Every time Israel Chana passed the store , he stopped to look at the windbreaker in the window. It was a warm, fashionable coat. It was just the right coat for his job as a security guard, in the motorcycle unit of a bank security patrol. It was too expensive for his budget, so Israel waited patiently for the day he could buy it.
Israel did not know that Shachaf, his girlfriend, had planned to surprise him and had bought him the coat . She wanted to surprise him and give him his dream coat on his 30th birthday which came out on Shabbat Simchat Torah. Shachaf baked him a special birthday cake filled with whipped cream and bought him colorful balloons to decorate his room for the birthday celebration. She hid everything in the car.
On the morning of his birthday, Israel and Shachaf went for a walk with their dog Marley. They walked to a beautiful park near home. Suddenly alarms started going off. They quickly ran to the shelter next to Israel's house and waited patiently for the alarms to end.
Suddenly loud gunshots were heard in the street near them. "That sounds close," Israel said. In a determined tone , he said he needed to "go and to check what was happening" and jumped out to see for himself.
Israel cautiously peeked over the wall and saw terrorists in the distance. Immediately he knew what he had to do. Without thinking twice he quickly entered the house, pulled out his gun, and told Shachaf not to worry . Israel went out into the street.
Israel moved from one hiding place to another, crouching behind parked vehicles and fences of houses and carefully sneaking up on the squad of terrorists. When he was close enough, he opened fire on them and conducted a long shootout with them on his own. During the battle, he managed to eliminate one terrorist and injure another. Israel fought and did not give up until he was wounded and killed.
Thanks to his determination, he was able to save not only his loved ones and neighbors, but also dozens of guests who had arrived at the same time at the nearby synagogue to celebrate a Brit Mila for a cute little baby.
Israel never had time to receive the coat that would have protected him from the wind. Israel will always be remembered as the fearless protector of Ofakim’s Mishor HaGefen neighborhood.
Comments