Ozen, Mordechai (Moti)

Son of Yosef and Yvette. He was born in Ashkelon on February 23, 1953. He attended the Rav Maimon Elementary School and the Moriah Elementary School in Ashkelon. Because of his financial difficulties, Motti was forced to stop his studies and assist in the household economy. He sent his hand in various crafts to ease the burden of livelihood that weighed on his father. He had strong willpower and never sat idle and did not disobey any work. During his childhood, Mutti suffered many diseases, and was therefore weak. But as he grew older, he recovered and became a strong, resilient, energetic and lively man with many interests. Moti loved to listen to music and purchased many records for his collection. He composed songs and sang and practiced singing. During his leisure time, he traveled extensively in the Ashkelon area. Moti liked to help others, because he was a human lover, respectful of his feelings and not resentful. He was lenient and forgiving, hard to be angry and distanced from quarrels and strife, and was keen on keeping peace among his friends. He was sociable and easy to make friends, good-hearted and broad. He was kind and pleasant, optimistic and cheerful, with a sense of humor and likes to joke and joke. He loved his family very much and gave his parents great respect. Moti was drafted into the IDF in early August 1971 and assigned to the Nahal Brigade. He was a good soldier and disciplined and admired his comrades. Everyone liked him because of his jokes, his imitations, his mischievousness and his pranks, which were good enough to raise the spirits of his friends and to encourage them in times of hardship and arduous effort. At the end of April 1974, near the settlement of Gittit in the Jordan Valley, his vehicle got on a mine and he was seriously injured. Six days later, on the 7th of Iyar 5734 (29.4.1974), he died of his wounds and was brought the following day to the eternal rest of the military cemetery in Ashkelon and left behind his parents, three brothers and nine sisters, Elijah’s chair and sacred books for a synagogue in Ashkelon