Biton, David

Son of Sa’ada and Shimon. David was born in Morocco on March 7, 1945. Immigrated to Israel with his family in 1955, they settled in the Negev capital Beer Sheva where David continued his studies in elementary school and high school. During his military service, David met Rachel, a resident of Moshav Peki’in in the north, and when he was released from regular service in 1966, he married her and they moved to the north, in Zerit, where David developed a wonderful farm. In the following years their three children were born: Sigalit, Hagit and Shimon. “My father was a wonderful person, who also helped us in the economy and at home in general, educated us in the best way possible, made sure that we studied in the most prestigious schools in the area,” said daughter Sigalit. “He taught us to appreciate important things and was a source of inspiration.” He loved to travel with his family and children in the midst of nature in his small time in between, and had loving friends everywhere in the country In August 1968, he was drafted into the Border Police, a Northern Border Company. He was assigned to the settlements sector, underwent various courses. During his service, David was awarded the Yom Kippur War, the Operational Service Award and the SHAL. David was killed while performing his duties in Lebanon during the first Tsur disaster. On the morning of the 25th of Kislev 5743 (11.11.1982), an explosion occurred in a building in the city of Tire where the Israeli military government and many IDF forces were located. The building collapsed and about 100 people were killed, including seventy-six members of the Israeli security forces. One of those killed was David. David was thirty-seven when he fell. He was buried in the Be’er Sheva cemetery. At the funeral, his commander, Superintendent Shraga Levi, said: “This miraculous life was interrupted by the sudden disaster of Tzur, the bombing of the military government building. The respect and esteem in which he was held showed itself by the number of participants at his funeral.”