Saidian, Mordechai

Born in Jerusalem on January 16, 1959. He studied at the Shilo Boys Elementary School in Jerusalem, continued to study at the vocational school in Kfar Chabad, and later moved to the Yad Binyamin School “Near Netanya. Mordechai did not adjust to the framework and before completing his studies at the boarding school, he returned to Jerusalem and studied at Yeshivat Or HaChaim. When he was 13, he was injured in a serious road accident that limited his health and physical fitness. During his studies at the yeshiva he became interested in ancient manuscripts of rabbis and dealt with a rare collection he had acquired. In December 1977, he joined the IDF and served in the Ordnance Corps as a quartermaster. After he was discharged from compulsory service, he resumed his yeshiva and his hobby, dealing with ancient manuscripts. In December 1982 he was drafted into reserve duty in Lebanon and assigned to a workshop near Marjayoun. On the 10th of Kislev 5743 (10.12.1982), while on duty in the workshop, an army truck hit him and he was run over to death. He was 24 when he died. Mordechai was laid to rest in the military section of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. He left behind his parents, five brothers and four sisters. The commander of his unit wrote to his family: “With the death of your loved one, you have lost a loving, dedicated and loyal son to his parents and family. A charity fund was established in his name and an organization named Netivot Mordechai, whose goal was to publish the ancient manuscripts from his estate