Caleb, Yechiel
Son of Romya and Menahem, was born on 27.5.1923 in the city of Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. Arrived in Israel with his parents when he was a year old. The family settled in Jerusalem. Until age 8 he studied in a Yemenite “cheder” and at the age of 9 moved to an elementary school for boys. As a student of this school he joined the “Health Guard” and the “Magal” group at the age of 12 near the Guggenheim sports fields. As a result, he developed a sense of sport and a desire to develop his body. Yechiel excelled in light athletics and especially in running. He participated in many competitions and became famous in Israel as the “national run champion” after winning the competition of the outstanding Jewish, Arab and English runners. His dedication to sport and even his guidance did not weaken his desire for general development, and he spent all his free time diligently studying the evening matriculation course. With great effort, he was educated and at the same time supported his poor family by working in construction. In his good temper, he liked all his knowledge, and his disciples admired and respected him. In 1940 he joined the Jewish Settlements Police and since then has taken on responsible positions in the Hagana. With the outbreak of the War of Independence after the United Nations General Assembly decided on 29 November 1947 to divide the country into two states, he was one of the first recruits and participated as a machine gunner in many battles around Jerusalem. A few days later he was among the members of the “Halachah” (“the Mountain Division”), 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 departed from Hartuv on the night of 16 and 15 January and were loaded with weapons, ammunition and equipment, but due to the late hour of departure and the difficulties of the road, they could not reach Gush Katif 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 to 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 January 16, 1948. Yechiel was buried in Kfar Etzion on November 17, 1949, Was transferred, with the fallen of Gush Etzion, to a mass grave in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
