Saban, Yaakov (Jackie)
Son of Liza and Bechor, he was born on October 31, 1961 in Libya. As a child, his family moved to Italy, where Yaakov began his studies in an elementary school in Rome. He was 7 years old when he immigrated to Israel with his parents in 1968, and the family settled in Holon. Yaakov graduated from the Eran Elementary School in Holon, continued to study at the Holtz vocational school and graduated with the electronics track. Jackie was the eldest son of his parents. With his love for the land, the movement and the kibbutz, he loved his parents’ home, which was his entire world. In September 1981, he enlisted in the IDF, and served in a paratroop Nahal unit. Yaakov underwent training in basic training, underwent an APC course and a parachuting course, was promoted to corporal and served as a machine gunner in his unit. During the Peace for Galilee war, Yaakov fought with his unit at the entrance to the camp. On the day of 15 Av 5742 (4.8.1982), during the cleansing of the camp, he stood on one of the roofs and was killed by a sniper. Yaakov was 21 years old when he died. Yaakov was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Holon. He left behind his parents, two brothers and two sisters. Defense Minister Ariel Sharon wrote in a letter of condolence to his family: “Yaakov gave his life for his homeland, he fell in Lebanon, and always volunteered to be the first to help his friends.” The commander of his unit wrote: “In the course of a stubborn battle against the occupation of the Al-Uzai camp, Yaakov fell, and you belong to the glorious paratrooper Nahal family, which sacrificed many sacrifices on the altar of state security.”
