Meltzer, Mordechai (Motke)

Son of Hinda and David, was born in 1917 in Russia and in 1923 immigrated to Israel with his parents who settled in Tel Aviv. After graduating from elementary school, he began working as a messenger boy in a medical trade house, later as a builder, and in 1935 he joined the Haganah. When the riots broke out, he was sent to serve as a guard in the moshavot of the Lower Galilee (Beitania, Kfar Tavor, and Sejera). When he was released he began to work as a sailor in the Tel Aviv port. In September 1940 he enlisted in the British Army’s Baps Battalion and as a naval officer was transferred to the Jewish Sowar Company. During his service in Greece he was captured and held for five years in a POW camp in Germany. When he returned to Israel he worked as a member of a diamond polishing cooperative. From the beginning of the War of Independence, he served in the army and in February 1948 volunteered for full service. He was sent to Jerusalem and attached to the “Noam” company. He participated in several battles and recently in a battle for the Castel. He was wounded in the shoulder and, after being dressed, returned to his post and continued to shoot. The next day, on the 28th of Adar 5708 (1948), during the great attack on the Castel, he was wounded in the thigh and could not continue the retreat, remained and was murdered by the Arabs. He was buried in Ma’ale Hachamisha. On the 19th of Kislev 5714 (19.11.1953) he was put to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.