Items belonging to those who fought in Gush Etzion during Israel’s War of Independence have been revealed to the public for the first time as part of a new educational initiative led by the Gush Etzion Regional Council to deepen the study of the area's history in schools.
According to the council, the exhibit "transfer[s] history from the archive to the daily educational space, so that students not only learn about it but also encounter it live as part of their routine."
Currently, the traveling exhibit housing the items is at the "Neve Hashachar" school in Neve Daniel, and will remain there for the next few months before moving on to other schools.
The exhibit is also open to the general public by prior arrangement only.
Among the items on display are the hat of Moshe Silberschmidt, the last commander of Gush Etzion, the wool sweater of Palmach fighter and combat medic Uriel Ofek, as well as a necklace believed to have belonged to Zilfa Carasso Yehezkeli, the oldest fallen soldier in IDF history.
Silberschmidt fell while covering his subordinates' retreat during the Battle of Gush Etzion during the War of Independence in 1948.
Ofek, whose perforated sweater is on display, later became a well-known children's author. The sweater served Ofek as a cushion as he traveled in a van from Kibbutz Revadim to transport food and supplies to the besieged Gush Etzion.
On the way, Ofek got out of the van to treat a gunshot wound, and upon returning, discovered that the sweater was riddled with bullets that had penetrated the vehicle.
“That moment in which he was busy saving lives was also the moment that saved his own life,” the exhibit explained.
Yehezkeli’s necklace, the third item on display, was recovered from the ruins of Kfar Etzion’s bunker, which had been blown up on April 4, 1948, killing the fighters and wounded individuals barricaded within.
'Living encounter with heroism'
"As someone who lives and breathes the story of Gush Etzion, there are moments when I too am moved anew,” said Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal, adding that it “is not just history, it is a living encounter with people and heroism.”
“There is a great privilege here and an equally great responsibility, to pass on this story to the next generation in a vivid and touching way."
Director of the Gush Etzion Archives Shuki Sharir added that the archive is “very excited” about the initiative.
“For years, the items have been preserved with us as silent testimony, and after great effort and professional and comprehensive work, we have the great privilege of revealing them to the general public for the first time,” she said. “Seeing the students encounter history through the objects themselves, connecting to the story and learning it vividly, is a significant moment for us."