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Ben-Yaakov, Judah

Ben-Yaakov, Judah


Yehuda, son of Sarah and Elijah, was born on the 5th of Adar 5713 (5.3.1953) in Ramat Gan. He studied at an elementary school in Eilat and Ma’alot and graduated from the Nahalal High School. Judah wandered with his parents along the length of the land, from Eilat to son of-Ami and from there to Ma’alot. He was a good student, a sociable boy, full of energy and verbs. He was also an outstanding athlete, played basketball and boxing, and attached great importance to physical training and fitness. He also devoted his time to hunting, fishing and hiking around the country. A Yaffa landscape was moving him and his entourage and he knew well the large parts of the country. Yehuda also had a talent for acting; At school, he played the leading roles in all the drama dramas. Yehuda, whose members called him “sons”, was a loyal friend, Simcha to help others and always stood at the center of all social activity. Even before he enlisted, he was drawn to military life and was very interested in security problems. Yehuda was drafted into the IDF in early August 1971 and volunteered for the “Shaked” reconnaissance unit, during which he underwent a course for infantry officers, a paratroopers course, and a scouts course. He demanded that his soldiers invest a great deal of effort in maintaining physical fitness, never ceasing to practice and practice, always leading first on any arduous journey, running long or attacking a target. Benya was a handsome young man, solid and healthy, with a sense of humor, and he loved to laugh and to hang out, and yet he wanted to In his role, he was diligent and devoted, fulfilled every task meticulously, and demanded that his people perform perfectly and perform well, as he demanded from others, and as a commander he could preach, be angry and punish a soldier who had been dishonest but not devoted to his soldiers. During the Yom Kippur War, Judah’s unit fought in the northern Sinai, making its way to the northern part of the Suez Canal, and on the way, near Romani, overcame Egyptian commandos who ambushed it. . On the 10th of Tishrei 5734 (10.10.1973), the unit, which was its deputy commander, was sent to join and assist the fighters of the “Budapest” stronghold, the northernmost stronghold in the Canal. Judah’s force stormed an ambush set up by Egyptian commandos, thereby blocking access to the besieged stronghold. The force encountered fire and its progress stopped. Yehuda commanded a squad of four fighters, who tried to cross the exposed area and reach the Egyptian soldiers’ foxholes. Judah attacked his men in this battle, was wounded and killed. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Nahariya. Survived by his parents, sisters and brothers. After his fall, he was promoted to lieutenant. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, his commander wrote that Yehuda was an excellent soldier, an excellent officer, a model friend and a fierce fighter, who excelled in willpower and thoroughness. The memorial was published in a booklet commemorating the fallen of the “Shaked” reconnaissance unit that fell during the war.

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