Katz, Yaakov

Yaakov, son of Miriam and Simcha Katz, was born on July 16, 1924, in Motza. His father was one of the founders of the Yishuv and a third generation in Israel, and his mother was one of the first girls of Hadera. He spent his childhood in the village of Motza and Ekron in the dairy farm of the parents. In 1937, his parents moved to Givat Shaul in Jerusalem, and Yaakov, who was orphaned from his father, took on the burden of caring for the family. While he was in school, he worked in distributing milk and devoted himself to his duties in the Haganah. His commanders appreciated his many talents and within a short time he rose to the rank of platoon commander. Yaakov was not satisfied with defending the neighborhood and demanded that he be transferred to the more difficult front lines. On 28.5.1948, on the day of the fall of the Old City and the arrival of its inhabitants in enemy captivity, Yaakov acted at the head of his division in Beit Tannous, opposite the walls of the Old City. When he was about to give orders to his subordinates, a bullet hit him and wounded him mortally. He was transferred to a hospital where he underwent surgery but died of his wounds on 24 Iyar 5708 (June 2, 1948). He was buried in Sheikh Bader Aleph. On the 9th of Tishrei, 5710 (10.9.1950), he was put to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.