Gil Badiccini

Great old Mike

As a young man somewhere in Britain as a teenager

A rebel to the system while having a Beer with friends   made an intervention, “I would cross the whole continent of Africa on foot and go  back” for a sum of money not much even silly   amount of money  

Immediately afterwards, Mike went out to North Africa and began hiking in the deserts of Africa, the difficult conditions of the  road while catching rides to fulfill his destiny

Yes Mike was bit Crazy

Upon arriving in Johannesburg in the 1960s he arrived in general exhaustion

He immediately contacted a relative and was sent for medical treatment to stabilize his condition.

Yes this is the first story he used to tell when meeting with acquaintances and neighbors

The Englishman Mike is not only great hiker, he was also a great Fighter

In Operation Kadesh somewhere in the Israeli war history, as  a young new comer to Israel, Mike immigrated to Israel and was drafted into the paratroopers.

In those years the paratroopers were the ones who had fire in their eyes and capriciousness – Crazy

Mike parachuted into the operation of the liberation of the “Mit-l'e” as recorded on the pages of our country's history

First drop beyond enemy lines

According to his story, while still with the parachute in the air, he snatched a bundle of bullets that pierced his body, immediately received medical treatment by the paramedic and was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition.

Mike the Englishman from a Jewish Zionist family spent quite a bit in hospitals, heal ways told this to his audience and guests

According to the Story the nurse at the hospital fell in love with him and married him upon his release healthy and firmly back on his feet

Rachel is a Noble woman from a great  family and her beauty   is sublime to me

Mike and Rachel lived in the Old City of Safed, did not take part in the committee of artists and both lived in a house that they purchased and nurtured with  beauty and dignity  

 many funny tales, songs in English

 With joints and Arak

Mike is gone on a sublime and great Jewish date

Tu B'Av –The Jewish Valentine's Day

Mike was and will remain forever in my memories as a man of love & care

Mike wrote books in English and poems also

His talents knew no bounds, also an immensely talented painter

No small drinker and heavy smoker

For me the Englishman Mike always  will remain  an heroic figure

Cultural icon

He spent   many years with Rachel with  love, Rachel  endured all-laughs sweet curses and life stories full of insights art and   loyalty

 Mike came over  with Rachel to the balcony of our house, on the weekends, just to meet with my late mother and my father and with me in moments of good fortune to be inspired  , always welcome if it was to the cafe she during the week, for a drink and good cake

Mike   despite his injury which left a mark - used to walk for whole days in the mountain landscapes of  the Galilee.

Mike was inspired by my mother and started working hard on sculpture in paper Mache’,these sculptures gave   a lot of joy, he worked hard on his work as an artist and had a bit of  success and some money.

His sculptures are displayed in many places, & his  workshop - gallery and so on

In the  last decade they used to spend part of the year in Thailand  

A charming hippie beatnik who has taught many students

His wooden sculptures have been sold in various countries around the world

His books in particular have personally inspired me

And so, the course of his life with other  English veterans pensioners  used to spend -Time  in Thailand Full of content -  the Thai life

To me Mike Leaf is  a poet icon in the words his  paintings  and his  sculptors with great humor

My dear Mike, you're up there with quite a few old artists

In the clouds with Lulik, Tineka, Yaakov, Jan, Simcha, and more

who knows maybe when the day comes I will join the celebration

Dedicated with love and salute with a Spliff

http://www.mikeleaf.com/

R.I.P.

“Damn Those were an amazing Times”

Gilless