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Drawing by Yigal
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Israel Defense Forces
April 1st 1973
To: Miriam (Erez) Neeman
We stand to attention at the grave of your son, Yigal,
of blessed memory, who fell in the line of duty, while training with half
tracks within his company. On Thursday March 29th 1973.
Despite the precautions taken, Yigal was mortally hit
by a stray bullet in the neck.
Yigal was a fine, experienced soldier, beloved and accepted
among his companions. We know that there can be no consolation, but please
know that the 48th paratroop battalion shares your profound grief and pain.
Lt. Col. K.Z.H. – Commander, 48th battalion.
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“The announcement of the death of Yigal reached
me parenthetically”, writes his childhood friend Meir. “My friend, who
had returned from reserve duty, told me that “they chased us around day
and night.” “By the way”, he added, “One of the guys got killed during
the exercise… maybe you know him…”
“I do. I knew Yigal from when he was a kid”.
Yigal was born in Tel Aviv. As a child he
was full of joie de vivre and creativity. He loved collective social life,
and even announced “When I grow up, I’ll join a kibbutz”. When he was seven,
he lost his father. When he was asked, once he grew up, whether he remembered
his father, he replied that every day he lives his absence.
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Yigal receiving the Defense Emblem of his father Shmuel of blessed
memory
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.His family moved to Givataim,
where he learned at the “Shimoni” public school. Yigal was blessed with
many talents. He played, painted and even wrote:
“The water tower (Yigal Erez, Form
H1).
The water tower, seemingly old and
pitiful, filled with countless holes, almost completely broken, leans aside
as though to fall.
But what respect and honor nature
has bestowed it, a well kept garden with lawns and trees surround it. So
not in vain…
This tower is a symbol of the heroism
of Israel, a symbol of a brave stand against the enemy. The manifold holes
are holes from death bullets the flew not so many years ago, in the terrible
nights in which the kibbutz members stood their positions without abandoning
them. The great gashes are the hits of shells fired by enemy artillery,
which a concrete wall could not withstand. The tower leans aside but does
not fall, just as the spirit of the defenders never left them in the hours
of need.”
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Yigal With The Giutar
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.Pnina
Yahalom writes
“When human life is cut off through
enmity, the heart pines for what lay in it and missed fulfillment.”
In Yigal, the sole of an artist
was hidden away. He had prominent artistic tendencies towards art, music
and song. But life claimed its own, and he was compelled by reality to
learn a trade.
When he graduated from elementary
school, he started to study at the Technicom in Givataim, where he learned
to build. But his tendency towards art, and the harmony in his life prevailed,
and he moved to the 9th Municipal High School.
Yigal was an active member in the
United Movement, in which he went camping and hiking, and was conscripted
into the Fighting Pioneering Youth Brigade, where he served in its airborne
unit. He commenced his military service straight after the Six Day War.
Yigal served in the paratroops. Here, he had no problems making mind, and
did not hesitate a moment about becoming a combat troop – he had no problems
with his resolution, and gave his life to the end.
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The Paratroop – drawings by Yigal
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.Letter by Yigal – December
10th 1968
Hello everyone!
I’m really sorry that I didn’t
get leave. But to be frank, I didn’t have too many illusions.
The weather has been slightly less
rainy, and this is a good turn. Last night we made a serious effort. After
a day of exercises, including night drill, we went on a 5 km run. The distance
wasn’t great but the route had lots of inclines, which made things difficult.
Afterwards we had a route march with open stretchers, two teams per litter
case, for 12 km. Somehow I managed to get out of the punishment drill for
the same day, and I got to sleep at 2 am. On the whole, things are okay.
We carry on moving. An ache here, a pain there, but nobody’s one hundred
percent working. I hope that the training session will end soon, probably
on Tuesday week.
Please send me candles, a torch,
and filled chocolate won’t hurt. My nylon covering is starting to go belly
up, and the weather’s bound to get worse. So please try to get something
nice and big for me. Thanks a lot. Bye for now.
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.When he was discharged, he
learned aeronautic engineering at the Technion in Haifa, for a year.
As one seeking content and flavor
in all walks of life, Yigal moved to Kibbutz Eilot, working in its date
plantation.
A letter from Moyher (September
30th 1969)
Hello Yigaleh,
Throughout the week, especially
yesterday, I was tensed up over the exam. I crossed my fingers for you,
and you came through. I was most surprised that you postponed the notification
until so late. This made me have some doubts. But after we talked, I was
so glad that it went through successfully. I was somewhat dispirited by
the way you didn’t sound too satisfied. What’s wrong? The farm? Work? The
yard? Women??
Yigal, even all these things together
don’t mean that such a cute, fine and great guy as yourself (like Grandpa)
should go sulking. I want to get you some clothes, but I cannot do this
without you.
Drop a line or so to Orli. She’ll
be back on Thursday evening.
Yifal, please please try to come
home on Friday, and if it doesn’t work out, do come on Saturday. Grandpa
will be here, along with friends from Palmachim. I want to see you and
talk to you too. I doubt if it will be possible on Saturday, but please
try somehow to come all the same. Bring your license, so that we can announce
it officially. We hope everything will turn out fine.
Yigaleh, I love you and miss you.
Kisses,
Mother.
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.Yigal was discontent about
stopping his studies, and decided to come back to study at the Technion
– he registered anew before going off to reserve duty
On his reserves, during a half
track maneuver with his paratroop company, Yigal fell in the line of duty
– may his memory be blessed!
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Hezi from Kibbutz Eilot wrote the following:
Yigal’s disappearance was as sudden as his arrival, but
we can never forget the bearded young man, with his special sense of humor
that but a little joy into our routine life.
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(Anat Yahalom)
Dear Miriam,
I’ll tell you the truth: over a son who fell a hero,
one must mourn heroically…
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(Norma)
To Miriam and Nitza
It is said that the soul comes back to the world. Yigal’s
soul hangs over the world of those who knew him. So much light cannot just
vanish!
I realized that those who stay in line just move in a
circle around themselves. I wanted to tell him, Yigal, that his life was
genuine. The life of a man with the courage to leave the orbit that Earth
makes around the heavens. The life of one who had the courage to break
out of the stockade that society builds for its denizens. A person with
the courage to seek his own most appropriate pattern rather than accepting
that made by his predecessors. I cannot say this anymore. He can no longer
struggle, seek and presere his own essence of human seed. You did not bear
the garb of conventions. Earth and sea were the garment for your skin.
You were a ray from another world, spreading light across
a world busy in the race after money.
To hell, you said, being an industrialized man was no
good. You were the kibbutz, the earth, and the sea too.
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Yigal is perpetuated within the gallery of the fallen
site, with more of his drawings.
Press here to see more of his
drawings.
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