St.-Sgt. Mark Podolsky

Feb 19, 2002 - St.-Sgt. Mark Podolsky, 20, of Tel Aviv was one of six soldiers killed in a terrorist attack near a roadblock west of Ramallah. Several terrorists opened fire at soldiers at the roadblock, including three off-duty soldiers inside a structure at the roadblock, killing them at point-blank range.

The attack took place at about 9 P.M., a few hours after the troops who had manned the Ein-Ariq outpost for the last few months handed the position over to replacements from the same corps. The outpost, consisting of a roadblock and a few temporary housing buildings, was manned by eight soldiers, five of whom were on guard at the time. Two or three Palestinians apparently opened simultaneous fire at the outpost from different directions, killing six soldiers and injuring one.

Mark immigrated to Israel from the Ukraine 11 years ago, together with his parents, Ella and Abraham, and his older sister Ina. They lived in a small apartment in Jaffa. Mark began his studies in Israel in the Bialik elementary school in Tel-Aviv and completed his high school studies, majoring in biology, at the Rogozin high school. His closest friend, St.-Sgt. Michael Hochsman, was also killed in the attack.

"He was industrious, he worked as a waiter in an hotel in Tel-Aviv," said his mother. "He wanted to be a combat soldier. Before he joined the army he went to the gym to get ready for it. He loved his service in the Combat Engeneering unit, and especially his friends there. He never had a girlfriend, he died before he could fall in love."

St.-Sgt. Mark Podolsky was buried in the military cemetery in Holon. He left behind his parents and sister.