Botbul (Prosper), Mas’ud (Asher)
Son of Jacob and Sultana. He was born on August 8, 1953 in Fez, Morocco. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1965. He studied at the elementary school in the city of his mother, and when he moved to Israel, he continued his studies at the Chabad School in Kiryat Yovel in Jerusalem and completed his studies at the Kiryat No’ar High School He was a diligent and outstanding student in the technical professions and was a technical instructor and tutor in primary school for many years, and was a member of the Bnei Akiva youth movement for many years and was pleasant, quiet, He was self-contained and often isolated, but at the same time he was willing to help his brothers and schoolmates and gave them advice to solve problems He was drafted into the IDF in May 1972 and volunteered for the air force. After basic training and after completing a mechanical training course and an aircraft and helicopter mechanics course, he was sent to the IAF squadron as a helicopter mechanic. His qualities from childhood matured during his military service, and his commanders insisted on these qualities: modesty, efficiency, patience and a strong desire to fulfill his task with precision and perfection. In a letter to the parents, the commander of the squadron wrote: “Asher excelled in the friendly way he did with those around him, and he tried to extract the best from everything, and everything he was assigned was done professionally, with devotion and with a constant smile on his lips.” During the Yom Kippur War Asher participated in the rescue of helicopters in all sectors and was commanded to be commended by his commanders. When he finished his military service, Asher decided to commit himself to serving in the career army for another three years, out of love for the homeland and recognition of the importance of his role and contribution to the IDF. On the 10th of Iyar 5737 (May 10, 1977) Asher was killed while carrying out his mission in a helicopter crash in the Jordan Valley. In this disaster, 54 soldiers were killed. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister. After his death, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. His family established in his memory a library at the “Kiryat No’ar” yeshiva in Beit-Gan in Jerusalem, where he studied.
