Barkai, Abraham (“Bumi”)

Son of Moshe and Rachel. He was born on January 6, 1937 in Romania. When Abraham was ten years old, his family immigrated to Israel on an illegal immigrant ship and the ship was caught by the British and its passengers were taken to Cyprus. In the meantime, the establishment of the State of Israel was declared and after several months in the camps where the immigrants arrived. The family settled in Jaffa, near the border with Bat Yam. Avraham attended the “Tachkemoni” elementary school in Daughter of-Yam and not many days later learned the language and even acquired many friends. He proved a strong desire to succeed in his studies. He immediately joined the maritime industry of “Hapoel” Bat Yam where he worked in rowing boats and sailing boats and participated in various competitions of his life and even won a complete series of trophies and certificates. When he reached high school, the family’s financial situation was bad, but Avraham did not abandon high school and attended high school in Tel Aviv – but he was a student at evening classes, because during the day he went to work. His enlistment was postponed after his high school studies because of the necessity of supporting his parents. Abraham worked in the merchant navy and refused to do any work. He was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces in August 1957. He was disappointed that his Lev attracted him to the sea, which he learned to love over time, but was soon assigned to the navy and transferred to Haifa. He was soon to be promoted to the rank of officer, and he would describe the following eight months of service as “a difficult but interesting period,” after which he went on a course for captains, which was not easy for Avraham, But he managed to catch up with his classmates – again thanks to his practical experience in the Merchant Navy – and successfully completed the course. Second lieutenant in the NGHA “Noga” as a deck officer and navigator. In those days he first met his future wife. After he accepted the offer to join the divers course and was certified as a diver in July 1960, and at the end of that year Avraham took his wife. Only ten days later he went on a five-month course in England. In the meantime, Avraham was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and on his return to Israel he was added to the “Tanin” team as a sonar officer and later as a torpedo officer (his deputy commander was Ya’acov Ra’anan). In “The Crocodile,” Avraham showed his talent, seriousness and dedication to the army and divers, and was offered to serve in the modern submarines. In 1964 he went back to a course in England to study the war of the torpedo. This time, Avraham and his young wife decided to go out together – together with their three-month-old son. On their return from England he returned to the “Tanin” and after a while became deputy commander of the submarine. In 1966 he was offered to join the Dakar team as its deputy commander – and in October of that year they went back to England. He was sent to a two-month course for submarine commanders and no one was happier than him. He completed his commanders’ course with honors and his British commanders noted his achievements for the better and expressed his opinion that he was confident, quick-response and very capable of command. Avraham then returned to his position as deputy commander of the “Dakar”. When the renovations in Dakar were over and the submarine set off for the port of the house, and it was found on the sea route between Gibraltar and Israel, the connection with it was suddenly cut off and never renewed. This was on the 24th of Tevet 5728 (25.1.1968). The Chief Military Rabbinate determined that the date of Avraham’s death, in the course of his duties together with the rest, was 30.1.1968. He left a wife and a young son. Since Avraham was among the missing members of the team, a memorial monument was placed inside him in the memorial to the Dakar people in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. In his letter of condolences to his wife, the commander of the navy wrote, among other things: “Avraham was your darlingAn excellent and talented commander, stood out with great agility and excellent technical understanding, and was always the center of the company, both in the naval commando and outside. We will remember him for his great love for the sea, for his Yaffa service and for his external talent and command. “On the 28th of Sivan 5759 (28.5.1999), several pages – and a picture of them – were dedicated to Abraham in Eran Shorer’s book” At the end of years of exploration, the INS Dakar submarine was found on the Mediterranean Sea floor at a depth of 2,900 meters on its planned sailing route and 250 miles from the port of Haifa. This fallen hero is a “maklan” – a hero whose burial place is unknown.