Ben Tova and William. He was born on January 9, 1966 in New York, United States. In 1970, at the age of three, he experienced a terror attack, during which he spent nine days with his mother and sister Anne on a hijacked plane. This difficult experience did not leave a devastating impression on his first years of life: Mark was a source of joy for his parents, a smiling and lively child. He began his studies in an elementary school in Connecticut where he finished third grade. At the age of nine, in the summer of 1975, he immigrated to Israel with his mother and sister. The family settled in Tel Aviv. Mark did not need Hebrew studies at the ulpan. He immediately began studying at the Dizengoff Elementary School, and quickly became involved with his contemporaries. He graduated from high school in Zeitlin High School. After a year he moved to the Bnei Akiva high school in Netanya, and after two years returned to the Zeitlin High School in Tel Aviv, where he completed his studies in a general track. The soup had a gold hand, and he brought out beautiful paintings and impressive handicrafts. With great concentration and infinite patience, he spent long hours assembling ships and tiny models of wooden airplanes, a hobby he did not abandon even at an older age. Mark was a friendly and active child, always at the center of things. He liked to watch soccer games, and no less – play football. He used to get up early and arrive at school early in the morning to play with his friends on the field. As an avid supporter of the Betar Tel Aviv team, he regularly went to the soccer matches of the team and kept her in her good times as well as when she went down in the league, and spent the summer vacation with his friends on the beach playing tikkas. He has been a music lover for a long time, and since then he has become a music lover, and he has loved to listen to contemporary music and a lot of rock concerts, and Mark has accumulated an impressive collection of records and CDs. He joked and laughed, and in his presence he would light up and awaken his surroundings He enjoyed Israeli films and especially liked the movie “Metzitzim,” which he recited from beginning to end, and in August 1984, Mark enlisted in the IDF and served in the IAF. At the end of basic training he underwent a course for communications system operators and was stationed at Palmahim base. Mark enjoyed the service period and fulfilled his duties responsibly and professionally and without complaining. He also made social connections in the army without difficulty, and kept in touch with his friends, old and new alike. After his release from regular service, he opened a grocery store with his mother and brother-in-law as a family business. Over the years the business flourished, developed and expanded, and became a very successful chain of stores. In 1993, at the age of twenty-seven, Mark met Smadar, his heart’s choice. The two married that year and moved to Rishon Letzion. A year later the twins Noam and Maya were born and Mark’s happiness was boundless. The couple moved to Ramat Gan and Mark began working as an agent in a leasing company. Smadar says: “Marek’s most outstanding feature was to create a warm connection with those around him, and he had the wonderful ability to make friendly contacts with almost everyone he met: the grocery storekeeper, the mechanic, the bank clerk, the bus driver. He was curious to know who he was facing, his preferences in various areas, his political opinions, his mood on that day, and he liked to share his experiences with others, but as a rule he did not have to share difficult experiences Or unpleasantness, as though he had canceled the evil in order to be good, to preserve the high spiritsAnd maintain a good atmosphere. Sometimes, when he was too hard, he would be broken-but only a little and for a short time-and then he would summon up his inexhaustible optimism and return to being the relaxed, good-tempered, lifelike soup. Mark hated quarrels. Even when differences of opinion arose and there was a need to argue, he always did it in a gentle, careful manner, and it was almost impossible to drag him into loud arguments. Mark was never a type of “annoyance.” He did not hold a grudge against anyone who hurt him either. Smadar describes Marc’s great devotion and love throughout the years of their marriage: “Even as we progressed along our common path of life and created a routine, Mark never forgot to flatter, please, indulge in pampering Small ones – those that expand the heart. He never gave up kissing Frida in the morning and returning home. At every opportunity, every time a phone call between us ended, he said, ‘I love you.’ Mark never hesitated to demonstrate his love and devotion. He took an active part in managing all household and family affairs. “Pain, soup was the fulfillment of every child’s dream, and with infinite patience he treated our children and never failed to do anything related to them, and never gave up attending the parents’ meetings at the kindergarten, the holiday parties, and the birthdays. He was able to entertain the children, to go wild with them and to laugh them to tears, but also to calm them down and to comfort them with soft words, a hug, and wonderful quantities of love. From road accidents, he did everything in his power to avoid situations that would endanger their safety. ” At the end of March 1998, during the Passover holiday, Mark was called for reserve duty in the maintenance squadron at the Palmahim base. He received a one-day vacation and on his way home to spend time with his children, was killed in a car accident. Mark fell in the line of duty on the 17th of Nisan 5758 (13.4.1998) and he is thirty-two. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Holon. Survived by mother, wife, son, daughter and sister. In a condolence letter to the bereaved family, Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak wrote: “Mark was described by his commanders as a superior soldier who performed his missions in the best possible way, with great professionalism. “The commander of the unit where he served in the reserves wrote to the family:” During his short service in the Keren Squadron, he had a safety check for those around him, he forged a unique relationship with his teammates, he was full of energy and joy Life, help others at all times. Mark was a great friend and soldier. His death leaves a terrible void behind him. His memory will remain with us forever. “
