Yavnieli (Lubotzky), Aharon

The son of Rachel and Aryeh, was born on May 15, 1915, in the city of Maria, Lithuania, where he liked to take care of and ride his father’s horses. In the Slobodka Yeshiva Aharon excelled in his studies. At the age of 17 he joined the Bnei Akiva youth movement, moved to Hechalutz Hamizrachi and spent six months in the kibbutz. In the summer of 1935 he immigrated to Israel with a group of members from Hehalutz Hamizrahi. He participated in guarding his group in Samaria and took part in a training course at the “Hapoel Hamizrahi” branch and among the youth and organized a Gemara class every evening . From his meager salary he helped to support his family in the diaspora. Aharon joined the Avraham group in Pines in 1936. He excelled in conquering hard workplaces and helped his friends with his agricultural experience and invested considerable energy and initiative in the organizational, cultural and economic activities as a member of the Council. Aharon he accepted the majority’s decision to immigrate to Kfar Etzion, and after the liquidation of the group’s camp in Karkur he went there with his family (his wife and two daughters) in August 1944. In 1947 Aharon participated in the development of a marble quarry in Gush Etzion and made attempts to acquire technical means for processing the waste for gravel. Then came the War of Independence, which imposed other tasks on him. In Kfar Etzion, he was attached to the mortar crew, and on his visit to Tirat Zvi in ​​the fall of 1947, he refused to accept the members’ pleas to remain there for another day, because “the danger is already hovering over our heads. Aharon expressed his doubts about the future of Gush Katif within the Arab state, but he did not shirk his duty to protect the Gush. During the siege, he took part in guarding, fortifications, training and defense, raising vegetables to alleviate food shortages, and in the later weeks he worked to improve and expand the Gush Etzion airport. On May 12, the Legion began a heavy attack on the bloc and managed to divide it into two. The next day the attack continued and Kfar Etzion fell to the enemy. In the last battles Aharon took action near the mortar, and at night he was transferred to a position near the German monastery where he fell, on the fall of Kfar Etzion, on the 4th of Iyar 5708 (13.5.1948). On the 25th of Cheshvan 5709 (17.11.1949) he was laid to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.