Asal, Jacob
Son of Giselle and Henry. He was born on December 6, 1966, in Lod. Yaakov began his studies at the Shalom Aleichem elementary school in Lod and then continued at the “religious youth center” secondary school in this city. He completed his studies in electrical engineering and in a certificate of excellence as a qualified electrician. Jacob loved his mother very much. As a boy, he used to work in a flower store for the holidays, and with the money he earned, he bought a favorite object. Thus, each year, he gave his mother a gift for the holidays. During his military service, his mother died, and he expressed sadness at writing melancholy songs in which he expressed his love for her. Jacob was sensitive to the distress of others and used to help his friends and neighbors in their financial, familial, and other concerns; And they loved him very much – “Kobi” would call him. Jacob’s volunteer spirit naturally led him to volunteer for the Civil Guard. Thus, she was assigned to maintain security in his city. Jacob was blessed with a very sweet voice, in which he was pleasant to his friends at their parties. And not only there – the cantor in the synagogue, which Jacob visited frequently, did not hesitate to ask him to join him in singing their prayers. Yaakov’s musical sense led him to learn to play drums, and even to consider joining a military band; But nevertheless felt that he could not contribute “all of it” as he put it, for the sake of the state. He therefore chose to join the army when he was drafted in 1986 to the Golani Brigade. He was proud of belonging to this brigade, and spoke about it many among his family. In the course of his service, he successfully completed a course for armored personnel carriers, attained the rank of First Sergeant and served as a sergeant-sergeant on September 18, 1988. On that day, Yaakov Mahal’s unit was established near the city of Nablus. Jacob was in his tent, when a bullet was thrown from a friend’s rifle to the tent, hit him and killed him. He was twenty-one when he died. He was brought to eternal rest in the old cemetery in Lod. Survived by a father, and eleven brothers and sisters – Sima, Victor, Yaffa, Rachel, Paulette, Shlomo, Orly, Dakar, Dolphin, Nurit and Ilan. In his letter of condolence to the family, the commander of his unit wrote: “Yaakov was one of the senior noncoms in the battalion. Very devoted, disciplined, a professional who does not spare himself a drop of sweat … for the welfare of his subordinates. “
