Ronen (Vaknin), Yaakov

Son of Moshe and Leah. Born in 1948 in Marrakech, Morocco, the family immigrated to Israel in 1956. Yaakov began his studies in the third grade in Ashkelon and was a member of the Hanoar Haoved movement and after completing his elementary studies successfully, he was recommended to continue his studies at the Gifted School in Jerusalem Yaakov did not agree to study there and after a week left, because he could not say good-bye to his friends, and because of religious reasons, he graduated from the Aryeh Tager high school in Ashkelon. He was also a member of the Shooting Club in Ashkelon, and was active in light athletics He also liked to build models of airplanes and vessels, because he liked to do handicrafts, especially woodwork, he liked to write poetic texts, and the beating spirit was not particularly cheerful, he wrote about the sad nature of the winter or In addition to the hobbies mentioned above, he was involved in collecting stamps, coins and medals he had won in various competitions in which he participated (shooting and sports) and various prizes given to him at the end of the reading competitions held at Beit- Middle School. He was modest, industrious, and talented, and loved to help others – especially his help in studying for brothers and friends. The ceremonies in the school and the class parties were conducted according to Jacob’s ideas, and in his work he designed them and ensured their success. There was neatness and neatness in his nostrils. Jacob’s great dream was to enlist as a pilot, and when he was given the tests, he passed them, but his father’s dream was to enlist as a pilot. After completing his exams in August 1966, he was drafted into the IDF and in June 1967 he was ordained as a sniper. He served for a year at the base in Haifa and was later part of the team leaving for England where he spent six months. Even when he was far from home (and abroad), his love and concern for his family did not diminish. But one day, on the 25th of Tevet 5728 (25.1.1968), after the submarine was repaired and it was making its way home, being on the sea route between Gibraltar and Haifa, the connection with it was cut off and it was not renewed. The Chief Military Rabbinate determined that the date of the passing of Yaakov, in the course of his duties, together with the rest, was the 29th of Tevet 5728 (30.1.1968). Since Yaakov was one of the missing members of the team, a memorial monument was placed inside him in the memorial to the Dakar people in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. In the book “Yad LaNovelim” of Bnei Ashkelon, published by the municipality, his name was immortalized. His picture is presented in the book “Six Days in Decker” to Eran Shorer. On the 28th of June 1999, after years of searching, the INS Dakar submarine was found on the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, at a depth of 2,900 meters on its planned sailing route and 250 miles from the port of Haifa. A space whose burial place is unknown.