Shneider, Yaakov (Yashke)

Was born on September 16, 1915, in the city of Vilna, Poland, was a “nature boy” who loved animals and plants and used to wander around the surrounding forests, and when he was young he joined his classmates in the Tarbut high school , Was a favorite of his friends because of his joy of life and energy, his integrity and unlimited devotion to the movement, and in 1936 he immigrated to Eretz Israel, where he joined the “Masilah” kibbutz that was then located in Givat Michael in Nes Tziona With the departure of the first company of the kibbutz in 1938 to settle in the Beit She’an Valley, Jacob also joined the founders of Kibbutz Mesilot, But he was disappointed when they did not set up the barn as he had hoped, and he was Simcha when he received a mare and a dog in his new job – guarding the fields of the agriculture – he learned Arabic and created good neighborly relations with the surrounding Arabs. And during his free time devoted himself to sculpture and engraving in an olive tree found in the vicinity, he discovered talent in the art works and decorated the rooms of his friends. On the 24th of Shevat 5708 (24.1.1948), Yaakov was killed while performing his duties as a guard. He was 33 when he fell. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in his kibbutz. He left a wife and a daughter, Tamar. From his family, who perished in the Holocaust, his only surviving sister survived. The kibbutz published a booklet in his memory, which included the words of friends about his character and his work.