The names of the first five of the thirteen fallen Golani Brigade soldiers were released during the night. The soldiers were killed in Gaza fighting on motzei Shabbos and Sunday, 22 Tammuz.

Major Tzafrir Bar-Or HY”D
Major Bar-Or, 32, from Holon, was the deputy battalion commander. He enlisted in the Golani Brigade in 2000. He completed the training for the elite Orev unit with excellence, and felt the IDF was his home, especially Golani.

Friends explain that by nature he was a very quiet and modest individual. “If one saw him on the street, one would think he was a high school student since he looked so young” friends add.

Tzafrir was survived by his wife Sivan, who is eight months pregnant as well as a one-year-old daughter, parents and a sister. This levaya will take place today, Monday, 23 Tammuz at 13:00 in the Holon Military Beis Hachaim.

Captain Tzvi Kaplan HY”D
Captain Tzvi Kaplan, 28, from Kedumim was born and raised in Haifa. He attended the Yavne Yeshiva High School and then moved to the Bnei David IDF prepatory yeshiva in Yishuv Eli. He entered the IDF joining the elite Pulsar Golani unit. In a few weeks he was to assume his new post as company commander of one of the company’s in the Golani Brigade but he opted instead to respond to a call to fill the slot to become the new Operations Officer of the Brigade.

Kaplan and his family moved to Kibbutz Merav two years ago. Kibbutz officials report they were loved by all who knew them. They moved to bond with the land as they explained.

Tzvi is survived by his wife Adi and two sons, Elkana (5) and Nadav (3). The levaya will take place today, Monday, 23 Tammuz at 11:00 in the Haifa Military Beis Hachaim.
Sgt. Gilad Yaakobi
Sgt. Gilad Yaakobi, 21, from Kiryat Ono was a combat soldier in the Golani Brigade. He enlisted in the IDF in March 2012. He was raised in Kiryat Ono and studied math and physics in the Ben Tzvi High School. He entered a special program to improve his physical conditioning prior to entering into the IDF.

Gilad’s levaya will take place today, 23 Tammuz, at 10:00 in the Kiryat Shaul Beis Hachaim in Tel Aviv.

Sgt. Ohz Mendlowitz
Sgt. Ohz Mendlowitz, 21, from Avtalyon was a combat soldier in the Golani Brigade. His father Ofir was a company commander in Golani as well. Ofir told the media “I had a bad feeling”. On Sunday he travelled by train to Asheklon and then took rides to Netivot until he found Ohz’s company. When he found Ohz he received a big smile and they hugged. Before leaving Mr. Mendlowitz told Ohz “Let’s take a photo together with your chevra. Then I changed my mind and said forget it. We hugged and said ‘shalom’. I got my composure back and left, the last time I saw him”.

Ohz is survived by his parents and a 16-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old brother. Ohz’s levaya will take place on Monday, 23 Tammuz at 18:00 in the Misgav Beis Hachaim.

Sgt. Nissim (Sean) Karmeli
Sgt. Nissim (Sean) Karmeli, 21, from Ra’anana was a lone soldier. He was originally from Texas. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/248813/fallen-soldier-mourned-in-texas-home-town.html He moved to Israel at the age of 16, joining other siblings in Israel.

Nissim is survived by his parents and two siblings. Details of his levaya to be announced.

From left to right:

Sgt. Mendlowitz, Sgt. Karmeli, Major Bar-Or, Captain Kaplan, Sgt. Yaakobi HY”D    – יהי זכרום ברוך

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)