Zimmerman, Yaakov

Born in Bene Beraq on September 7, 1959, Yaakov grew up in a religious family. As part of his studies at Yeshivat Hesder, Yaakov enlisted in the IDF in January 1979 and served in the Armored Corps, where he was a central figure. During his service in the IDF, Yaakov underwent several operations. As a result of his illness, his health profile was lowered and he was transferred to serve as a religious noncommissioner on the home front. When Yaakov recovered and returned to his normal health, he managed to raise his medical profile and returned to serve with his comrades in the Armored Corps. On May 2, 1980, Yaakov was with his group of friends in Kiryat Arba and went to pray the evening prayer at the Cave of the Patriarchs, and when he returned from the prayer near Beit Hadassah, terrorists ambushed the Jews and opened fire on them. Prime Minister and Defense Minister Menachem Begin wrote to his parents: “Private Jacob Zimmerman gave his life for his homeland. He was killed by an ambush by terrorists … He was a courageous soldier and fighter, and was distinguished for his organizational ability, his judgment, his exemplary order and his high responsibility”. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul in Tel Aviv. He left behind his parents and two sisters. In a synagogue in the village of Hagai in Mount Hebron (named after Hanan Krotheimer, Gershon Klein and Yaakov Zimmerman), a Torah scroll was put in his name and after his two friends who fell with him.