Aita al-Shaab: Heavy fire exchanges
Photo: AP
Doctor volunteers for reserve duty, killed in Lebanon
Captain Dr. Igor Rothstein volunteered for reserve duty and was killed in village of Markhava Thursday. Res. Corporal Kyril Kashdan was killed by anti-tank missile in Aita al-Shaab. Stories of their lives
A heavy mourning fell on the family Saturday when they learned the bitter news about their fallen son Kyril, 26 years old, in an IDF operation in Lebanon.
Corporal Kyril Kashdan, a reservist, was called up on Sunday in an emergency draft, and he immediately reported to duty. The Kashdan family immigrated to Israel from Ukraine in 1998. He leaves after him his parents, Michael and Yelena, and a brother, Anton, 20, a soldier in the Golani brigade.
Kyril was killed by an anti-tank missile shot at the IDF during heavy fire exchanges between the IDF and Hizbullah in Aita al-Shaab, a village in the western zone of southern Lebanon. According to the reports, heavy fire was exchanged between IDF forces and Hizbullah terrorists, who shot an anti-tank missile toward the building from which the IDF soldiers were operating. Kyril was killed by the hit.
Kyril didn't hesitate to report to duty (Photo: Doron Golan)
His aunt Ludmilla told that Kyril was drafted in an emergency call-up to the reserves on Sunday after he returned from vacation in Eilat with his girlfriend, and that he reported for duty without hesitation. "He knew he would go to Lebanon, but he wasn't afraid," said Ludmilla. "He received the call-up and it was clear to him that he had to report like everyone else."
"He father Michael has a military past," told his aunt. "The father is a major and Kyril learned from his father to be a good soldier. He always dreamed of being a combat soldier and really loved Golani." In his reserve duty, Kashdan served in the Alexandroni Brigade, the reserve brigade of Golani. Kyril's brother Anton is in a squad commanders' course and received the news of his brother's death on the base on which he is serving.
Kyril recently started a preparatory course for university studies, which he will never get to complete. For a living, he worked in a restaurant in Haifa and in construction. "Kyril was a kid who loved life and knew how to have a good time. He really loved going out," recounted Ludmilla.
The doctor volunteered for reserve duty and fell in battle
Dr. Igor Rothstein was the third casualty in the fighting between Thursday and Friday. An anti-tank missile was shot at the Golani soldiers operating in the village of Markhava in the eastern zone of southern Lebanon. Heavy fire exchanges opened between the IDF forces and the terrorists during which First Sergeant Daniel Shiran, 20 years old from Haifa, First Sergeant Omri Elmakis, 20 years old from Ramle, and Corporal Igor Rothstein were killed and another officer critically wounded and a soldier lightly wounded.
Dr. Igor Rothstein volunteered for reserve duty. Already at the beginning of the operation nearly four weeks ago, he wanted to join the combat forces on the Lebanese front. His friends say that he was determined to get an emergency call-up. Early on Friday with the news of his death, his colleagues in the orthopedic surgery unit in Poriah Hospital in Tiberias couldn't believe it. "I expected a shining future for him. He was a superb doctor," said the head of the department, Dr. Ganaim Majd.
Rothstein - "A bright future was expected for him" (Photo reproduction)
Rothstein, 35, from the town of Nave Oved next to Tiberias, was born in the former Soviet Union. In 1995 he completed his medical studies in the city of Stumak, and two years later immigrated to Israel and asked to be enlisted to the army. For five years he served in the IDF as a doctor in a combat engineering battalion until a year and a half ago when he requested to do residency at a hospital. He arrived at the surgical orthopedic unit in Poriah Hospital in Tiberias. "We immediately identified him as a serious doctor who wants to work and to advance. He was so serious that in a short time we gave him full duty," told Dr. Majd.
His colleagues in the hospital, along with the patients of the department, had a hard time comprehending. "He was such a nice doctor. He had a special connection with all the patients. Everyone asked that he be the one to take care of them," said the head of the department. Since he went to reserve duty in a combat engineering unit three weeks ago, his friends kept in daily contact with him. Majd: "I spoke with him for the last time on Tuesday. On Wednesday I couldn't reach him so I understood he went into Lebanon. I was very worried about him. This is a very difficult hit for us. He was a very dear person and an excellent doctor."
Rothstein leaves behind a 10-year-old son, parents in Russia, and a sister in Beer Sheva. His ex-wife lives in Holon with his son.
Preparation for this article was contributed to by Yediot Aharonot writer, Lior Al-Chai and Aviram Zino
