Set up after his sheloshim, the military headstone of Captain (res.) Elchonon Meir Kalmanson, who died on October 7, is unique in Israel’s history in bearing symbols from two arms of security — the army and the Mossad — due to his faithful service to them both.
On October 7, Elchanan Kalmanson, aged 43, the son of the rosh yeshiva of Otniel, Rav Benny Kalmanson, heard of the attacks near Gaza and decided to help.
Taking along his brother Rav Menachem and nephew Itai, he used an abandoned jeep to rescue people in Kibbutz Be’eri even when it was still crawling with terrorists. He and his team identified themselves as Jewish to people trapped in safe rooms by reciting Shema Yisroel.
Struggling for 14.5 hours, from 9 in the morning until after 11 at night, the team rescued over 100 people.
Late at night, as they approached yet another house, a terrorist fired at them, mortally injuring Elchonon and lightly hurting Rav Menachem.
Yehi zichro boruch.
