Dov Israelit

Dov Israelit was born in 1928 in Białystok

Dov Israelit was born in Białystok, Poland, to Yaakov and Leah Israelit. As a baby he moved with his family to Nesher, where his parents helped found the Nesher cement plant and the community around it. He studied at the Ludwig Tietz vocational school and joined the sea section of Hapoel Haifa, where he grew attached to sailing.

In 1946 he joined the Palmach and later served in the Harel Brigade's fourth battalion in Jerusalem. He took part in immigration operations, including the ship Shabtai Luzinski in 1947. In the War of Independence he fought in Operation Yevusi, at Nabi Samwil, San Simon, the Radar and Zion Gate, and was wounded in the hand.

After the war he helped found the navy and joined the explosive boats unit that became Shayetet 13. In 1949 he set up the navy base at Sodom and was its first commander. He served on navy ships, took an officers course in England in 1956, and later commanded a naval officers course.

He left the IDF in 1972 as a lieutenant colonel and worked in local industry, including the Merkava tank project. He married Arela and they had 4 children. He died in 2003, and in 2020 letters he sent from the front were found and broadcast.