I have participated in many moving commemorations and such cruises and I never remember so many participants, to the extent that there was no room in the thirty yachts and ships that went out to sea to accommodate all the guests. It was a big event on the one hand and yet a feeling of family intimacy at the same time. As early as ten in the morning while serving light refreshments and a brief briefing on the pier at the "Shavit" marina, I turned around to discover family members and close friends, to hear about the man and his work from every possible aspect and angle. It turns out that he was a unique and special man who used up his life to the fullest and all at once, as if he knew that his days were short and engaged in everything that had "extreme" in it, from sailings, yachts, jet skis, ATVs and motorcycles to "kite surfing" with kites and other adventures and pursuits. Precisely Itzik the verb and the challenges. A solid and muscular man over five feet tall was killed in a work accident at such a young age, a year and a little before turning fifty.
Watch the video:
I met his sister Tzvia, the only sister among all the boys in the family, who confirmed to me that they all came here with their families blessed children for the memorial ceremony, she introduced me to his brother Yair who was born on July 26th like his younger brother Itzik, on his arm he had a tattoo that said, "forever brother" stay .
Yair also told me about the special character of Itzik who gathered countless friends around him and gave them all personal attention, as if only they existed in his life and there were no others, a feeling of mutual brotherhood like between brothers. Already at the age of 12, he walked long distances from Kiryat to Shemen beach to touch the cool water, with three other friends, Erez Shahar Itzik Sharon and Amiel Doron. He always kissed and longed for the sea and did not let go until he finished a seaman's course in the army and at the end of the process he commanded a navy steel as he wanted and with a high hand. Erez was his closest partner literally, both in business later and earlier in the sailing club of Hapoel Haifa, they married two identical twin sisters who became very close families, the late Itzik and Mira three sons and Erez and Meli three daughters, there is not only love here And Likud also has a perfect balance in families.
We went out to sea at 10:30, I'm on the home yacht of Itzik Abu Aziz, the host who is always smiling and in a cheerful mood, and with me is Michal from Karmiel, who is her first time sailing a sailboat and seeing Carmel from the sea, Shai also came and the host's two good friends, Ziv and Yonatan, the two daughters Nega and Or. And mother Neta who hosted us like a king with fresh hummus and pickles with ouzo beer and cold and carbonated drinks. Pleasant weather with a fresh and cool wind and we are sailing with pleasure into the open sea outside the old and new harbor.
The yacht "Eli 1" was anchored in the center of the bay, on which close friends of Itzik, some of the family and foreigners, and we are Carmel sailors, and yachts of guests who came from afar are sailing around back and forth in circles, some of Itzik's close friends arrived on jet skis, some on SUP and surfboards, "Typhoon" approached with the families and guests and at eleven o'clock began an impressive ceremony of throwing the wreaths and flowers, blowing white balloons into the air, blowing horns and firing bright rockets into the blue sky, which slowly fell to the sea with a trail of white smoke. The ceremony is over, seventeen yachts out of the thirty degrees are setting sail and we are getting ready for the sailing competition, the people of the Eli 1 judging ship are on standby giving final instructions regarding the connection and schedule and at midnight we set off. The wind is good, the sails are blown "and the convoy" on the way to the distant buoy in the west is hurrying, a spectacular sight that you don't meet every day, the blue sea is painted white and the sails of different colors shine mainly with a tailwind on the way back from the buoy when the jerrycan sails are raised. We are also heavy and with full sails not agile enough and those with the janikar from the "Derech Hayam" school catch up with us, but unfortunately at the next buoy a gust of wind tears the bright yellow sail and we overtake again and reach the finish line in fourth place, a completely respectable place. I finally got to sail in Itzik Abu Aziz's "Basolara" in a real competition with hoisted sails and not on a motor in a folk cruise or on an anchor as the judges' ship.
We sail to dock in Kishon and gather, on the way to the closing ceremony and the distribution of trophies. I meet at the meeting point refreshment tables filled to the brim with pies and various foods, cakes, drinks and fresh fruit, around dozens of young friends of the family members, the sisters and brothers waiting to come and gather and their sons in groups talking and it is a beautiful and refreshing sight. On a huge board are dozens of photographs of the late Itzik Memran with family and friends and landmarks in his short life.
The ceremony begins Momo Cohen, the chairman of the Shayti Carmel community, opens with exciting words, the young and impressive widow thanks the participants and Erez, Itzik's close partner in childhood, family and business, mourns the untimely passing of his friend, partner and good brother-in-law, who is probably watching from above and sees all those gathered, using the well-known words " Friend, you are missing" "And one day I will reach you and we will be reunited up there in the sky". The young family members read from the scriptures, a few more words of thanks and blessings and come to the happy end of the distribution of the trophies, one after the other the winners come up and I meet old friends and serial winners there, Amir Effler" Ballantine" in the category - O.R.C. 2 first place, Iris Ashoch and Erez Verdi "Begiselle" from the "Verdi Vela" sea school, who came from neighboring Acre, second place, Yohai Pelzur in the category - O.R.C. 1 "Becyclop" first place and second place "Blank Blue" of Shlomo Capone.
Finally, I meet the amazing Mira Mamran, the beautiful, smiling and strong young widow, who looks forward with hope and asks where and how you met your Itzik, the perfect husband, father and friend until a little over a year ago, and without hesitation she answers, "I went with my twin sister to Los Angeles, a trip after the army where Itzik lived and worked and where we got to know each other, he offered me a trip on his motorcycle to Mexico" And from this motorcycle and the hug from the back she never parted.
I give Mira a final hug goodbye in the hope of seeing you in the flotilla in memory of the late Itzik Mamran, again next year and for the privilege that fell to me, to participate in writing and sharing many thanks.
