Pat, Baruch (Burke)

Born in Bialystok, Poland, to a traditional Zionist family in 1936. At the age of 12, he immigrated with his family to Eretz Israel, where he attended the national religious school “Tachkemoni” “In his hometown, he continued to study at the” Tachkemoni “high school in Tel Aviv, where he completed his high school studies and joined the Coast Guard in 1943. In 1943 he was admitted to the university, studied natural sciences and was about to finish his studies in 1948. He was a member of the “Hish” movement in Jerusalem. He took part in the defense of Gush Etzion during the first attack, and rushed back to his aid. He was among the members of the “Halachah” (“the Mountain Division”) division, Palmach and Hachash fighters who were sent as reinforcements to Gush Etzion after the large attack on the Bloc on January 14, 1948. The fighters departed from Hartuv on the night of January 15-16, , But due to the late hour of departure and the difficulties of the road, they were unable to reach Gush Katif in the middle of the night, and were discovered by villagers in the area of ​​Beit Natif, Jaba and Surif, Battle Hill “) and fought with the masses of Arabs until they all fell in battle on the day of the 15th of Shevat 5708 (16.1.1948). Baruch was brought to a mass grave in Kfar Etzion. On the 17th of Cheshvan 5710 (17.11.1949) he was transferred to eternal rest, together with the rest of the victims of the Gush, at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.