Leshem (Fleischmann), Yaakov (Yankele)
Jacob (Yankele), son of Shoshana and Moshe, was born on 14.7.1943 in Rehovot. Yankele grew up in a religious home, with observant parents and was educated in a religious-traditional atmosphere. He studied at the Tachkemoni elementary school and later in the religious high school in Rehovot. He was always a diligent student, and as a result his educator had excelled in mathematics and physics. He was Simcha to live and loved to help others, and it was only natural that he join together with his friends in the Bnei Akiva youth movement and would have an active cadet. He spent most of his vacations from school with his friends at work, in the collective farms of his movement. In August 1961, Yaakov was drafted into the IDF, and was assigned to one of the military police units stationed in the center of the country, not far from his home, where he used to spend most of his vacations and as an example of his comrades. In February 1964, after completing his army service, Yaakov returned to work at the Weizmann Institute, where he worked as an apprentice before his enlistment, and soon proved to his superiors that he was able to work in the Supply Department “To. Although his job required traveling outside the city, negotiating with many different people, and unusual hours of work, Jacob found time and energy to continue his studies and paid for customs clearance officials. He stood out for his integrity, his decency and dedication to work, and was appreciated by all the researchers and staff at the institute. Was a warm and dedicated family man, a loving friend of his wife and a proud father to his sons – Asaf and Yuval. His home was always the center of his many friends. Loved his home and cultivated every corner with his own hands, especially the small garden he had prepared. The dream of his life was to buy a house with a plot of land, and together with his children to cultivate a garden and a living corner. In the Six Day War he was called to active duty and fought in the division of Major General Tal in Sinai. In the Yom Kippur War, Yankele immediately joined the members of his reserve unit, who took part in the break-through across the Channel. After days of continuous fire and fighting, on the 18 th of Tishrei 5740 (18.10.1973) while carrying out his duties as a police driver on the road between Tessa and the “spider” heavy shelling was laid on the convoy. Yankele was hit and killed. Yaakov Leshem was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in his hometown and his quarters, Rehovot. He left behind a wife and two sons, parents, brothers and sisters. After his fall, he was promoted to sergeant. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, his commander wrote: “Until the last moments of his life, Yaakov stuck to his mission and did not abandon – despite the heavy shelling.
