Berkovits, Yosef

Son of Menachem-Shlomo. He was born in May 1896 in Constantinople, Turkey to a father from Romania and to a mother who was born in Poland. In 1925 he immigrated to Eretz Israel, studied Hebrew and Shaked for Bible studies and Judaism, was accepted as a senior official in the customs department and acted against various smugglers in a hard and unbiased manner, but among his friends he was known for his good temper and his willingness to help others. Volunteered to defend the Yishuv, and when scores of Arabs stormed Tel Aviv from the seashore he was one of the first defenders to repel the assault. He was placed in a defensive position in the Neve Shalom neighborhood. On August 25, 1929, he fell with his friend while attempting to rescue Jewish workers who had been confined to a factory in Spiret, unable to return to their homes. On the way, armed rioters attacked them from the village of Abu Kabir. Yosef and his friend showed courage but were seriously wounded and soon died of their wounds. He was brought to rest in the cemetery in Tel Aviv.