Daniel Haas was born on December 9, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio to Meyer and Shoshana. He studied in Jewish schools in his hometown and was active in Bnei Akiva.
From his childhood, Daniel displayed a rare talent in fine mechanics, and through this ability, he expressed himself. When he was 10 years old he built a talking robot. At the age of 14, he built a hang glider, which actually flew to the amazement of the people watching. He taught himself martial arts and had his own hidden dojo on school grounds. He was also self-taught in guitar, both of which he mastered.
Everything Daniel did was meticulous and organized. Thanks to his skills, he learned to design gold jewelry and gemstones. Daniel made aliyah in 1979 and began to study philosophy at Bar-Ilan University. He wanted to immerse himself fully in Israeli society, so he studied at the ulpan in Yishuv Ofra, where he worked half a day and studied Hebrew intensely the other half. Before making aliyah, he had built a motorcycle out of spare parts and wanted it with him. Bringing a vehicle to Israel meant paying heavy taxes, so instead he shipped it in pieces. At the Haifa port, he took out his tools, assembled it on the spot, and drove himself home.
Daniel joined the army and served in Nachal. Later he became a mefaked kita, the commander of a group of soldiers. He took this responsibility seriously and saw it as a calling to impart good values, which he learned at home.
He was homesick throughout his service, as no immediate family yet lived in Israel. Daniel was what we would now call a lone soldier.
His dream was to open a jewelry shop in Ofra. He even designed a mechanical hand that would allow handicapped veterans to work in this shop.
During the Peace for Galilee campaign in June 1982, Daniel was no longer in active service. He was not among the first called up, so he contacted his commanders and requested to be drafted to reserve duty. This would be his first and only miluim. Leading his unit on July 21, 1982 during a morning patrol in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, Daniel encountered an enemy ambush. Carrying the Mag machine gun, his role was to provide cover fire while his soldiers reloaded. He was killed in the exchange of fire on Rosh Chodesh Av, along with four other soldiers.
Daniel Haas was buried at Har Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. He left behind his parents (who have since passed), four sisters and their families, and many nieces and nephews who carry his name. His memory lives on in countless friends and loved ones.
Daniel's friends from Ofra compiled a book of memories and letters he wrote. A Torah library and a playground were established in his name in Ofra. Donations from Young Israel in Cleveland helped establish a fully equipped mobile synagogue that travels from base to base as needed. In Jerusalem, the VCI Daniel Haas Center (Volunteer Clevelanders in Israel) was created to assist new olim from Cleveland.
*** The information on this page is part of the 'Yizkor' commemoration project by the Ministry of Defense / the 'La'ad' website by the National Insurance Institute, in memory of the fallen. We strive for accuracy and apologize for any errors. For corrections or comments, please contact us here: https://aaciremembers.org/contact-us/ **
