Staff Sergeant Michael Levin
Already at the age of 16, Michael announced to his family that he wanted to immigrate to Israel and serve in a combat unit. Three years later he left his parents and sister in Pennsylvania and made aliyah. Reut, Michael's friend said that he was always funny and friendly, "I met Michael when he immigrated from the US three years ago. When he first arrived, he studied in the ulpan (special class for learning Hebrew) on Kibbutz Yavneh, and that's where I met him. It was very important for him to go to a combat unit in the army, even though he didn't have to enlist. He simply wasn't ready to give up. I remember him as a funny guy, friendly and sweet. He had a lot of friends on the kibbutz, and some that he met in Jerusalem."
Michael had received a special discharge from the army in order to visit his family in the United States. Upon hearing news about the outbreak of war in the north, he decided to shorten his vacation, and returned to Israel. His friends say that he went to his commanders and asked to be sent immediately to the northern border. Michael was back only four days when he was killed on August 1, 2006 during the first round of fighting in the Lebanese town of Ayta ash-Shab. He was 22 years old.
Michael had received a special discharge from the army in order to visit his family in the United States. Upon hearing news about the outbreak of war in the north, he decided to shorten his vacation, and returned to Israel. His friends say that he went to his commanders and asked to be sent immediately to the northern border. Michael was back only four days when he was killed on August 1, 2006 during the first round of fighting in the Lebanese town of Ayta ash-Shab. He was 22 years old.