Michael Barkai
Encyclopedia
Michael Barkai (26 January 1935 - 28 May 1999) was the Commander of the Israeli Navy, a recipient of the Medal of Distinguished Service
for his command of the missile ships during the Yom Kippur War
.
, the capital of Romania
, as a first born for Moshe and Rachel Borsok. He spent his childhood in the Fascist state of Romania where he and his family managed to evade the Nazis and their Final Solution
. In December 1947, his family tried to make aliyah to the Land of Israel
, but their ship was caught by the British and they were sent to the Cyprus internment camps
(the British prohibited Jews emigration to the Land of Israel, see White Paper of 1939
). When Israel
was proclaimed an independent Jewish State his family finally arrived in Israel and settled in Bat Yam. In Bat Yam, Barkai realized his love for the sea.
In 1958, he married his wife Rachel, the couple subsequently had two children.
In 1959, Barkai volunteered to join the submarines and quickly became a captain of an Israeli Navy submarine. His expertise and military genius made him a common advisor in the Israeli Navy headquarters under the Command of Shlomo Arel
. By the late 1960s, Barkai was stationed for a brief time in the Naval quarters in Ashdod until in 1971 he was put in charge of the missile ship fleet. during the Yom Kippur War Barkai's military strategies and genius helped turn the tide of the war for the Israelis. Barkai managed to scare the Egyptian and Syrian navies so much that, by the end of the war, their ships would not leave the harbor(see Battle of Latakia
Battle of Baltim
). For his heroism, Barkai received the Medal of Distinguished Service
, which he accepted on behalf of all the Israeli missile ship fighters.
In 1974, Barkai was stationed at the Israeli Naval headquarters and in 1976, at the rank of Aluf
, Barkai became the Commander of the Israeli Navy. Barkai continued to build the Israeli Navy, under his command the Israeli Navy received the Gal class submarine
s and commissioned the building of two new corvettes. Barkai completely reorganized the sloppy command of the Israeli Navy into a great command.
and began chemotherapy
. At the same time, he was invited by the Navy to teach military strategies to IDF soldiers. Although he was weak, he immediately took the job.
On 28 May 1999, Alex Tal
, Commander of the Israeli Navy, personally called to inform Barkai that the American search team had found submarine INS Dakar
, which had sunk three kilometers underwater on its way to Israel, killing all crew members, including Barkai's brother. That same day Barkai committed suicide
.
His friend Yigal Tumarkin
said that "you couldn't hate Barkai and it was seven times harder to love him."
Medal of Distinguished Service
The Medal of Distinguished Service is an Israeli military decoration.- Overview :The medal has instituted in 1970 by act of law in the Knesset and could also be awarded also for actions performed before 1970....
for his command of the missile ships during the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
.
Childhood
Barkai was born in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, the capital of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, as a first born for Moshe and Rachel Borsok. He spent his childhood in the Fascist state of Romania where he and his family managed to evade the Nazis and their Final Solution
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
. In December 1947, his family tried to make aliyah to the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
, but their ship was caught by the British and they were sent to the Cyprus internment camps
Cyprus internment camps
Cyprus internment camps were camps run by the British government for internment of Jews who had immigrated or attempted to immigrate to Mandatory Palestine in violation of British policy...
(the British prohibited Jews emigration to the Land of Israel, see White Paper of 1939
White Paper of 1939
The White Paper of 1939, also known as the MacDonald White Paper after Malcolm MacDonald, the British Colonial Secretary who presided over it, was a policy paper issued by the British government under Neville Chamberlain in which the idea of partitioning the Mandate for Palestine, as recommended in...
). When Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
was proclaimed an independent Jewish State his family finally arrived in Israel and settled in Bat Yam. In Bat Yam, Barkai realized his love for the sea.
Service in the Israeli Navy
In 1955, Barkai enlisted in the Israeli Navy.In 1958, he married his wife Rachel, the couple subsequently had two children.
