Katz, Yitzchok Yeshayhu

Son of-Esther-Malka and Asher-Anshel was born on 27.6.1917 in the city of Lancut, in western Galicia, to an ultra-Orthodox Zionist family, where he was educated in a cheder and a Polish elementary school. He also completed a bookkeeping course in Hebrew at evening classes at the Yavneh School, and at the age of 14 he helped his father with great skill in running the business of his home. With the help of the World Mizrachi Center in Jerusalem, Yitzhak arrived in Jerusalem on the eve of Passover 1946. Yitzhak worked hard in carpentry at a meager wage. After the outbreak of the bloody riots of 1936-1939, shortly after his arrival in Israel, Yitzchok joined the ranks of the Haganah in the Old City and the neighborhoods, completed a military course in Kiryat Anavim, and bore the hardships and dangers in good spirits.
In 1938, Yitzchok Yeshayhu joined in the “Avraham” group in the village of Pines. He adapted to hard work and at night he stood guard against the rioters’ attacks. He was active in the social life of the group, pleasant and humorous. In Adar I 5703 he started a family, settled in Kfar Etzion and completed a Nutrim course in Jerusalem. When the siege of Gush Etzion began in the winter of 1948, he was concerned for his parents in Jerusalem and for his wife and his children who were transferred there. Yitzchok Yeshayhu undertook to manage the central supply depot for all the military settlements and units in the Gush, paying attention to every small detail in the thicket of supply to various consumer circles even when it was only accepted by air parachuting. During the siege he was also active in guarding and training and was appointed commander of a position in the southern sector. Yitzchok Yeshayhu vigorously helped to repel the major attack on Tuesday, August 8, 1948. He was also in charge of the position during the last attack, and did not stop joking with his friends until he fell on guard at the fall of Kfar Etzion on the 4th of Iyar, 13.5.1948. On the 25th of Cheshvan 5710 (17.11.1949), he was transferred to eternal rest, together with the other victims of the Gush, at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.