Abay, Yaakov (Yanczek)

Son of Dov. Born in 1915 in Karlsava, Latvia, he joined the Gordonia movement, was active in it and took part in all its tasks, and in 1935 immigrated to Eretz Israel as a member of the Lithuanian-Latvian nucleus and joined the Geva group. Soon he became a member of the group and during the 1936-1939 riots he was a guard and a field guard. With the outbreak of World War II, he volunteered for the British army and served in the infantry. On the 15th of Shvat 5704 (February 15, 1944), he was injured in the course of his duty by a stray bullet and was killed. He was brought to rest in his kibbutz. In a letter of condolence to the Geva group, his commander, Major Cohen, wrote: “A model soldier … a machine gunner of the best … clean, honest, loved by his officers, sergeants and comrades in arms.” A list in his memory was published in the “Echoes from Home” booklet of the Geva Group; It was also immortalized in a memorial booklet for the fallen of the Gilboa.