Ben Giat, Eliyahu (Eli)

Son of Esther and Meir, was born in 1930 in Jerusalem. His father was a senior government official and his mother was a descendant of rabbis who came from Rhodes. Eliyahu was one of the regular escorts of the convoys to Jerusalem. Later he was appointed armored commander and later deputy commander of a convoy. Near Neve Ilan, one of the cars came up on a mine. The caravan stopped and a shower of fire fell on every side. Eliyahu recovered and with the Bren machine gun he ran toward the attackers. In doing so, he saved the convoy from oblivion. Then he went to defend the convoys to Kfar Etzion and took part in the battle of Nabi Daniel. He and his friends discovered the well there and saved the lives of the wounded. After returning to Jerusalem, he did not take a break and went straight to Castel. On the 27th of Adar II 5708 (7.4.1948) the Arab forces conducted a fierce attack to capture the place. Those who fell in this battle, including Eliyahu, were buried in Ma’ale Hachamisha and on the 12th of Kislev 5714 ( 19.11.1953) were transferred to eternal rest in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.