Melk, Yehuda

Yehuda, son of Klara and Benjamin Ze’ev, was born on January 10, 1952 in Jerusalem, and as a member of a religiously observant family, Yehuda studied in religious schools and completed his elementary studies at Beit- “Horev” in Jerusalem, and then continued his high school studies at the Merom Zion Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where he spent four years, then went to the Kerem B’Yavneh Yeshiva, where he completed high school studies, was a good student and thanks to his diligence and love of studies He had never said enough, and he had always wanted to be educated, wise, and enrich his knowledge in all areas. He used to give private lessons, but refused to accept payment for them, and during the time he studied at the yeshiva, he organized gift parcels for yeshiva students He would travel to visit them instead of their service, and make sure to send regards to their families, and during his army service he would sometimes give up his vacations to allow his friends to go home. The Tester screwdriver was always in his pocket to help with various repairs, his hands full of them. He was of a quiet temperament, never angry at a man or raising his voice in a scolding. He always received things in good spirits, calm and understanding. He did the same during his army service and always encouraged and raised the spirit of his friends. He was a tour enthusiast and toured the country and enjoyed the beauty of its landscapes and sites. Yehuda was drafted into the IDF at the end of July 1970 and assigned to a paratroop brigade. After basic training he became a combat soldier and filled various positions within the corps. He served in various positions, served in the front lines, participated in the pursuit of terrorists, one of whom was his commander, and in 1971 he took a course in the Armored Corps School and became a tank gunner. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, he went up to the Golan Heights to join the armored brigade with its forces, which was forced to stop the Syrian attacks and went through heavy and bloody battles. On October 8, 1973, during the battle of Sh In the vicinity of Cindyana, Yehuda’s tank was damaged, and he was killed for a long time, and when his body was found at the Givat Shaul cemetery, he was survived by a mother, three brothers and two sisters. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, Yehuda’s commander wrote: “On Monday morning, Yehuda’s tank left the night camp in Kfar Nafah, and headed south-east with two more tanks. Judah’s tank led the force on a strategic hill. During the assault, the tank was hit by a shell and Yehuda was killed. Yehuda was always ready for every mission and went out for every action, knowing that he was defending the people of Israel, the religion of Israel, and the land of Israel. He was an example of his friends in everything he did. Loving others and helping friends are qualities that he excelled in throughout his service, and made him a soldier admired by his friends and commanders. His smile and cheerfulness contributed greatly to raising the morale of his comrades, even during the most difficult hours of fighting. His memory will not be forgotten and his image will stand before our eyes forever “