Atia, Meir

Son of Sitya (Simcha) and Shmuel, was born on May 18, 2424 in the city of Mas’ad in northern French Africa. He was the second of six brothers and sisters. He taught traditional education and the local rabbi, who was his first teacher, loved him very much. He studied his art with his father, a veteran and experienced goldsmith. But living among the Arabs in the remote region did not satisfy him, and at the age of 18 moved to the city of Algiers and worked as a laborer in a Jewish factory. Four years later, in 1945, he left for Paris and found work in a stationery store. He always used to pay his wages to support his parents, who remained in Africa, and remained faithful to the teachings of his master. In 1947 he volunteered to defend the Yishuv in his struggle. He immigrated as an illegal immigrant, was apprehended and held for more than a year in Cyprus. In 1948, at the height of the war, he immigrated to Israel. He immediately enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces. On the 16th of Tammuz 5708 (July 16, 1948), he fell in battle with her voice and was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Netanya.