Zayit, Ezra

Son of Regina and Eliahu, was born in 1925 in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Where he attended elementary school and high school, and later worked as a clerk on a train in Baghdad. After immigrating to Israel, he joined Kibbutz Maoz Haim. He stayed there for two and a half years. He worked in a field and a tractor. Afterward he married and immigrated to settle in the Negev, at Kibbutz Be’eri, but left for “social reasons.” He was a member of the Hagana, underwent a series of training sessions, was released from a concussion and after a few months volunteered again. He wanted to bring his parents to Israel, but he could not. At the beginning of the War of Independence he enlisted among the first, served in the Givati ​​Brigade and was among the defenders of Nitzanim. Before leaving for the last battle, he told his pregnant wife, “If I do not come back and have a son, send him to avenge my blood.” After the progress of the Egyptian column near Ashdod was halted, Kibbutz Nitzanim remained behind. The Egyptians understood that this point could serve as a basis for the activity of our forces and therefore concentrated considerable force in order to conquer it. The Egyptian attack was launched on June 7, 1948. In the early hours of the night, the agriculture was severely shelled, and in the morning the infantry assault began, but this was stopped by the defenders. The Egyptians increased the shelling and even activated planes that bombed the agriculture and caused heavy damage. Under this cover, Egyptian infantry and armored forces advanced and managed to penetrate the agriculture and take control of it. In this battle he fell on the 29th of Iyar 5708 (7.6.1948) and there he was brought to eternal rest in a grave. He left a wife, comfort. After his death, he had a daughter and was called Tikva.