In 1959, Barkai volunteered to join the submarines and quickly became a captain of an Israeli Navy submarine. His expertise and military genius made him a common advisor in the Israeli Navy headquarters under the Command of Shlomo Arel
Shlomo Arel
Shlomo Arel was a Major General in the IDF, and the seventh Commander of the Israeli Navy.-Biography:Arel was born in Poland in 1920 and he made aliyah to Mandate Palestine with his parents in 1926. His family moved to Petah Tikva, but eventually settled in Tel Aviv...
. By the late 1960s, Barkai was stationed for a brief time in the Naval quarters in Ashdod until in 1971 he was put in charge of the missile ship fleet. during the Yom Kippur War Barkai's military strategies and genius helped turn the tide of the war for the Israelis. Barkai managed to scare the Egyptian and Syrian navies so much that, by the end of the war, their ships would not leave the harbor(see Battle of Latakia
Battle of Latakia
The Battle of Latakia was a small but revolutionary naval battle of the Yom Kippur War, fought on 7 October 1973, between Israel and Syria. It was the first naval battle in history to see combat between surface-to-surface missile-equipped missile boats and the use of electronic deception.At the...
Battle of Baltim
Battle of Baltim
The Battle of Baltim was fought between the Israeli Navy and the Egyptian Navy on October 8–9, 1973, during the Yom Kippur War. It took place off the Nile delta, between Baltim and Damietta...
). For his heroism, Barkai received the Medal of Distinguished Service
Medal of Distinguished Service
The Medal of Distinguished Service is an Israeli military decoration.- Overview :The medal has instituted in 1970 by act of law in the Knesset and could also be awarded also for actions performed before 1970....
, which he accepted on behalf of all the Israeli missile ship fighters.
In 1974, Barkai was stationed at the Israeli Naval headquarters and in 1976, at the rank of Aluf
Aluf
Aluf is the term used for General and Admiral in the Israel Defense Forces . In addition to the Aluf rank itself, there are four other ranks which are derivatives of the word...
, Barkai became the Commander of the Israeli Navy. Barkai continued to build the Israeli Navy, under his command the Israeli Navy received the Gal class submarine
Gal class submarine
The Type 540 Gal Class submarine is a slightly modified variant of the German HDW Type 206 submarine class , modified for Israeli requirements. The Gal class submarines were built to Israeli specifications as the Vickers shipyards Type 540 at Barrow in Furness in the UK rather than Germany for...
s and commissioned the building of two new corvettes. Barkai completely reorganized the sloppy command of the Israeli Navy into a great command.
After military service
Barkai and his wife Rachel moved to Greece where they built the yacht "Leviathan." With it they sailed around the world, returning to Israel only in 1995. In 1999, Barkai was diagnosed with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and began chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
. At the same time, he was invited by the Navy to teach military strategies to IDF soldiers. Although he was weak, he immediately took the job.
On 28 May 1999, Alex Tal
Alex Tal
Alex Tal was the Commander of the Israeli Navy in the years 1992-1996.Tal made aliyah from the Soviet Union in 1964 and enlisted in the Israeli Navy. After his training he served on the first Missile boat the Israeli Navy received. He also participated in the Cherbourg Project...
, Commander of the Israeli Navy, personally called to inform Barkai that the American search team had found submarine INS Dakar
INS Dakar
INS Dakar was the former modified British T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. In 1965, she was purchased by Israel as part of a group of three T-class submarines. She was commissioned into the Israeli Sea Corps in November 1967 and underwent sea and diving trials in Scotland. Dakar departed for...
, which had sunk three kilometers underwater on its way to Israel, killing all crew members, including Barkai's brother. That same day Barkai committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
His friend Yigal Tumarkin
Yigal Tumarkin
Yigal Tumarkin is an Israeli painter and sculptor. He is also known as Igael Tumarkin.-Biography:...
said that "you couldn't hate Barkai and it was seven times harder to love him."