The stories of the fallen in Lebanon

Uri is the son of famed author David Grossman; Keren is first female soldier killed in the war..

By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
killed soldiers 298 (photo credit: IDF)
killed soldiers 298
(photo credit: IDF)
Twenty-four IDF soldiers died in Lebanon on Saturday. For a Jerusalem Online video of events click here St.-Sgt. Adam Goren, 21, of Kibbutz Ma'abarot "This is a real and frightening war but we have no choice, we have to do the work," were the parting words Goren left his parents with in what would be their last conversation before he returned to the front lines in Lebanon last week. An avid film and sports lover, Goren missed watching the World Cup because he was serving in the West Bank city of Kalkilya at the time. He was due to complete his military service in November, and was already planning his post-army trip abroad. He is survived by his parents and two siblings. Sgt. Alexander Bonimovitz, 19, of Netanya Bonimovitz always dreamed to become an officer, and he was hoping to start officer's training course after the war. One month ago, he finished his tank course with a certificate of excellence. "Perfect" is how a close friend described him. He is survived by his parents and a brother. Sgt. Yehonatan Ankonina, 21, of Netanya "You have nothing to worry about I will be fine." Ankonina wrote in an SMS text message to his parents on Friday before Shabbat started. At 4 p.m. on Saturday, he was killed in Lebanon. Ankonina, who was in his third year of studies at the Karnei Shomron Yeshiva and who was in the army on the hesder yeshiva program, had been due to go back to his yeshiva but was still serving in the army due to the war. He is survived by his parents and three siblings. Sgt. Dan Broyer, 19, of Moshav Beit Hillel A tank commander, Broyer enlisted in the army just one year ago. His family moved to the Galilee seven years ago, and he grew up in nature, which he loved. He is survived by his parents and two siblings. Sgt. Heran Lev, 20, of Kibbutz Ma'ayan Baruch Lev, who was just two months shy of his 21st birthday, had asked his parents for a camera so he could take pictures with his comrades in arms. "Then we will circle the dead ones," he had said in black humor. Lev, who lived on a kibbutz just along the northern border, very much wanted to fight in Lebanon and was angry that his unit had previously been posted in the West Bank. His younger brother was supposed to hold his bar-mitzva service last week, but it was postponed until his older brother returned after the war. Lev is survived by his parents and brother. St.-Sgt. Uri Grossman, 20, of Mevaseret Zion The son of prominent Israeli author and peace activist David Grossman was killed Saturday in Lebanon, just two days after the novelist urged the government to end the war in Lebanon. Uri Grossman was killed by an anti-tank missile, which hit his tank during a major military offensive in south Lebanon aimed at sweeping the area clear of Hizbullah fighters ahead of Monday's cease-fire. His fathers had spoke against the war during a left-wing rally in Tel Aviv, where he said that it was Hizbullah's interest that Israel get stuck in Lebanon. "We can stop this disaster at these very moments," he said at the rally. The younger Grossman, who was two weeks shy of his 21st birthday, served as a tank commander, and was due to complete his military service in November. He had planned to travel abroad after his army service, and then to study theater. In his last conversation with his parents, he expressed his happiness over the cease-fire and said that he would have Friday night dinner at home. He was killed together with an officer, and two other soldiers in the Lebanese village of Hirbat Kasif. He is survived by his parents and two siblings. Major (res.) Nissan Shalev, 36, of Kibbutz Ivron A third-generation Kibbutz resident, Shalev was the copilot of the helicopter that was shot down in Lebanon. His grandparents were among the founders of the kibbutz, which had been hit with scores of Katyushas during the month-long war. After completing his military service, he studied engineering and worked as a police pilot. Recently, he began living in Tel Aviv but was thinking about returning to the kibbutz. He is survived by his parents and four siblings. Sgt. Yoan Zarbiv, 22, from Tel Aviv An ardent Zionist, Zarbib immigrated to Israel from France three years ago on his own on a Jewish Agency youth program; he lived in Tel Aviv with a cousin. He began studying at Bar-Ilan University, but decided to enlist in the IDF, where he served in the Nahal brigade. Zarbib's parents received the news of his death in Paris, and were making their way to Israel on Sunday. Captain Bania Rine, 27, from Karnei Shomron A captain in the Armored Corps, Rine has served in the military for the last eight years. When he first enlisted in the army, his mother could not stop crying at the recruitment center. "On the one hand, I was happy and on the other hand I knew he was willing to give up everything," his mother, Hagit, recounted. Rine will be laid to rest at 10 a.m. on Tuesday in the cemetery in Karnei Shomron. He is survived by his parents and seven siblings. St.-Sgt. (res.) Keren Tendler, 26, from Rehovot The first female soldier killed in action in the war in Lebanon, Tendler was killed Saturday along with four other soldiers when the transport helicopter they were riding in was shot down by Hizbullah fighters near the Lebanese village of Yater. A technician by training, Tendler was doing her reserve service when she was killed. Together with the other four members of the crew, Tendler was listed by the military as missing and presumed dead until their bodies could be retrieved. She is survived by her parents and a younger brother. St.