Cyril, Joseph (Jopri)

Son of Elias (Salah) and Victoria. He was born on 3 October 1932 in India, where he attended a local school, and in 1950, when he was eighteen, decided to immigrate to Israel. His parents and brother Morris remained in India. His sister, Rezlind, and his three other brothers – Ernst, Ronald, and Rafael – moved to London; And Geoffrey – who passed his name to Joseph – was the only member of the family who wanted to build his future in Israel. At the beginning of his stay in Israel, he lived in Moshav Halasa in the Upper Galilee, after which he moved to Ashdod, where he worked as a truck driver. He married Regina, and the couple had four sons and two daughters. At the end of September 1950, Yosef was drafted into the IDF, served in the Engineering Corps and served as a platoon commander. On the 17th of Nissan 5738 (May 1, 1978) he fell during his service. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Ashdod. He was 46 when he fell. He left behind a wife, four sons, two daughters, parents, four brothers and a sister. In a letter of condolence to the family, his commander wrote: “Yosef was given a responsible job – to supervise order and security in the city of Ashdod, but the fate of the IDF lost a dear man and a loyal soldier.”