Aharon Davidi
Encyclopedia
Aharon Davidi is an Israel
i general
and founder of the Sar-El
volunteer program of the IDF
.
as the youngest son of an immigrant family from Bender
, (Bessarabia
). At the age of fifteen, he served in the Haganah
and Palmach
. In the Israeli War of Independence (1948) he fought in the southern front with the Negev
Brigade
, where he met his future wife, Hassida.
In 1953, Davidi volunteered for the new IDF paratrooper
s as a company commander. In the following year the unit was very active in retaliatory operations and other dangerous missions behind enemy lines. Davidi and his company supported Ariel Sharon’s
Unit 101
in the raid on Qibya
and they remained close friends. He was decorated for actions in the Gaza strip in 1955, with the Medal of Courage
.
In the Sinai Campaign, Davidi, as Lieutenant-Colonel and regimental commander, played a decisive role in the battle of Mitla Pass
. From 1965 to 1968, as a colonel, he was the first commander of the IDF Paratrooper and Infantry Corps. During the 1967 Six Day War, Davidi commanded the decisive actions to capture Sharm-el-Sheik. When Raful Eitan
was wounded in action, his paratroopers were led by Davidi to the Suez Canal
.
In 1970 he retired as Brigadier
from active military service and spent three years at the University of London
earning his Masters and Ph.D. degrees. He focused on the cultural problems of Chinese minorities.
Davidi began teaching geography at Tel Aviv University
in 1974. Three years later, he moved to the Golan Heights as Director of Community and Cultural Activities of the Golan and Jordan Valley. In the summer of 1982, during the 1982 Lebanon War
, Davidi founded the Sar-El
IDF volunteer program. Davidi, received the President's Award for his dedication to the volunteer project over the years. In year 2000, in recognition of the achievements of Sar-El, Davidi was given the honor of lighting a memorial torch on Mt. Herzl, in celebration of Israel's Independence Day. In 2010, Davidi won the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism.
Davidi now lives in Ramat Gan and has three children, 11 grandchildren. and two great grandchildren. His sister, Rivka Davidit, was a Hebrew children's author and theater critic.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and founder of the Sar-El
Sar-El
Sar-El is a volunteer program of the Israel Defense Forces . Every year about 5,000 volunteers from overseas serve for two or three weeks with the IDF. Their job is neither paid nor armed and is mainly in the logistical, maintaining, catering, supply and medical services...
volunteer program of the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
.
Biography
He was born in IsraelSabra (person)
Sabra is a term used to describe a Jew born in Israeli territory; the term is also usually inclusive of Jews born during the period of the establishment of the state of Israel. The word "sabra" is Arabic and Hebrew. Immigrants to Palestine began using it in the early 1930s, according to the The...
as the youngest son of an immigrant family from Bender
Bender
- Places:* Bender, Moldova, also known as Bendery or Tighina* Bender, California, a former settlement in Fresno County, California* Bender Bayla District, a district of Bari, Somalia- Fiction :...
, (Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
). At the age of fifteen, he served in the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
and Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
. In the Israeli War of Independence (1948) he fought in the southern front with the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, where he met his future wife, Hassida.
In 1953, Davidi volunteered for the new IDF paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s as a company commander. In the following year the unit was very active in retaliatory operations and other dangerous missions behind enemy lines. Davidi and his company supported Ariel Sharon’s
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
Unit 101
Unit 101
Unit 101 was a special forces unit of the Israeli Defense Forces , founded and commanded by Ariel Sharon on orders from Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in August 1953...
in the raid on Qibya
Qibya
Qibya is a Palestinian village in the West Bank, located northwest of Ramallah and exactly north of the large Israeli city of Modi'in. It is part of the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, and according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, it had a population of approximately 4,901 in...
and they remained close friends. He was decorated for actions in the Gaza strip in 1955, with the Medal of Courage
Medal of Courage
The Medal of Courage is an Israeli military decoration. The medal is awarded for carrying out acts of gallantry at the risk of life, during combat duty. The medal was established in 1970 by act of law in the Knesset....
.
In the Sinai Campaign, Davidi, as Lieutenant-Colonel and regimental commander, played a decisive role in the battle of Mitla Pass
Mitla Pass
The Mitla Pass is a 32 km-long snaky pass in the Sinai of Egypt, wedged between mountain ranges to the north and south, located about 50 km east of Suez...
. From 1965 to 1968, as a colonel, he was the first commander of the IDF Paratrooper and Infantry Corps. During the 1967 Six Day War, Davidi commanded the decisive actions to capture Sharm-el-Sheik. When Raful Eitan
Rafael Eitan
Rafael "Raful" Eitan was an Israeli general, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and later a politician, a Knesset member government minister...
was wounded in action, his paratroopers were led by Davidi to the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
.
In 1970 he retired as Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
from active military service and spent three years at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
earning his Masters and Ph.D. degrees. He focused on the cultural problems of Chinese minorities.
Davidi began teaching geography at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
in 1974. Three years later, he moved to the Golan Heights as Director of Community and Cultural Activities of the Golan and Jordan Valley. In the summer of 1982, during the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
, Davidi founded the Sar-El
Sar-El
Sar-El is a volunteer program of the Israel Defense Forces . Every year about 5,000 volunteers from overseas serve for two or three weeks with the IDF. Their job is neither paid nor armed and is mainly in the logistical, maintaining, catering, supply and medical services...
IDF volunteer program. Davidi, received the President's Award for his dedication to the volunteer project over the years. In year 2000, in recognition of the achievements of Sar-El, Davidi was given the honor of lighting a memorial torch on Mt. Herzl, in celebration of Israel's Independence Day. In 2010, Davidi won the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism.
Davidi now lives in Ramat Gan and has three children, 11 grandchildren. and two great grandchildren. His sister, Rivka Davidit, was a Hebrew children's author and theater critic.