פרופ' ישראל חנוקוגלו

Memorial for family members who fell in wars

Avraham Enukashvili אברהם אנוקשווילי

Yaakov Birnboim יעקב בירנבוים

Yaakov (Yanko), was the son of Rachel and Haim, - parents-in-law of my cousin Izi. His father was a Holocaust survivor. Yaakov was born on the 22nd of Elul 5712 (September 12, 1952), in Brasov, Romania, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1961. He attended elementary school in his hometown and afterward continued his studies at the elementary school in Givat Shmuel and the Ramaz High School in Bnei Brak. Yaakov was a diligent and hardworking student, excelling especially in the science subjects and was meticulous about preparing his lessons. He read extensively and was knowledgeable in various fields. He was among the cadets of the Scouts movement and was an enthusiastic sports fan.

Yaakov was a kind-hearted, honest and decent person, sincere and truthful, open-hearted and conscientious. He had self-confidence and composure, but no arrogance. He stayed away from routine, was not picky, loved simplicity, and was content with his lot. He was very sociable, easy to befriend, pleasant to people, and slow to anger. He was yielding and forgiving, stayed away from quarrels and strife, responded to every request willingly, was good and beneficial to his surroundings, kind, polite, gentle-spirited, and pleasant-mannered. He had a sense of humor, was smiling and cheerful, and loved to joke and banter. He loved his family very much, was a devoted and loyal son, and held great respect for his parents.

Yaakov was drafted into the IDF in early November 1970 and was sent for flight tests, but was eventually assigned to the Armor Corps. After basic training, he trained in a Centurion tank crew course, where he was awarded a high score (95), and in a tank commanders course. He was a good soldier, responsible and dedicated to his duty, and well-liked by his comrades. His commanders awarded him the "Operational Service Ribbon". He tried not to worry his parents and in the letters he made sure to write home, he did not complain about the difficult training and field life. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, he was sent with his unit to the front on the Golan Heights. On the 10th of Tishrei 5734 (October 6, 1973), in Joukhadar near Khushniyeh, his tank was hit by an enemy missile, and Yaakov was killed on the spot. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Kiryat Shaul. He left behind a father, mother, and sister. After he fell, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.