Torgeman, Menashe

Menashe, son of Mazal and Moshe Torgeman, was born on January 1, 1929 in Tel Aviv. In 1944, he joined the Haganah and trained in the youth battalions. He was transferred to the army, and in 1946 and successfully completed a long course for scouts, a profession that he liked and which earned him recognition. Menashe was a honest, good-hearted man with a smile on his lips and strived to uplift his friends. He participated in the defense of Tel Aviv and graduated with honors in a sergeants course and of battle-brigade commanders. Upon the invasion of the Egyptians, Menashe fought in the fledgling platoon, which attacked the Iraqi-Suweidan police building and the large battle over Ashdod. The commander of the platoon was wounded and Menashe took over and successfully completed the battle. On the last night before the second truce, the company went out at midnight to gather the wounded. Menashe was taken captive. After his release he received a 24-hour leave and on the day he returned, he participated in the attack on the Egyptian “Burma Road” and there he fell, on 30 Tishrei 5709 (2.11.1948). Eight months later his body was found and on the 14th of Tammuz 5709 (11.7.1949) he was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Nahalat Yitzhak.