Hakon, Yaakov (“Jaco”)

Yaakov, son of Yitzhak and Margo Hakon, was born on 6 December 1940 in Tunis and completed his elementary studies at the Ahad Ha’am school in Hadera, where he was always filled with joy and love of life. He also attended an evening high school, was drafted into the IDF in 1957 and served in the Armored Corps. When the days of tension before the Six-Day War began, and the IDF mobilized reservists, Yaakov’s face was darkened because he was not drafted, but he was told, “When we need you, we will recruit you!” Indeed he was called to serve and served as a car mechanic. Under the strong fire of the enemy, Yaakov fell in battle. It was in Ya’abed near Jenin on June 6, 1967. Yaakov showed courage in fighting, devotion and resourcefulness, and his behavior was exemplary to his comrades in arms. Yaakov was buried in the military cemetery in Haifa and later transferred to eternal rest in the Hadera cemetery. In February 1968, a son named after him was born.