Sgt Maor Kalfon

Dec 12, 2002 - Sgt. Maor Kalfon, 19, of Kiryat Yam was one of two soldiers killed while on guard near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

At about 8 P.M. the soldiers from the Sahleb unit of the Military Police were guarding a position near the Tomb of the Patriarchs. Two terrorists opened fire at very close range, leaving them no chance to return fire. Cpl. Keren Ya'akobi was killed instantly; Sgt. Maor Kalfon died shortly afterwards.

Maor began his army service last February and insisted on serving in a frontline unit. He had volunteered to the Military Police Sahleb unit, despite his low profile. Although he was given the option of beginning officers' training, he preferred to remain with the unit to complete his combat training.

The youngest of five children, Maor majored in biology at the Rodman High School. He didn't want his parents to worry and only disclosed to his brother Ehud that he was doing combat service. "He was never afraid," Ehud said Friday. "He especially loved being in the field. He was sometimes stationed inside an army camp, but he was happiest out in the field. He loved his company and his comrades."

Sgt. Maor Kalfon was buried in the military section in the Tzur Shalom cemetery. He is survived by his parents, Menashe and Pnina, and four siblings - Meirav, Shoshi, Mordechai and Ehud.