Avigdor 'Yanush' Ben-Gal, born Janusz Goldlust on May 14, 1936, in Łódź, Poland (then Second Polish Republic), was a retired Israeli major general. At age three in 1939, he fled the Nazi invasion with his family; his parents disappeared during the journey, leaving him orphaned with his sister. They endured a three-and-a-half-year odyssey as part of the 'Tehran Children,' exiled to the USSR, passing through Siberia, Uzbekistan, Tehran, India, and Egypt before arriving in Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine, in 1943. Facing hunger, cold, abuse, and illness, this early life forged his resilience, later noted by eulogists like Rabbi Berel Lazar for instilling profound humanity and empathy toward those in need. Drafted into the Israel Defense Forces shortly after Israel's 1948 independence, he served from 1956 to 1981, rising to Major General (Aluf). His combat experience included the 1956 Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, and a pivotal role in the 1973 Yom Kippur War as commander of the 7th Armored Brigade, where he heroically halted the Syrian advance on the Golan Heights, credited with saving Israel. He led Operation Litani in 1978, commanded Northern Command (1977-1981), trained the South Lebanon Army, and advocated strong support for Lebanese Christians against Syrian influence. Post-military retirement, he served as former head of Israel Aircraft Industries (now IAI) and former chairman of NSO Group's board. Married to Avital, he had seven children, including twins Tohar and Ilai. He died from cancer on February 13, 2016, at age 79, and was buried at Kiryat Shaul Military Cemetery. Commemorations, such as in Kazan, Russia (2016), highlighted his journey through the city and enduring legacy as a war hero shaped by Holocaust survival.