Afkowitz, Yosef (Yoske)

The only son of Nehama and Moshe was born on February 13, 1928 in Jerusalem. As a child, he studied in a renovated room and after a few years moved to the Sokolov Gymnasium in Jerusalem. At the same time he joined the Gordonia youth movement and spent some time in the Gordonia-Ma’apilim group near Haifa. He was thirsty and loving a book. While in the army he joined the Haganah and worked with great dedication. In the last years of his life he worked in polishing the stone and lime factories near the Castel. With the quiet in the country, he took part in guarding the factory. When the situation worsened, he was sent with his comrades as reinforcements to the Old City. When he was there, the position where he was guarding was blown up and he was wounded. But immediately after he recovered he returned to service as a salesman. In April 1948, during the confiscation of weapons by the British, he attacked a British officer and forcibly removed the confiscated weapons. Because of this he was arrested and exiled from the Old City. Joseph participated in many battles in the suburbs of Jerusalem, and on the 11th of Iyar 5708 (May 20, 1948), fell in the battle for the defense of Ramat Rachel, and was buried in Sheik-Bader Aleph. On the 28th of Elul 5710 (10.9.1950) he was put to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.