Abraham, Benjamin

Benyamin (Benny, Beno), son of Victoria and Ephraim, was born on the 26th of Adar II, 5711 (1951) in Lod. He studied at the “Komemiyot” elementary school in Bnei Brak and then completed his studies at the “Remez” vocational school in Bnei Brak, specializing in fine mechanics. Benny was a diligent student and loved very much by his teachers. He was a member of the Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed youth movement and active among the youth in Pardes Katz. Benny was tall and strong, and as a sports fan, he was one of the players of “Hapoel” Bnei Brak and played basketball and swimming. He had a collection of stamps and coins that he had spent many hours on. He was optimistic, cheerful and smiling, and excelled at the honesty and meticulousness he inherited from his parents. As a child, the family lived in Moshav Yagel and Benny learned there to love nature and liked to wander around. Benjamin was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in May 1969 and was assigned to the Engineering Corps, where he participated in the battles of attrition in the Sinai and the Mardafim and ambushes in the Jordan Valley. In the Yom Kippur War, on the night of the 20th of Tishrei 5734 (October 16, 1973), his armored force was joined by half-tracks, and one of them was Benny, and after the crossing was opened, fire from tanks and other weapons, including missiles, opened on the half-tracks. Some of the half-tracks were hit by a direct hit, and after the battle he was considered missing, but his body was later identified and brought to rest in the Kiryat Shaul cemetery.