with his condition. He completed the course successfully and at the end was placed as a freight driver at the Ben Ami transportation base. Andrei quickly integrated into the new base and acquired new friends. His commanders say that he was a devoted soldier, with a high personal level and independent in carrying out his duties. He showed willingness to help and help those around him, despite his difficulties as a lone soldier, with no close family accompanying him. With the base soldiers, many of whom came from the Soviet Union, he found a common language. They saw him as an intelligent, philosophical and creative fellow. With some of his friends he formed a band, in which Andrei was the keyboard player and lyricist for most of the songs, and they played together. During his service, Andrei rented an apartment in Ashkelon with his girlfriend Julia and one of his friends, where he spent his free time and vacations. After a year and a half in the army, Andrei’s mother died in the Soviet Union, and he received an immediate leave to fly to Moscow to attend the funeral and support his father and brother, and after a month he returned to Israel and continued to do his job well, to support himself and support his father and brother in Moscow. During his service, on the 3rd of Nisan 5757 (10.4.1997). He was twenty-two and nine months dead. He was buried in the cemetery on Mount Herzl. Left behind a father, a brother and his girlfriend Julia.