Kotik, Jacob

Son of Esther and Yitzhak, was born on the 23rd of Iyar, 1929 in Jerusalem. He attended the Tachkemoni School and the Hebrew Gymnasium. He was a member of the Akiva youth movement. After completing his high school he joined the Jewish settlements police and participated in various campaigns during the struggle against the British, including the immigration of immigrants, the bombing of bridges, and more. At the end of his year of service, he enrolled at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and intended to study mathematics and physics, but with the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 29 November 1947 on the partition of the country into two states, he joined the ranks of the ” ), Palmach and Hish fighters who were sent as reinforcements to Gush Etzion after the large attack on the Gush on January 14, 1948. The fighters departed from Hartuv on the night of January 15-16 and were loaded with weapons, ammunition and equipment, but due to the late hour of departure and the difficulties of the road, they could not reach Gush Katif in the night. At dawn, the department was discovered by villagers in the area of ​​the villages of Beit Natif, Jaba and Surif, who called the Arabs of the area to the area and surrounded the department. The fighters organized on one of the hills (the “Battle Hill” today) and fought with the masses of Arabs until they all fell in battle on the day of the 15th of Shevat 5708 (January 16, 1948.) Yaakov was brought to a mass grave in Kfar Etzion on the 25th of Cheshvan 5710 17.11.1949) was transferred to eternal rest in the military cemetery at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.