[Page 747]

He ended his studies at a young age because the spirit of extreme nationalism began to beat in him. He loved Israel with a strong and deep love and he was convinced that only through extreme actions, through fighting activism and by armed rebellion, would we be able to free the homeland from the British enslaver.

He affirmed this belief in practice, joined the “Lohamei Herut Yisrael” (Lehi) [=Fighters for the Freedom of Israel] and participated in carrying out several daring and dangerous operations. He was wounded during one of them and he escaped to Yavne'el. However, the intelligence service caught him. Armed British police surrounded the house in which he was hiding. Nevertheless, Shabtai decided not to turn himself over to those who were after him and said: “Better to die than to fall into their hands.” He was 22 when he died.

The name of Shabtai will forever be recorded in the chain of fighters for the freedom of our land.

[Page 748]

During this terrifying flight, David lost contact with his family and was stuck in a thick forest. Alone and abandoned, the boy wandered through silent forests and fields and, by a miracle, happened upon a group of refugees who had fled to Dubno. He was put in a shelter for orphans and abandoned children, which was under the supervision of the Jewish aid institutions.

When the land quieted down and the wave of riots had passed - David returned to Korets and lived there for several years. He studied at the “Talmud Torah,” excelled in his studies, and became involved in the life of the city. However, due to the poverty that reigned in the home, David returned to Rovno [=Rivne] and would visit his mother from time to time.

After the First World War, Belkind arrived in Poland and began to organize the emigration of orphans and abandoned children to Israel. David, who had dreamed of emigration to Israel from his earliest childhood, rejoiced at this opportunity and emigrated to Israel in 1924.

He was accepted at the Shfeya Children's Village and excelled in his studies. From there, he moved to Mikveh Israel, graduated from school, and settled in the place as a security guard. On October 7, 1951, at 2 a.m., David heard suspicious rustling. In answer to his cry: “Who's there?” - a round of bullets pierced his heart. These were infiltrators who had come to the farthest point in Mikveh Israel in order to commit murder and looting. David was 43 years old at the time of his death.

[Page 749]

He was one of the outstanding students, talented and loved by his teachers. Kind and liked by people. As a student, he already befriended the youth, training himself to protect the homeland. And the days were days of clashes and tension in the Yishuv, due to the Arab riots and the “White Paper.” Eliyahu, steeped in lofty ideas and strong nationalist yearnings, joined the “Haganah” body and soul, trained and developed from both a spiritual and physical perspective, and was ready for tasks to be put on him.

When the Jewish Brigade was announced in 1944 - Eliyahu presented himself to serve. On April 11, 1945 (Nisan 28, 5705), his company (Company D of the Third Battalion) went to scout Mount Ghebbio, which is across the Senio river in Italy. Upon advancing to the top of the mountain, they met with strong and concentrated fire from a squad of German snipers. Eliyahu and his comrades advanced despite the heavy fire, but a bullet hit him in the head and killed him on the spot.

Alongside photos of the soldiers who fell in operations of the “Brigade” and their bones that are buried in the same section of the military cemetery in Italy, photographed in the book that the army rabbi, Captain Yaakov Lifschitz published, are described - details of the lives of dozens of the young fighters who fell and the names of the cities where they were born, Korets among them, which Eliyahu represented with honor and bravery.

[Page 750]

Shortage, poverty, and family tragedies made the war for survival even harder. The craftsmen in the city called Perlman “the educated scholar.” He was a community man and organized the craftsmen's organization, where he served as secretary.

He emigrated to Israel in 1933, together with his wife, and experienced all the pains of this period. He was hired by the Friedlander silverware factory. When Friedlander died, the administration of the factory fell into his hands. Owing to his expertise in this occupation, the level of the factory rose both in output and quality.

In Holon, he was an active member of the “Haganah.” In 1936, he was always on guard at the place. At that time, we lived on the border of Holon and the Arab area. The Arabs attacked our house frequently. All the neighbors left and we alone remained there because Abba maintained that one doesn't abandon a position. He put his decision into practice and always stood guard. Holon can tell a lot about his bravery and courage during the riots of 1936.

At that time, there was a British army camp in Holon with Black soldiers. The Irgun Zva'i Leumi (Irgun) [=National Military Organization] was active at that time against the British and, as a result of one of their operations, the Black soldiers went wild and they killed without mercy anyone who fell into their hands. Many people were wounded then. Three were killed in cruel ways, my father among them, who had gone out to meet my mother who was not at home at that time. This was February 6, 1946. He was 42 years old when he died.

[Page 751]

In Israel, he was very uncertain: unemployment, poverty, the clashes of 1936 and 1939, etc. During the day he worked and, at night, he was on guard duty in the Moshava where he lived. However, none of this depressed him, rather the opposite: it strengthened his desire to put down roots in Israel.

My father served as an example of strictness and perseverance in work and in creativity. The doors of his store in Rishon Le-Zion were open to every new immigrant who needed support or intelligent advice.

He lost his life defending the Moshava as a member of the “civilian guard” when it was bombed from the air by Egypt during the War of Independence. He took care of everyone, should someone be found outside during shelling, he brought them into shelters. He did not rest until the last of the people had found refuge. And when he knew that he had fulfilled his task completely, he ran to shelter himself, but the enemy's bomb caught him and thus he fell on his watch.

[Page 752]

At the age of 13, he graduated from primary school and, two years later, went to study at the “Kaduri” school in order to further his knowledge of agriculture. Upon returning, he stayed at home for a short time and, being still young, enlisted in the Palmach. His first “baptism of fire” came with the conquest of Ein Zeitim and, afterwards, he participated in clearing gangs of rioters from Tzfat. He was wounded slightly in his head there. He was sent to a squad commanders' course and completed it successfully. Upon completion of the course, he joined Regiment Gimel, which participated in battles for Lod and Ramleh, and after conquering these cities - he went down to the Negev.

At the same time period, two core groups of the graduates of the “Kaduri” school and of the graduates of Mikveh Israel merged and established the settlement of “Yiftah” in the upper Galilee, which Yaakov called “the pearl of the upper Galilee” or “the pearl of the mountain.” After the separation in 1953, he moved with his friends from “Yiftah” to Kibbutz “Ha-Govrim,” today called “Gadot.”

After frantic work to create conditions for absorbing those coming from “Yiftah,” Yaakov was given an annual vacation to arrange a trip across the Jordan in order to research the antiquities of Israel without our knowledge. Together with four friends, he managed to get to “Petra,” but murderers ambushed them there and, on August 27, 1953, he was slain together with his friends. He was 24 years old at the time of his death.

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