Katz, Ze’ev (Lupu)

Zeev, son of Leah and Ozias Hacohen, was born on May 18, 1927 in Romania. In his native country, he studied in an elementary school and a high school in Reali, where he and his family underwent the hardships of World War II. At the end of the war, Ze’ev immigrated to Israel and joined the fighters for the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Ze’ev was drafted into the IDF at the beginning of March 1948 and was assigned as a combat soldier in the 21st Battalion of the Carmeli Brigade. He fought in the ranks of the brigade in the battles for the liberation of the Western Galilee and the Upper Galilee. When his time came to be released, he decided that service to the people within the army was the destiny of his life, and volunteered for career army service. Ze’ev was transferred to an anti-tank unit as a NCO. He continued in this position in various units and was raised to the rank of sergeant. When he was released from the regular service, he recorded the following testimony: “An exemplary entrepreneur, independent in his position, with extensive responsibility and vision, dedicated and reliable, he served as an example to his subordinates.” At the end of December 1956 Ze’ev was released and turned to private businesses, opened a garage and served as a truck driver. In June 1959, he was again accepted into the regular army – this time as a car officer, and was appointed responsible for all the emergency vehicles in the Northern Command unit, where he excelled in his skill and initiative and was considered an excellent vehicle officer. In 1967, due to a decline in his medical profile, he was forced to leave the military service, but was hired as a civilian employee of the IDF. He was appointed as a vehicle officer at the northern brigade headquarters and successfully completed his position. With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War he went to the IDF and spent nights and nights returning damaged vehicles to operational correctness On the 25th of Tishrei 5734 (21.10.1973), Sergeant Ze’ev fell in the line of duty and was buried in the cemetery in Nahariya. He left behind a wife and a daughter, and his commanders expressed their appreciation for his actions by stating that “during his service in the IDF – as a military man and as a civilian – he performed his duties with dedication and responsibility and devoted his best years to his work in the army.”