Pecadu, Shmuel-Demarka

Ben Tova and Yosef (Takla). Born in 1974 in Ethiopia, a younger brother of Aviva, Yoav, Avi, Rachel, Shlomo and Siegal were born in Ethiopia in 1983, when he was nine years old and immigrated from Ethiopia to Israel with his grandmother Tzahitho. Shmuel, who was called Shmulik by all means, began studying at Yavneh Elementary School in Kiryat Shmona, went on to the Sde Ya’akov Yeshiva and completed his high school studies at the Tum (Torah and Crafts) boarding school in Moshav Harav Leat. He graduated from the boarding school in a professional track and was certified in the field of mechanics and electric vehicles, which he loved from an early age. When Shmulik studied at the boarding school, his family moved to nearby Hadera, and he used to come home every few days to support his parents and help them adapt to life in the new place. In July 1992 Shmulik was drafted into the IDF and served as a car mechanic in the Judea and Samaria Division in the Nablus area, where he served with dedication and excellence, and after completing his mandatory service, Shmulik was appointed to examine a vehicle in the Efraim Brigade, Kedumim. His commander, Colonel Eitan, says: “Shmulik served in my unit for three years. We all knew him and appreciated his work. He was a source of pride and a role model for the Ethiopian community. With dedication and a strong desire to succeed, Shmulik enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces and served in the IDF as a very successful career soldier. “Shmulik was a model person, a positive example for everyone around him. (July 14, 2000) Shmulik was killed in a road accident near the base, on his way back from his vacation to the Sabbath patrols, when he was twenty-six years old. Shmulik was laid to rest in the Hadera military cemetery. Survived by his parents, three brothers and three sisters. Shmulik’s commander wrote to the family: “Shmulik, a young career man with a promising future, who carried out his duties with diligence and investment, stood out in his smile, his peace of mind and the tranquility he radiated to his surroundings. Shmulik’s memory was immortalized in a synagogue in Hadera, where he lived.