Malul, David

David, son of Haviva and Meir, was born in 1949 in the center of Morocco, where he completed his studies at the Alliance school in 1963. In 1963 he immigrated to Israel and David studied at the vocational training program in Ofakim, Organized urban youth groups, guided and prepared groups for marches, camps and various courses. Besides, he loved sports, and especially football, and in his spare time he was doing his hobby-making copper-stamped housewares. From an early age, he was interested in politics and was one of the active and dynamic youth of the Herut movement in Ofakim, and was even elected chairman of the youth committee. Years later he was asked why he did not volunteer for the career army. Then he said, “I have two loves: one is the IDF and the other is politics. David was drafted into the IDF in mid-February 1967 and assigned to the armored corps. After basic training, he took a course in tank drivers and a tank course. He was a good and responsible soldier, whom his commanders admired and liked. In mid-February 1970, after participating in the Six-Day War, he was released and left for civilian life. He began working at the “Tremibdek” factory in Ofakim, which was connected to the air industry. “His reserve months,” his brother-in-law said, “were very festive days for him. During the Yom Kippur War he served as a tank driver in an armored brigade and fought in the Sinai front. In the harsh battle that took place in the Hamutal region on October 9, 1973, his tank was hit by an anti-tank bomb and David fell, and he was brought to rest in the Mount Herzl cemetery, Two sisters and a brother, who was promoted to the rank of First Sergeant, and wrote to the bereaved family: “We, the members of the unit, will remember David as an outstanding warrior who died a hero’s death.” The family donated a Torah scroll to the synagogue in Ofakim.