Vaknin, Yosef

Ben Leah and David was born on the 11th of Adar 1924 in the Old City of Jerusalem to a large family of children. He joined the Settlement Organization of discharged soldiers. From the beginning of the War of Independence, he served as commander of a section of the defense of the colony from Nehemiah. Because of the need to help his parents, he returned temporarily to Jerusalem and served as a driver in the army. He drove cars in convoys to Jerusalem until the siege and then on the fronts of Jerusalem and its environs and was also among the burglars to the Old City. He recently took part in the attack on Governor’s Palace and fell there on the 17th of Av, 5708 (August 17, 1948). Because of the withdrawal from a counterattack, his body remained in the area and only after three weeks, upon the demilitarization of the area, were his remains found and buried in Sheikh Bader A. On the 17th of Elul 5706 (August 30, 1950) he was transferred to the eternal rest of the military cemetery at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem