Yaakov Shilo

Yaakov Shilo was born in 1935 in Kalisz

Yaakov Shilo was born in 1935 in Kalisz, Poland, the only child of Janina and Maurice. His mother taught at a Polish school and his father owned a textile factory in Lodz. During World War II the family lived in the Warsaw Ghetto, escaped, survived and reached Belgium after the war.

In Belgium he finished primary school and began gymnasium, then studied for a time at Eton in Britain. He came to Israel in 1949 with Youth Aliyah, against his parents' wishes, and lived at kibbutzim Mishmar HaEmek and Gan Shmuel. After his parents arrived he left high school to help support the family.

He joined the IDF in 1953 as a paratrooper and jumped at a-Tur in the Sinai War. He became a parachute instructor, trained in France and later served in Military Intelligence research. He also led parachute courses in Ethiopia and for paratroopers from Congo.

Before the Six-Day War he was promoted to captain and made intelligence officer of the 37th Armored Brigade. On June 7, 1967, near Nablus, he volunteered to direct air support, reached an observation post under fire and was killed. He was promoted to major after his death and buried at Kiryat Shaul military cemetery.