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Yonah, Chaim

Yonah, Chaim


Son of Yahya and a nun. He was born on August 21, 1951 in Beit Shean. He began studying at the Tachkemoni School in the area and excelled as a talented student, until he became a conversation among all his teachers. At school they predicted a bright future for him. After completing his elementary school, differences of opinion arose: would he go to study outside the city, because of the level of studies in the area, or would he remain in the city? The family tended to send him out of the city, but Haim insisted that he should stay in the city, saying that if he and more students left the city, the school would not be able to move forward if he did not have good students. He added that the good of the city precedes his own good, and that he should continue his studies in his city and try to ensure that the school is not inferior to all the schools in the big cities. Indeed, he was right and everyone said that it was Haim who laid the foundation for the cultural life of the small and backward city and his school, Meir High School, became one of the best high schools in Israel. When Haim was a high school student, he joined Gadna, took a platoon commander’s course and was a shooting instructor. He was also a member of the religious sports movement Elitzur and excelled in basketball. During the Six-Day War, he was always in contact with the Haganah, and was always willing to help others while sleeping when he needed to serve his friends, He was also successful in mathematics, and was awarded nine grades for mathematics at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and was known for his proficiency in mathematics, and was preparing to study at the Technion after his period of service in the field of mathematics. To the IDF at the beginning of November 1969, even before the date of enlistment . Because of his somewhat flawed vision, he was not admitted to the course, as he pleased, but only half a year later. The family asked him to continue his studies so as not to waste his time; But he replied: “Three years in the army will not be enough, if everyone wants to continue studying and not enlist, or want to evade, who will serve the country?” He was assigned to the Armored Corps and was promised to be admitted to an aviation course after half a year, during which he went down to the Canal. He excelled in his kindness and courage. When the family asked him, “Are not you afraid?” Replied calmly and with a smile: “A man dies only once and thus he lets others live on.” On May 3, 1970, Haim was killed by a shell in the Suez Canal area – the day before he was accepted to an aviation course. He was laid to rest in the Beit Shean cemetery.

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