Photos taken on my Minolta XG-1 using Ilford monochromatic film, 2022.

On October 6, 1973 Syrian and Egyptian forces launched a surprise attack on the State of Israel. It was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Syria’s invasion force comprised of 700 tanks (against Israel’s 175) and they carried state-of-the-art missiles and night vision (which Israeli tanks did not possess). The Syrian tanks invaded Israel in the Golan Heights through this valley.

On day 4 of the battle, Commander Avigdor Kahalani rallied his outgunned and outnumbered tanks in a desperate and almost suicidal final attempt to stop the invasion. Amazingly, the Israeli forces prevailed and defeated the invasion force. Over 500 destroyed Syrian tanks and armored personnel carriers were left behind from the battle. Following their defeat at the Valley of Tears, the Syrian offensive was effectively stopped.

After the Yom Kippur War, the battleground became known as the Valley of Tears (in Hebrew, Emek Habaha). Today, a Jewish National Fund memorial site stands for fallen members of the armored corps from the 77th Brigade. The memorial is called Oz 77, from the Hebrew word for “strength.”

Part of the monument consists of a T62 Syrian tank, one of the tanks that spearheaded the Syrian attack. Look for the gaping hole in the front where it was hit in battle.

The memorial’s Israeli tank (also from the battle) appears large, slow and clumsy next to the small and dexterous Syrian tank. The memorial tank still faces defensively towards the nations border, it’s back protective of Israel which falls behind it.

I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. [Matthew 17:20]