We were treated to a powerful sicha from Lt. Colonel (res.) Tzvi Kasspi about personal recollections growing up in the Old City of Jerusalem, joining the army and fighting for the IDF in 1967 as part of the brigade that secured Latrun. His stories were sometimes painful, especially when he recounted the losses his unit incurred during the fighting. But his narrative was primarily uplifting. For example, describing what it felt like to live in pre-war Jerusalem, was particularly unforgettable. Mr. Kasspi has lived in, worked with and fought for Sha’alvim since 1955. (click here to listen, Hebrew).
An interview that Mr. Kasspi gave to Arutz 7 (in Hebrew) about fighting in Sha'alvim 46 years ago can be found here.