Becker, Jacob (‘Cuba’)

Son of Zvi and Bracha, a Holocaust survivor. Born in Lodz, Poland, on September 9, 1948. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1957. He studied at the Geulim Elementary School in Ashdod and completed his studies at the ORT high school in Rehovot, in the electronics track. A brilliant student with great technical ability, his friend Ephraim says: “Cuba was very stubborn. He had a special love to argue with the teachers. The class was on his side, and Kuba fought for his opinions and was not prepared to compromise. “Yaakov was a sociable and active person in school, a sports fan who excelled in cycling, a large collection of stamps and devoted much of his time to his collection Yaakov was a loyal son and devoted to his parents and maintained a very close relationship with his family, and Yaakov was drafted into the ” In July 1968 and volunteered for the air force. He studied for a year in the Air Force Technical School and was trained as a communications and control technician. Continued to serve in the regular army for one year with the rank of sergeant. After a time he was transferred to a command post and served as the commander of his friends, with whom he went all the way in the IDF and was always ready to help others in everything, and was an example of his friends in his good temper, passivity and dedication. To work in the Defense Ministry, later in the Civil Aviation Administration in Lod, in the Navigation and Electronics Department, where he served as a laboratory technician. He was diligent and devoted and achieved outstanding achievements in his field. In the Yom Kippur War, Yaakov was called to reserve duty for half a year in the Sinai. Three weeks after his release, he was called to reserve duty in the Golan Heights. On May 17, 1974, Jacob was hit by a Syrian bombardment in Tel-Bazak and fell in battle. Was brought to eternal rest in the military section of the Ashdod cemetery. Survived by his parents, brother and sister. His close friends, who went with them for a long distance, established a social club and a library in his memory, bearing his name. His colleagues at the Civil Aviation Administration in Lod set up a study room in his department. In the booklet “Ella Habanim” – in memory of the children of Ashdod, the fallen soldiers of Israel’s systems – an article was published about the path and image of the late Jacob (Kuba).