Falah, Ben Zion (Benz)

Son of Simcha and Eliahu, one of the pioneers of the pioneering aliya from Tripolitania (Libya) who immigrated to Israel in 1922 and settled in Jerusalem, was born on February 18, 1927 in Jerusalem. When he was one year old, the family moved to Pardes Katz to work and preserve the orchard. The boy grew up in the countryside and was a strong and brave boy. son of-Zion studied at the Mizrachi elementary school in nearby Bnei Brak, but found little satisfaction in his studies because of his sweeping alertness and cheerfulness, and was interested only in knowledge of the country and the natural sciences. In sixth grade he left school and began studying electrical and metal casting, and even saw a salary in this work. In 1943, he volunteered for the Hagana, moved to Kibbutz Ashdot Ya’akov, where he called the earthwork and landscape of the country, which he described in his letters with great enthusiasm. At the same time, he joined the Palmach and took part in many daring activities in the framework of the struggle, such as the explosion of the radar, dangerous patrols, explosion of bridges, etc. For three years he served in the Palmach and in 1946 he returned home as a member of the Palmach reservists. He worked for the electric company and supported the family. With the start of the War of Independence after the United Nations General Assembly decided to divide the country into two states, he was called upon to return to full service with all the reservists and fought in the Jewish National Fund home in Beit Dagon and in securing the convoys to Jerusalem. During the course of his work, he was electrocuted and died in Hulda on the 28th of Adar 5708 (March 9, 1948), who was brought to rest in the military cemetery at Nahalat Yitzhak.