Ben-Zaken, Albert

Albert, son of Ruth and Jacob, was born in 1949 in Tetouan, Morocco, and in the year 5707 his family immigrated to Israel and settled in Mevasseret Yerushalayim. He completed his elementary studies at the Moreshet School in Mevasseret Yerushalayim. When he was 15, he had to go to work to help support the household, and began to work with his father. Until midday he worked in Jerusalem, and in the evening he studied. Since the way back home was long, he stayed in town until the beginning of school in the evening. He completed his studies in electrical engineering at the ORT vocational high school and when he returned to his home in the late evening he sat to prepare his lessons and study until midnight. He had little time for other pursuits. Friday was the only time he spent leisurely in the family circle. Nevertheless, he found time for reading and painting. He read mainly history books and novels, and his library was full of them. During the rest of his spare time, he painted and decorated his room with his paintings. Albert was drafted into the IDF in mid-February 1967. After completing basic training, he completed a tank-artillery course and a tank course, shortly after his enlistment, when the Six-Day War broke out and he fought in the southern front. He served until the day of his release, and in the course of his service he took part in the Karameh operation and was miraculously saved from certain death: Albert used to say that if you fight, then there is no better than a tank. The shell hits and you face. In the middle of February 1970 Albert was discharged from compulsory service and began working for an electrical company, and in the evening he continued to study electrical engineering and electronics, and his daily schedule was as busy as before the enlistment – work, study, During his spare time – painting and reading – he suffered a great crisis when his beloved girlfriend Flora was killed in a road accident, and for a long time he refused to leave the walls of his room and see people, forcing him to spend some time to relax and escape his deep depression. When Juliet and Albert got married they had many plans for a rosy future, they programmed Bee In the Yom Kippur War, Albert served as a tank gunner in the Golan Heights, and his unit was one of the first to emerge from the Sea of ​​Galilee in order to stop the Syrians’ attack on the 8th of Tishrei, 5710 (October 8, 2010). 1973), his tank was damaged and Albert was killed, brought to rest in the cemetery on Mount Herzl, and left behind a wife, parents, two brothers and five sisters: “Albert proved himself to be an excellent tank. He was loved by his friends and was always willing to volunteer and help carry out any task assigned to the unit. “