Kabeker, Yosef (Yoske)
Son of Chaya, and Yisrael, immigrants from Lithuania who emigrated to Canada, was born on the 21st of Adar, March 7, 1926, in Vancouver, Canada. When Yosef was eight he immigrated to Israel with his parents who settled in Tel Aviv. When the War of Independence broke out Yosef went out with the first students to defend the new commercial center near the walls of the Old City and was always busy with guarding patrols and training operations. During the conquest of Katamon he was wounded in a mine. At the end of the truce, Yosef volunteered to participate in the battles before his wound was healed. He was sent at the head of a company to conquer the village of Abu-Tul. When he was ordered to send a platoon from there to occupy the nearby and more difficult Abu Tul outpost, he himself went with to lead his men. Because of an Arab counterattack with topographical advantages, the platoon had to retreat, but Yosef remained with six of his soldiers to protect the wounded until reinforcements arrived. All fought valiantly as long as Yosef lived. When he fell – on the 11th of Tammuz 5708 (18.7.1948) -the platoon fell in spirit and retreated. In his memory, the family changed its name to el-Yosef. After his fall, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. On the 11th of Adar 5702 (28.2.1950) he was laid to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
