Uncle and nephew fall in same place, unit
First Lieutenant Eliel Ben Yehuda named after uncle killed in battle in Bofor. On Sunday, he fell in same unit in which his uncle served, not far from same place. Guy Chason recently opened a café with his girlfriend. Tzur Zarhi was crazy about the army. Fallen soldiers' stories
Seven Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed Sunday in heavy battles in southern Lebanon. Family and friends are having difficulties absorbing the news, and describe their loved ones, who they won't see again.
The names of the casualties:
- First Lieutenant Eliel Ben Yehuda, 24, of Kfar Tavor
- Sergeant Major Elad Shlomo Ram, 30, of Haifa
- Sergeant Major Guy Chason, 24, of Moshav Naama
- First Lieutenant Tzur Zarhi, 27, of Moshav Nahalal
- Staff Sergeant Yaniv Sheinbrum, 24, of Mei Ami
- Sergeant Major Amitai Yaron, 44, of Zichron Yaacov
- Staff Sergeant Peter Ochotsky, 23, of Lod
Trying to confuse the angel of death
Some 24 years ago, Ester Ben Yehuda mourned her brother, Yossi Eliel, a combat soldier in the Golani commando unit, who was killed while taking Bofor in the Lebanon War.
While mourning her brother, Ester gave birth to her first son, and named him after her brother, Eliel. On Sunday, she was again hit with tragedy: Her son, First Lieutenant Eliel Ben Yehuda, 24, was killed – serving in the same unit, and on the same cursed land not far from where his uncle fell days before Eliel was born.
A heavy atmosphere of mourning descended in Kfar Tavor following the release of the news. Eliel was born in the community to a founding family. He was raised and educated in a farming community and completed his studies in Afula.
Eliel was drafted into the army, served in the Golani Brigade, and after completing an officers' course, he served as a company commander. After he was released he traveled to South America and recently planned on finding work in the Shin Bet.
"liel was born when Ester was sitting shiva over her fallen brother. She found it difficult to seem happy when everyone was sad and used to sleep with a lit light to make sure nothing was happening,' Yaakov Schlesinger, a family friend, said.
"His mother accompanied him to all the places where he served. She brought her son and all his friends food. Every time one of the soldiers said he didn't have something, she arrived and brought all of the equipment," he added.
"After being born at time of the mourning period of his uncle Yossi Eliel, they named him Eliel and not Yossi because they wanted to confuse the angel of death," said the head of Kfar Tavor Regional Council, Yossi Dula.
Eliel left behind his parents – Ester, a school teacher, and Arieh, a civil worker at the IDF and expert on tank maintenance – a sister, Rotem, and a brother, Gilad.
Recently returned to his community
Moshav Naama in the Jordan Rift Valley was in mourning following the death of Sergeant Major Guy Chason (24) in a battle against terrorists in south Lebanon.
Guy's parents, Liora and Yaakov, are the founders of Naama, and he was one of the community's first children. After being released from the army he worked as a security guard at a border crossing point over the Jordan River near Beit Shean, but recently decided to return to the village to continue his parents work, and was set to become a successor of the family's agricultural business.
He also opened a café with his girlfriend Libi, which was named Guyli after both of them and turned into a meeting spot for many youths in the Jordan Rift Valley.
Guy also volunteered in the Megilot rescue service in the Dead Sea area, which specializes in tracking down and rescuing lost travelers in the Judea Desert.
Guy was drafted a week ago into the reserves with a Decree Eight (reserves draft call), and took part in the fighting with his comrades in Nahal's 50th Brigade.
"He was a strong and diligent guy who contributed to the agricultural work of his parents," his friends said.
Guy left behind his parents, a sister, Reut, and two brothers, Roee and Yuval. The date of his funeral has not yet been set.
Soldier who wanted to be a farmer
Lilach Zarhi from Moshav Nahalal spoke with her boyfriend about the funeral of someone from her class, Yaniv Temerson. She then heard knocks on her door, and death struck closer.
Officers arrived at her house and informed her that her brother, First Lieutenant Tzur Zarhi, 27, was killed.
Tzur was born, raised and educated in the Jezreel Valley. He was drafted to a pilots' course and after a few months transferred into the Armored Corps, where he continued his father's tradition.
In recent years he also learned business management at the Jezreel Valley College, and dedicated his life to his true love – the family business. Tzur loved the work, and it was clear he would be a successor. He wanted to serve in the Armored Corps and loved the force due to his father."
Tzur was survived by his parents, Mina and Nahum, a brother, Nitzan, 16, and a sister Lilach, 21.
Yisrael Moskovitch and Guy Mei-Tal contributed to this report
