Elia Rabinowitz was born on February 23, 1930 in Jersey City, NJ to Bella and Dov. The family made aliya in 1934 and Elia completed elementary school in Petach Tikva and the Max Fine School. He was a member of Hashomer Hatzair and the Gadna.
Following the UN Partition Resolution on Nov. 29, 1947, Elia volunteered with the Palmach. He was first sent to Kfar Yavetz where he experienced his first time under fire. He was then sent to the Negev where he participated in numerous battles against the Arab irregular bands.
He was killed in the battle at Ashdod to stop the advance of the Egyptian army on June 3, 1948. On Nov. 17, 1949 he was reburied in the military cemetery in Nachlat Yitzchak.