St.-Sgt. Matanya Robinson

Apr 8, 2002 - St.-Sgt. Matanya Robinson, 21, of Kibbutz Tirat Zvi was killed by Palestinian gunfire in the Jenin refugee camp (Operation Defensive Shield).

St.-Sgt. Matanya Robinson was born at Kibbutz Tirat Zvi. Matanya's parents immigrated 23 years ago with a group of Bnei Akiva youth and joined Kibbutz Tirat Zvi, the oldest kibbutz with only religious members.

Matanya studied media in the Shaked school at neighboring Kibbutz Sdeh Eliahu. During his high school studies, he developed a passion for photography and worked in the fishponds in Tirat Zvi.

Before being drafted into the army, Matanya spent a year of pre-army national service in Jerusalem. While he studied Judaism at the Beit Yisrael pre-military training academy in Jerusalem, he directed community activities in run-down sections of Jerusalem's Gilo neighborhood. He later served in the Golani Brigade.

"Matanya grew up in a Zionist home, filled with love for Eretz Israel. He was gentle, sensitive and a fine person. He sought to bring together religious and secular Jews. He was centralist and moderate, balanced and tolerant"," said a family friend.

St.-Sgt. Matanya Robinson was buried in Kibbutz Tirat Zvi. He is survived by his parents, Rina and Mark, brothers Dagan 20, Itai 17 and Daniel 14 and a sister Yardena 10.