-Sgt. Major (res.), Ron Mashiach, 33, from Gedera Mashiah, who was killed in the transport helicopter crash, leaves behind a wife, Sivan, who is six-months pregnant with their first child. The couple met in the air force, and his wife knew the whole crew of five that was killed with her husband. "The last time we spoke, he only said he was glad to go out on missions," his brother Dov recalled. He is survived by his wife, parents and two older brothers. He will be laid to rest at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the military cemetery in Holon. Capt. Daniel Gomez, 25, from Nehalim A day before he was killed, Gomez, one of two helicopter pilots, bought his six-months-pregnant wife the piano she had always wanted. A childhood friend recounted that Gomez, who studied at pre-military academy in Atzmona, always dreamed of being a pilot and loved his service in the air force. When asked if he was afraid, Gomez had said that he was more worried about the soldiers fighting on the ground. Gomez will be laid to rest at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the cemetery in Nehalim. He is survived by his wife, parents and four siblings. Corporal Ya'ar Ben-Giat, 19, of Kibbutz Nahsholim The last time Ben-Giat called home, he told his parents to be sure to watch a Channel 2 news show which contained a segment about his Nahal unit. The program, which included an interview with him, would be his last remaining image. Ben-Giat will be laid to rest on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the cemetery in Nahsholim. He is survived by his parents, and two teenage siblings. Sergeant Yossi Abutbul, 20, of Gan Nair Abutbul was lightly injured in the first week of fighting in Lebanon last month but insisted on returning to his Golani brigade, which was fighting on the front lines in Lebanon. He told his parents that he was going for R&R, when in fact he was actually returning to the front. The oldest of seven siblings, he studied at Kfar Hassidim Yeshiva before enlisting in the IDF. Abutbul, who is survived by his parents and six younger brothers, will be laid to rest on Sunday at 7 p.m. in the military cemetery in Afula. Staff Sergeant Tzachi Krips, 20, of Kibbutz HaMa'apil Krips, who enlisted in the IDF two years ago, served as a medic in the Nahal brigade. His older sister, Romi, recounted that she always wanted to find a husband like him: smart, handsome, and jovial. Krips, who is survived by his parents and two sisters, was buried on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in the cemetery in his kibbutz. Staff Sergeant Itai Shteinberger, 21, of Karmei Yosef Shteinberger, who served in an elite infantry unit, was just three months shy of completing his compulsory IDF service when he was killed in Lebanon. His younger brother Yonatan just completed his basic training in the paratrooper's elite reconnaissance unit. In one of their last conversations, Shteinberger told his younger brother how he had not taken off his army boots for two weeks, but that he would soon be walking barefoot for six months in South America. Sergeant Yaniv Temerson, 21, of Tzipori Temerson served in the Armored Corps despite back problems which could have gotten him a non-combat army position. "He very much wanted to serve in a combat unit and did everything to get in," his brother recounted. He completed a tank commander's course just three weeks ago, before being sent into Lebanon last week. A day before he was killed, Temerson paid his mother a surprise visit on his way to Lebanon after visiting a wounded officer in the hospital. Temerson, who is survived by his parents and two brothers, was to be buried at 8 p.m. on Sunday in his moshav. Corporal Kamal Amar, 19, of Jolis Aamar, of the Druse village of Jolis in the Galilee, was on sick leave due to a recent shoulder injury, but insisted on rejoining his comrades who were fighting on the front in Lebanon. He was killed Saturday when an IDF tank ran over him and another soldier by mistake, crushing them to death. His father had already built him a home next to his in their village. Aamar is survived by his parents and three siblings. Sergeant First Class Aharon Yechezkel, 32, of Yedidya A non-commissioned officer, Yechezkel was not required to fight in Lebanon, but chose to do so on his own initiative. He was killed Friday in a shoot-out with Hizbullah fighters. Yechezkel, who was a farmer on his Moshav, was described by his friends as "salt of the earth" who was very attached to the Land. He had just gotten divorced a month ago, and had wanted to start a new life. Captain Shai Bernstein, 24, of Beersheba Just minutes before entering his tank last Friday, Armored Corps officer Shai Bernstein called his mother's house in Be'ersheva. "Calm mom down, tell her I'm doing fine," he asked his brother, Guy. The next day, the family was informed of his death. Bernstein, who was born on the second day of the 1982 Lebanon War, was known to be devoted to his troops. He had recently told his girlfriend that he wanted to marry her. He is survived by his parents, and three siblings. His funeral was set for 7:30 p.m. Sunday, in his hometown. Staff Sergeant Ami (Amsa) Masholmi, 20, of Ofra Masholmi and his family were evicted last year from their homes in Gaza during Israel's disengagement plan, and had resettled in the West Bank settlement of Ofra. His wife is pregnant with their first child. Ami is the twelfth child among eight boys and nine girls; his family was well-known in the former Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip for their love of the Land. "When we spoke to him about the current conflict, he didn't express fear of death or injury and said that he was ready for this fight," his father recounted. He is survived by his parents and 16 siblings. Corporal Yinon Nissan, 19, of Ma'ale Adumim Nissan was drafted in the IDF only nine months ago and served in the Armored Corps. He spoke to his parents on Wednesday for the last time. "Don't worry, people don't die in tanks," he assured them. Nissan is survived by his parents and four siblings. Other fallen soldiers are:
  • Major Sami Ben-Naim, 39, from Rehovot, who will be laid to rest at 5 p.m. on Tuesday in his hometown;
  • St.-Sgt. Ido Grabovsky, 20, from Rosh Ha'ayin;
  • Oz Tzemach, 20, from Maccabim-Reut.