Avison (Iozashvili), Benjamin (Benny)

Benjamin, son of Hanna and Yosef-Chaim Avison (Iozashvilli) was born on March 25, 1927 in Jerusalem. He graduated from high school and was accepted to the Jerusalem Law School in order to become a lawyer. Benjamin excelled in his studies and received special approval from the French consul in Jerusalem for free study in France. In the meantime, he began to work as a clerk in the Jerusalem District Court. During the Second World War he enlisted in the British Army, served in the Royal Air Force, and attained the rank of Lance Corporal. At the beginning of the War of Independence, he joined the Jerusalem Brigade as a lieutenant colonel and fought in battles in the city, and with the British evacuation from Jerusalem, our forces conducted the “Kalashon” operation, which was to take over key points in the city, including the Berkeley Bank building. Benjamin was wounded and died of his wounds on the 12th of Iyar 5708 (May 20, 1948) and was buried in Sheikh Bader A. On the 27th of Av 5710 (10.9.1950) he was transferred to eternal rest in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.