First Sergeant Major Avner alter
Avner, the oldest son of Rochela and Shaul, was born on Kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov. Rochela: “he was born a year after we got married and the excitement was powerful. I knew we would name him Avner because I loved this name that is so Israeli. He was a Kibbutz boy, with thrown-on jeans that like to hike around the area here in the Gilad mountains. He loved basketball very much, but his great love was music. Every Israeli disc that came out was important for him to get. He planted his love for music in all of us.”
Shaul: “When Avner got to the army, something in him opened up. Everything we knew about him in his life, we discovered after his death more powerfully that what we thought. He had a very strong connection to his brother, and especially his brother Amit, who is closest to him in age. They shared common experiences and a joint love of sports. Their bond was very special.”
Rochela: “When we heard about the tragedy, immediately the house filled up with people. I remember not knowing what was going on around me. Avner was identified as the 72nd death. It took time because it was hard to identify him. The only thing that came back to us was his dog tag. I remember that I was so occupied with what happened to Avner during those moments in the air. Did he suffer? Did it happen quickly? From that night we embarked on a journey that lasted until now. At the beginning, everything that you go through is “a first”: the first Friday without him, the first Shabbat without him, the first holiday without him. After that, you try to be there for the other family members, but even now I haven’t digested it. I see him; I look around and think about all the things he missed: the view, the air, the blossom. His big eyes, his slim face, his build, all of these things are also found in his brothers and thanks to them there is no way that I will forget something of his. I see him in everything beautiful.”
Shaul: “When Avner got to the army, something in him opened up. Everything we knew about him in his life, we discovered after his death more powerfully that what we thought. He had a very strong connection to his brother, and especially his brother Amit, who is closest to him in age. They shared common experiences and a joint love of sports. Their bond was very special.”
Rochela: “When we heard about the tragedy, immediately the house filled up with people. I remember not knowing what was going on around me. Avner was identified as the 72nd death. It took time because it was hard to identify him. The only thing that came back to us was his dog tag. I remember that I was so occupied with what happened to Avner during those moments in the air. Did he suffer? Did it happen quickly? From that night we embarked on a journey that lasted until now. At the beginning, everything that you go through is “a first”: the first Friday without him, the first Shabbat without him, the first holiday without him. After that, you try to be there for the other family members, but even now I haven’t digested it. I see him; I look around and think about all the things he missed: the view, the air, the blossom. His big eyes, his slim face, his build, all of these things are also found in his brothers and thanks to them there is no way that I will forget something of his. I see him in everything beautiful.”