Shtukman, David

Son of Yishayahu and Sarah. He was born on May 11, 1950 in Tel Aviv. His parents were Holocaust survivors in Poland who came to Israel after a great deal of suffering and suffering. He studied at the “Jabarei Yisrael” elementary school in Yad Eliyahu and from the third grade he received great pleasure from reading; Since then it has been his main hobby. When he read a book, he was able to forget the whole world. David was a cheerful, lively boy and it was hard to detach him from his friends. He was kind and sympathetic to the children of the neighborhood and to his classmates. He had a sense of humor, and even as a boy he had winked witfully. After graduating from elementary school, David began to study at the vocational school “Torah and Crafts” and two years later went on to study at the Barak school. He was very interested in all fields of study and excelled mainly in chemistry and history. His father worked hard for hours as a laborer and when David was eleven years old, the father set up a factory for himself – a small printing press – and he hoped that one day David would take part in the management of the business as befits a devoted and beloved son. David was drafted into the IDF at the beginning of May 1968. He waited impatiently for this moment, expecting to be a pilot, but a slight flaw was found in the tests, and he was disqualified, so he volunteered to serve in the Golani Brigade and underwent the arduous training with stubbornness and perseverance. He became a most beloved friend among his novice friends, the physical exertion did not adversely affect him, and on the contrary, he was strengthened and even weakened by his high spirits and his great kindness. He never told his family about his life in the army and the difficulties and dangers. He always said, “Everything’s fine, there’s nothing to worry about!” He would reassure his parents that in the future he would be a recruits’ guide and told them nothing about his participation in the ambushes, about the miraculous use of an Egyptian soldier’s bullet by the canal, the dangers of patrols and pursuits. All these were known to the family only after that. He was a disciplined soldier and always did his job faithfully. During the few hours when he arrived home, the house was filled with friends who were Simcha to meet him. Before leaving for base, he would reassure his parents “Do not worry!” On May 2, 1969, he fell in pursuit of an Arab terrorist. He was laid to rest in the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul.