Saadia Sharabi, the grandfather of the late Shalom Menachem who was killed in the APC explosion in Gaza, spoke about his grandson's character in an interview with Galei Tzahal.

"He was born on the eve of Shavuot, raised on the Torah and its commandments, studied and developed himself in them. In high school, the ways of the Torah were opened to him, and he developed magnificently to our pride and the pride of the State of Israel," the grandfather described.

He added, "He was an unparalleled grandchild, a child with values, courtesy, who understood what honoring parents is. He had a soul for singing and music, he loved life and the path his parents imparted to him."

He spoke about their special bond: "Shalom grew up in my house. I built them an apartment next to me and I would see him morning and evening. His noble character is always on my mind. He literally grew up on my knees. Here he absorbed the spirit of the people and the spirit of the land. We saw his dedication to the people of Israel. He waited for his enlistment with great excitement and great love for combat service. We had many conversations about the military because he was in the battalion I served in."