Feldman (Peled), Zechariah (Aya)

Son of Katya and Jacob, was born on the 1 st of September 1925 in Haifa. He attended the Reali School. During his studies, he joined the Haganah and was a member of the Hagam (expanded physical education). In 1943, when he finished seventh grade, he joined the Notrim Department on Mount Carmel. On October 15, 1944, he was called to active duty in the Hagana. On April 10, 1945, he enlisted in the Jewish Brigade and chose the infantry. With the Second Battalion he resided in Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. A Hebrew parent in the refugee camps. Sent with ten of his fellow officers in England and released when the Brigade was dismantled. Upon his return to Israel, he received entrance examinations and was accepted to the Technion in Haifa for an architecture course. In the summer of 1947 he was instructed by the Haganah commanders in the course of the War of Independence, when he was asked by the Hagana HQ in Haifa to volunteer before his enlistment time, and was then transferred to the Gadna headquarters in Tel Aviv, He served as a training officer in the Yaldi camp in 1932. He did not limit himself to this position and demanded that he join active duty. He was sent to the 7th Brigade. He was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant (Lieutenant) in the Mahal Company, the second company in Battalion 72, participated in the conquest of Tamara, Meron and the surrounding area and Sasa. At the time of the conquest of the Tamara (“broom”) operation, he encountered heavy enemy fire, whose forces exceeded what was expected. It was the first operation of the company, and the men showed signs of nervousness, but when they saw the commander’s peace of mind, the feeling of security returned to them and Aya climbed to the top of the hill and under heavy fire took stretchers. Face-to-face maneuvers the enemy and takes over the outpost, and by its swift action saved its commanding officer’s division from the army. During the occupation of Meron (as part of the Hiram operation), his unit had to attack the houses at the edge of the village and thereby take over the village. But here, too, they encountered heavy fire and were unable to carry out the plan. Without hesitation, he made changes and decided to conquer the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai, which served as the fortified point. He conquered a small house next to the grave and from this base the platoon rained fire on the building, entered it and took control of Meron. The grave itself was not damaged. The night after the operation he took a 75 mm cannon, and ordered his men not to open fire until the car with the cannon passed by the outpost and then attacked it from all sides and drove the Arabs on the 28th of Tishrei 5709 (October 31, 1948) To the hill that served as a key position for the possession of Malkia, which was conquered and conquered by the enemy three times before, and went to the extreme ridge to determine its exact place in relation to the enemy positions and was hit by the snipers of Senegalese soldiers. From the words of the commander-in-chief: “When I see that Aya has been cut to the brink of a wonderful life, I believe that there is indeed life beyond our lives on earth. He was a real soldier with such qualities that all his subordinates and fellow officers liked and respected. “