The chief of the IDF General Staff, Gadi Eisenkot, produced Dr. Avi Yitzhak, the Chief of the Medical Service of the Southern Military District, to the Major-General. He became the first Israeli general among the repatriates from Ethiopia.
Handing over new epaulettes to Avi Yitzhak, Eysenkot thanked him for his impeccable 20-year service and a great contribution to strengthening the country's defense capability.
"It's hard for me to express the feelings that I have at this moment," the newly-made general said in a response, "I am grateful to my country, which gives unlimited opportunities to every citizen of the country." I would especially like to be understood by representatives of the Ethiopian community: -Whoever wants - will achieve. "
Abraham (Avi) Yitzhak, father of four children, was born in Ethiopia, he immigrated to Israel in 1994 when he was 19 years old. He finished school at the age of 16, "skipping" several classes at once in view of special success in his studies. By the time of his repatriation, he had already completed two courses at the medical school in Addis Ababa.
After the repatriation, Avi began intensive preparation for the delivery of a psychometric test, after which he was admitted to the medical faculty of Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba. At the same time, a course was held for a young soldier in the IDF, a course of military orderlies, and then officer courses.
After graduation at the university, Avi Yitzhak was accepted to the post of medical officer in the 101st Battalion of the Airborne Division. During the Second Lebanon War, he headed the field hospital, conducted surgical operations.
In one of the attacks, he himself received a fragmentation wound. After that, for 12 years he served in NAHAL, took part in the operation "Cast Lead", was the head of the medical service of the brigade of Gaza. Together with Israeli rescuers flew to Haiti, where he conducted operations to victims of the earthquake.
Recently, in the rank of brigadier general, he headed the medical service of the Southern Military District