"If I could, I would go back to being a policeman": 88-year-old returns to the station he commanded

The police car that stopped a few weeks ago at the entrance to the assisted living facility in Kiryat Tivon was not rushing to any incident. It arrived especially for one passenger: Yehoshua Sinai, an 88-year-old retired Lieutenant Colonel, who had dreamed for years of returning to the Migdal HaEmek station — the first station he commanded — 45 years after he parted from it.

To understand what drew him back there, one must go back many years. Sinai was born in Bulgaria and immigrated to Israel as a child with his parents in 1948, in the midst of the War of Independence. At first, the family lived in an immigrant transit camp in Pardes Hanna, and two months later moved to a permanent home in Jerusalem. "We moved to the Baka neighborhood, and that is also where I finished high school," he recalls. "I was drafted into Givati in 1956, immediately after the 'Sinai Campaign'. After my discharge, I started studying special education at the Hebrew University, and at the same time worked as a counselor for at-risk youth — guys who wandered the streets at night and got into trouble. As part of this work, I was also appointed responsible for interrogating children up to age 14 in sex offense cases."

His work as a counselor and investigator for at-risk youth, alongside his education studies, led him, a few years later, to the uniform: in 1971, Sinai was drafted into the police, and based on the experience he had gained, he was assigned to a youth investigator course. Upon its completion, he began working as an investigator in the youth department in Jerusalem. "After seven or eight years in the Jerusalem police, they asked me to move north, and I was appointed youth officer of the Amakim district," he says with pride. "I was the first youth officer of the Israel Police — I made history, and in fact created the role from scratch — and I served in it for five or six years."

"I contributed to building a home in Israel"

The move north was not only professional: Sinai and his family settled in Kibbutz Ramat David in the Jezreel Valley, and later moved to Ramat Yishai. The valley became his home, and he remains there to this day.

Is there a special moment from your work that you remember from that period?

"The most interesting story is related to the murder of the teachers in Gilboa," he says, referring to the murder of Leah Almakis and Yosef Eliyahu (of blessed memory) in 1985. "One of the murderers, it turned out in retrospect, had previously saved a child who was lost in Gilboa, and even received a cash prize from the army for it. I also remember from that period the close work with Rabbi Grossman, who was already the Chief Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek. Together we helped a young couple get married: the man had open files in the police from his youth, and the woman, who was lonely and sad, feared mainly that she would not be able to marry her beloved. With the rabbi's help, I closed four files for him, and thus the wedding was made possible. I remember that I felt very good about myself for having contributed to building a home in Israel."

Upon completing his role as a district youth officer, Sinai was appointed commander of the Migdal HaEmek police, and two years later moved to command the Afula station. "The move was sudden, from one day to the next, because the station commander left the country. Unlike Migdal HaEmek, this was a large station, with more than 80 police officers and responsibility for a larger area."

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Yehoshua Sinai: "I am a good ambassador for the police, because I have great appreciation for it and for the police officers, but I also blame it for not knowing how to sell itself to the residents. It does not do enough so that citizens know what hard work the police officers do."

Sinai filled the role of Afula station commander for three years, and at their end went to the Command and Staff College. Upon completing the course, he was again appointed youth officer of the Amakim district, and from this position he retired. "After retiring, I continued to work as a field coordinator in the Scouts and as a youth investigator on behalf of the Ministry of Welfare, and in 1991 I retired completely. Since then, for 35 years, I have been a retiree and miss my work in the police very much."

"A good ambassador for the police"

Sinai, a father of a daughter and grandfather of five grandchildren, was widowed many years ago, and today he lives in an assisted living facility in Kiryat Tivon — the one from which the police car picked him up on the morning of the visit. The old dream was fulfilled by Brigadier General Ran Ophir, commander of the Amakim district, who was exposed to the immortal commander's desire to return and visit the station he commanded — and ensured that the visit would take place.

What made you want to visit the station after so many years?

"First of all, I really enjoyed this role — it was my first station commander role," says Sinai. "I love Migdal HaEmek very much and have known the city since its less good times, and I am very satisfied with the way it looks today. I wanted to return to it, and especially to the station that was a home to me, to see with my own eyes the positive development they have undergone."

According to him, "They received me very nicely at the station: they gave me a comprehensive tour, asked to hear about the history of the station, and I was happy to share with them my experiences from the time I commanded it."

How much has the station changed since you left it?

"The number of police officers has jumped fourfold compared to my time, and there were even police officers who came on their day off to listen to me. I also met some of my police officers from the past, who are today police retirees themselves. I am not ashamed to say that the police today are in a much, much better state than the period I served in," he adds honestly. "When I was a station commander, we had two rooms, and today there is a new and modern building."

And despite this, there is a lot of criticism of the police today. "I tell you two things: I am a good ambassador for the police, because I have great appreciation for it and for the police officers, but I also blame it for not knowing how to sell itself to the residents. It does not do enough so that citizens know what hard work the police officers do to protect public order and the residents."

So those who slander the police do so out of a lack of knowledge?

"Definitely. Everything stems from a lack of knowledge. Police officers are engaged in saving citizens and enforcing the law, and anyone who thinks otherwise does not know or is not aware of the police's work."

One of the common claims today is that the police have become "Ben Gvir's police."

"I have not heard these slanders, and in my feeling, the police are doing holy work and overall we have a good police force. If I could fulfill a dream, I would return to the uniform and be a policeman — it is an incredibly interesting job, and the police do a lot for the citizens and deserve the public's appreciation."