Mordechai-Ilan, son of Raya z “l and Hanina, was born on July 13, 1948 in Cyprus. His parents, Holocaust survivors, were sent to refugee camps on the island where he was born. The release of the detainees came immediately after his birth, and the family settled in Yagur. Where Motke passed his first years of life, a kindly and cheerful toddler. When he was a child, the family moved to Neve Yam, where his three sisters were born. He was a small, slender little boy and had to compete with the other children in his class to take a proper place among them. He did it very successfully, became an excellent athlete and became the most outstanding student in his class. Throughout his school years, from elementary school to the end of high school, he received very high grades. There was no difference between him and his theoretical studies. Everything was excellent. At the same time, he knew how to play tricks with his friends, with joy and with the kind of kindness he had enjoyed since he was a toddler. Motke used to help his friends and sisters in school and sat with them for hours explaining mathematics issues to them. He was active in the social and cultural committees, diligent in his work and in charge. When he took care of the industry, he did not rest until he reached the best results. On a stormy night and rain he ran outside to install the plastic sheets on the pepper crops, so that they would not be harmed. Once, when the class went to visit the grave of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, a dignified old man turned to the boys and asked, “Who is the best student among you?” Everyone pushed Motke forward. “This is the smartest student.” The old man gave him a coin and said, “Take it, you’ll have luck.” Motke finished his matriculation exams with honors. It was clear that he would continue his studies at the Technion. It was the wish of his mother, who was then seriously ill. Mordechai was drafted into the IDF at the end of August 1967 and assigned to the Armored Corps, where he underwent basic training and then was sent to a course for tank commanders, after which he was assigned to the 14th Brigade and was one of the best instructors. He was also a member of an excellent team, and during the War of Attrition, he was assigned difficult operational missions, and once he represented his unit in an interview on television, and everyone was proud of his convincing answers and convincing appearance. He refused, because he wanted to go back to the farm and feed his mother E. At the end of February 1970, Motke was discharged from the regular army with the rank of sergeant, and returned to his farm and prepared to continue his studies at the Technion, while he took care of his mother’s devotion, nurtured the garden around his parents’ house and the house minister. Which was established in 1970 and equipped with the most advanced tanks in the IDF. With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War, the brigade organized near Be’er Sheva and went to Rafidim and from there continued to the Tasa area. On Monday morning, the brigade began operating on a “spider” axis on the Tasa-Ismailiya road, and encountered anti-tank missiles for the first time. After days of difficult battles, Motke’s company’s tank was hit, took the tank to the workshop, repaired it, and returned to the third battalion, which suffered heavy losses, and was assigned to move the bridge. The battle was very complicated and the bridge reached the ditch and was built on it, and under the intense fire, the tanks tried to widen the road.This battle, which took place on the 24th of Tishrei 5740 (20.10.1973) When his body was exposed in the turret, Motke was hit and killed and brought to restAt the cemetery in Neve Yam. A father and three sisters left behind him. After his fall, he was promoted to First Sergeant. In a letter of condolence to the grieving family, his commander wrote: “We are now preparing to move, and soon we will return the equipment to the warehouses, remove the uniform and return to our homes. In this difficult war he gave the most precious of all, his life, to protect us all. Until now we have forcibly pushed the pain into the hidden corners of our hearts, and have continued our military activities, keeping the lines and constantly alert. Now, when liberation is in sight, the pain breaks out again. The thought that Ilan is not with us, because he will not shake hands with Frida again, because we can no longer say “see you in the next reserve,” that thought is too difficult to bear. Know, dear parents, that your pain is our pain and that the memory of the late Ilan will always be engraved in our hearts, may our deeds in the future be worthy of his memory; His colleagues at the faculty wrote: “… in your place, the atmosphere was very oppressive, how to pass your permanent place in the laboratory without remembering you?” , A liar from your face. ” Kibbutz Neve Yam published a file in memory of the fallen boys, among them Mordechai-Ilan.
