Klein, David (Peter)

David was born on June 5, 1945, in Fez, Hungary, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1964. When he was one year old, his family moved to Romania where he attended elementary school. When he was fourteen, he was forced to help support the family, worked in various crafts and studied at the Arab high school. After immigrating to Israel, his family settled in Dimona, and David began working in the Kitan factory in the town, after completing a national weaving course. His superiors praised him and said: “His work, perseverance and his aspiration to move forward served as an example for the staff, and he was a diligent and loyal worker and contributed greatly to the productivity of the factory.” David was drafted into the IDF in mid-August 1967, because in the early 1960s, when he immigrated to Israel, new immigrants were not recruited into the IDF. After the Six-Day War, he applied to the military authorities to enlist him. After basic training, he completed a course in the “Centurion” tank, and later served as a trainer in the Armored Corps School. In 1968 he participated in the reward operation in Karameh. He was a good soldier, responsible, loyal and dedicated to his job, loved by his commanders and friends for his decency and good friendship. After being discharged from the army, he studied at the Shenkar College of Technology in Fashion and Textile in Ramat Gan. The return to the “bench” after many years weighed on him, but with his will he knew how to overcome all the difficulties and completed his studies with great success. One of the principals of the college wrote: “The manager of the factory in Dimona, who recognized David’s talents and wanted to know and progress, encouraged him to continue his high school studies, and he wanted to add more and more knowledge to his students. He also devoted much of his time and much of his thought to operating the equipment in the Department of Textual Technology, where his teachers praised him for his diligence and perseverance in his studies. For help, he did not turn away the faces And a lot of talent and tireless energy. ” When he completed his studies, he was awarded a practical engineer’s diploma, and he returned to work at the Kitan plant and was appointed as the person responsible for quality control in the process of the asphor, and was a teacher at the vocational school in the town. David was kind and worried about his family. He always helped others out of true willingness, even at the expense of his time and comfort. In difficult moments of distress among his family, he was always able to find the right words to comfort and embrace them. In 1971 he married his girlfriend Miriam and established a home with her in Israel. When the Yom Kippur War broke out David was drafted and sent with his unit to the front in Sinai. In the battle that took place on the 8th of Tishrei 5734 (October 8, 1973) in the afternoon near the Firdan Bridge, David fell during an assault on enemy soldiers. At first he was considered missing and his body was later identified and he was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Dimona. Survived by a wife, mother and sister. After his fall, he was promoted to sergeant. His family set up a memorial plaque in his memory at the Ohel Ze’ev synagogue in Dimona; His brigade published a pamphlet called “The First Walkers” in memory of its fallen soldiers, and David among them.