Ben-Atar, Yaakov

Son of Miriam and Shimon was born on February 24, 1929, in Jerusalem. He participated in the battles in the outskirts of Jerusalem and was among the members of the “Halachah” Department, Palmach and Hachash fighters who were sent as reinforcements to Gush Etzion after the large attack on the Gush on 14.1.1948. The fighters left Hartuv on the night of 15-16 January, loaded with weapons, ammunition, and equipment, but due to the late hour of departure and the difficulties of the road, they could not reach the Gush in the night. At dawn, the department was discovered by villagers in the area of the villages of Beit Natif, Jaba and Surif, who called the Arabs of the area and surrounded the department. The fighters organized themselves on one of the hills (the “Battle Hill” today) and fought with the masses of Arabs until they all fell in battle on the of 5th of Shevat 5708 (January 16, 1948.) Yaakov fell and he was 19 and buried in kfar etzion (17.11.1949) was transferred with the rest of the victims of the Gush to eternal rest in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.