קורות חייו

 

להורדת ולהדפסת קורות חייו של גדי לחץ

 

 

Biography

 

.Squad leader Gad Yitzhak, Gadi, Ezra-to remember  

 

He fell during operation defensive shield in the Jenin refugee camp on April 4th, 2002.  He was crowned with courage, passion, a strong desire to save lives.  He was 23 when he fell  

 Gad was born in Bat Yam on June 24th,1979, the youngest son of Solly and Rozlin, and a younger brother to four older brothers that were between 8-15 years old when he was born.  He was naturally the baby of the family, full of warmth, love, and indulgences.  Each of his brothers felt the need to make his mark as a "mini parent" and to influence his education and thus learned from infancy how to maneuver between powers.  The smile and joy were an inseperable part of his face and his life.  He was pleased with his part in life and always favored his surroundings

 

 Gad was very connected to his family.  He was an uncle at an early age.  He used to take care, play, spoil his loved nephews.  They gave their love in return.  Gad had an exceptional talent for languages.  At age 2, he spoke French and Hebrew fluently and even used to translate his mother`s words to his care-taker

 

 His father was born in Egypt and his mother in Algeria.  His family moved to Israel from France 8 years befre he was born.  He was born into a traditional, religious, zionist family.  Already at home, he absorbed the basis for traits that would be emphasized later in life.  Love of other people, respect for his honor, help of others, adherence to truth and honesty without compromise, kindness, volunteering and public action

Gad had a warm and abundant personality and love for everyone around him.  In everything that he did, one could see the joy of giving and responsibility.  He studied at the Zipori elementary schoolin Bat Yam.  From kindergarten to elementary classes, he stood out as a loyal friend who always extended his hand with out hesitation and as a student with large potential 

 

 In the 8th grade, he continued to study at Bnei Akiva in the name of Aderet Ga`on in Bat Yam, where he stood out as a student who could absorb and remeber Jewish philosophy and any other fields related to Judaism.  It became a part of his life.  He oberved the mitzvot with a slight light, internalized the vital values of Judaism and lived in their light

 

 Gad joined the Bnei Akiva youth movement and was very active in the movement.  He initially started out as a counsler at the Amidar branch in Bat yam, a remote branch that needed rehabilitation.  Afterward, he continued to teach in the Bat Yam branch.  As a mentor, he devoted many hours to preparing activities and listening to his students.  He invested heavily in assimilating the values in which he believed.  He saw his role as a mission.  His apprentices have become a unique group in the Bat Yam branch, and to this day they are called "Gadi`s students"

 

 

 One of Gad`s loves was to play the flute, which he took everywhere.  Likewise, he loved traveling around the country singing Hasidic songs and songs of the land of Israel.  in high school, he traveled to Poland to visit the extermination camps and tombs of the righteous.  He docmented this journed in a journal in which he expressed his feelings about the existence of the Jewish people in true expression of himself

 

 

 He ate up history books, especially the Jewish history books.  At the end of high school, Gad continued to be part of the Hesder Yeshiva of Etzion.  Two years later at age 20, Gad decided to leave the Hesder framework and draft into the army for three years as a combat soldier.  Despite his large size and difficulty with fitness, he insisted of enlisting in Golani for he saw it as important to serve as a fighter

 

 He enlisted in the "November 1999" cycle and completes his basic training and the course successfully, despite all the difficulties.  With great will power he practiced constantly and demanded of himself beyond maximum.  Thus he managed to overcome all the obstacles with stubborness and preserverance.  His commander testified that when he could not pass a certain obstacle, he would remain behind during his free hours to practive again and again until he passed it successfully, with a big smile and infinite joy, as though he had won the lottery

 

 His friends in the army tell about a huge guy who they called "growth" with a gold heart and supportive hands.  About a sodier with the qualities of a leader who took care of them like a big father with good advice regarding any subject in the world.  They mentioned his uniqueness as a peacemaker and as one who takes care of everyone and nly cares for himself at the end.  Gad used his commanders and subordinates as an equal among equals.  On the one hand, he was not afraid to express his opinion to senior commandors, and on the other hand, did not insist on his rights even when he became a veteran in the company

 

 When he studies at Or Etzion, Gad began volunteering with Kav Lachayim, an organization that cares for the welfare of sick and disabled children.  He was a regualr guide to handicapped youth and a guide to severely handicapped elders.  In "the line to live" we remember Gad as a character who tries to keep the campers happy, taking care and running around whenever possible and doing everything as if it were obvious.  Gad continued to teach at the "kav Lachayim" camps during his army service, at the expense of his vacations

 

 Three months before he fell, he met Galit and after a brief acquaintance they decided to marry.  The engagement was meant to take place during Passover, but Gad was called to return and fight in the territories with the renewal of fighting, Gad participated in many operations.  At this stage, Gad served as a commander in the reconnaissance unit of the auxillary company of the 1st Battalion, Golani Battalion 51.  On the eve of Passover, he suddently arrived at home for the seder, but was then called back to the army the next morning, following the terrible terror attack at the park hotel in Netanya.  This was the last time Gad was home

 

 Gad and his friends fought in the framewrk of Operation Defensive Shield in the Muquata in Ramala, where his soldier and friend Roman Schleifstein fell, while Gad heard shots fired from inside the building.  He spoke with a man from the burial society of the military rabbinate who asked that if he were killed to not be transferred through the institute of forensic medicing, but would be buried in his uniform as is customary  in royal killers

 

 Towards the second passover holiday, Gad`s department went to fight in the Jenin refugee camp on the 2nd day of the 2nd holiday, during the passover holiday and difficult battle, Lietenant Nissim Ben David was injured when Gad came out to rescue him under a fierce fire and lifted the stretcher and was hit by a single bullet in the neck.  He fell on the     ground and was able to say Shema Yisroel and passed out

 

When his group of friends, Kadisha members understood that this was a soldier who was with them at the begining of the week, they consulted with the chief military rabbi and fulfilled his request 

 

 About a month before he fell, he wrote a letter to his girlfriend Galit in case he got hurt.  This letter, which was kept in the drawer, was found after his death, is the most powerful expression of his personality and includes the principles that guided him throughout his life: faith in the righteousness of the way, infinite love for the Jewish people as a whole and as individuals.  This letter is a will to his loved ones and since Gad asks in his letter "Spread the word", it seems that the best way to recognize, preserve, and teach Gad is by reading, distributing the letter