Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Menashe Hava

Apr 9, 2002 - Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Menashe Hava, 23, of Kfar Sava was one of thirteen IDF soldiers killed and seven injured in the Jenin refugee camp by Palestinian terrorists. An IDF patrol of reserve soldiers was ambushed in a narrow alleyway in the camp by a number of explosive devices and gunfire from the rooftops of surrounding buildings (Operation Defensive Shield).

Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Menashe Hava was born and raised in Kfar Sava. He studied management at ORT Shapira and was "the pride of the family".

Menashe served in the elite Shakked unit of the Givati Brigade and completed his compulsory army service only eight months ago. Since then, he had been working as a security guard for the Israel Aircraft Industries and planned to join the police force, improve his matriculation scores and study business management.

Menashe was called for his first reserve duty immediately after the bombing at the Park Hotel. He went straight from work saying, "I am going to do the right thing and, if I die, it won't be in vain. It will be for the State of Israel and the people of Israel." He expected to receive leave for Independence Day and had already made plans to celebrate, when he was killed.

Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Menashe Hava was buried in the military section of the cemetery in Kfar Sava. He is survived by his parents Rachel and Amnon, sisters Hagit, Ziva and Julie and brother Moshe.