Sergeant First Class Oz Tsemach

סמ”ר עוז צמח ז”ל

Oz was born in Yavneh in 1985 and later moved with his family to Re’ut (near the ciy of Modiin).

Oz loved life and nature. He was fascinated with animals and liked to cook and fish.

When Oz was a teenager, he was very determined to serve in a combat unit.

He was drafted in March 2004 into the armored corps and loved his job in the tank. During his service he dreamed of becoming a tank commander and he was able to fulfill his dream.

Oz died in the battlefield of south Lebanon in August 2006.  As part of the second Lebanon war, Oz was a tank commander when he noticed that the tank in front of his was damaged and that one of the soldiers inside was hurt as well. Oz decided to help rescue that soldier, even as his own tank was exposed to enemy fire. Oz managed to lead his team into saving the life of all who were involved. After the rescue was made, just as Oz was calling to report to his commanders, Oz and his team were hit and Oz and his three fellow soldiers were killed immediately.

After his death his family received on the Head of Regional Command (Aluf) Citation.

In Hebrew, Oz means Courage.

After his death, one of Oz’s brother’s friends wrote a song about him and his story.

This artist became one of Israel’s top singers and this song became the symbol of the story of those whose lives were taken too soon.

Oz/ Idan Haviv

Flowers fall on you from above,
Round tears roll onto you.
The earth opened its mouth in your honor…
This is your sister above, calling and crying.

No, no, no! Bring him back!
No, no, no! It’s not his time yet at all!

Rest your eyes, Oz, rest in peace.
It’s dark outside, yet your mother is still here with you,
She can’t bring herself to get up and leave you here alone,
She stays, stretched out and begging, with her face to the ground.

No, no, no! Bring him back!
No, no, no! It’s not his time yet at all!

Your smile rises within me like the sunset,
Beautiful, beautiful, but disappearing in the darkness,
From the ends of the earth I call to you… How can you not hear?
From a black ram’s horn we will anoint you, Oz…
So that every star will know.
In the shelter of His wings you are hidden now and forever
Yet from the angel that touched you we beg:

No, no, no! Bring him back!
No, no, no! It’s not his time yet at all!

עוז
עידן חביב
מילים ולחן: עידן חביב

פרחים נופלים עליך מגבוה
דמעות עגולות מתגלגלות עד אליך
האדמה פתחה את פיה לכבודך
…זו אחותך שם מעליך צועקת ובוכה

לא לא לא תחזירו לי אותו
לא לא לא זה בכלל לא הזמן שלו

הרפה מעינך עוז, שכב במנוחה
חושך בחוץ עכשיו ואמא עוד פה איתך
לא מסוגלת לקום לעזוב אותך לבדך
…נשארת שוכבת מבקשת עם הפנים לאדמה

…לא לא לא תחזירו לי אותו
לא לא לא זה בכלל לא הזמן שלו

.חיוך שלך עולה בי כמו שקיעה
…יפה יפה ונעלמת בחשיכה
מקצה עולם אקרא לך איך לא תשמע
עם שופר שחור אמשח בעוז
…שכל כוכב ידע

בסתר כנפיו אתה נמצא עכשיו לעולמים
המלאך שנגע בך ממנו אנו מבקשים

לא לא לא תחזיר לנו אותו
.לא לא לא זה בכלל לא הזמן של עוז