SAN FRANCISCO >> To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Israel’s Six-Day War in San Francisco, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) will reunite the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers from the iconic photo taken by David Rubinger, who passed away last month, of three paratroopers at the Western Wall after they had won the battle for Jerusalem.
Rubinger’s photo, “Paratroopers at the Western Wall,” is recognized as the defining image of the Six-Day War, June 5-10, 1967, during which Israel fought against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. During the war, Israel gained control over Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.
“The photo that includes me as a young soldier, holding my helmet in front of the Western Wall, has become a part of history, and has come to define my life since that moment. I went from being an anonymous warrior to an unintentional symbol,” said Dr. Yitzhak Yifat, one of the three paratroopers captured in Rubinger’s photo. “By recreating that euphoric moment 50 years later, we underscore the endurance of our people, and the democratic Jewish homeland.”
All three paratroopers from Rubinger’s photo, Zion Karasenti, Haim Oshri, and Yifat, will attend special receptions at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills on June 8 and at the Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco on June 11 to recreate the historic moment and share their heroic stories.
“The pivotal historical moment that Rubinger captured in his famous photo transformed the landscape of Israel — and the entire Middle East — and changed the lives of Jews worldwide,” said FIDF San Francisco Bay Area Executive Director Jonathan Bernstein. “We thought it would be very powerful for our supporters to see the three paratroopers from the photo reunited here in San Francisco. Our commemoration will stress the importance of the Six-Day War and the sacrifices that IDF soldiers made to ensure Israel’s survival.”
Bernstein added: “As they did 50 years ago, the brave men and women of the IDF still risk their lives every day to protect the Jewish homeland. While their job is to look after Israel, ours is to look after them.”
The events are open to the public and cost $25. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit http://fidf.org/sanfrancisco or call (415) 547-8360. The funds raised at this event will go toward FIDF’s well-being and educational programs for IDF soldiers.
