Shimshon Rozen, a longtime Israeli Air Force pilot who was one of the flyers in a historic 2003 flight over Auschwitz, died Dec. 16 in a light aircraft accident in the city of Modi’in. He was 60.
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"Nothing could prepare us for the loss of one of the finest airmen and greatest friends that we had ever known,” Danny Grossman wrote.
A companion in Rozen’s squadron and neighbor from nearby Nir Banim was quoted as saying at Rozen’s funeral, “They asked if Shimshon was my best friend, and without hesitation, I answered yes. On second thought, as I look around, I know many of you feel the same. That was Shimshon – a best friend to everyone here.”
Rozen was born and raised in Jerusalem. He joined the Air Force in 1970 and became one of the first pilots to fly an F-4 Phantom, the top plane in Israel’s force at the time. He flew for Israel in several wars as a fighter and reconnaissance pilot. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War he was part of a squadron that bombed Damascus.
In recent years, Rozen was a high-tech entrepreneur. He also was a prominent opponent of plans to build a power plant near his home.
The fatal accident occurred as the plane in which Rozen was flying was attempting an emergency landing on a street in Modi’in, apparently after a mechanical failure. The plane struck a parked car.
The Eulogizer highlights the life accomplishments of famous and not-so-famous Jews who have passed away recently. Write to the Eulogizer at eulogizer@jta.org.
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