Simcha, son of Tovah and Mordechai, was born in Tel Aviv on September 29, 1943. In the War of Independence, his father fought in the city of Safed, the city captivated him and he moved with his family to live in it. He finished elementary school at the State A school in Safed, and when he was in fifth grade at the high school in his city, he decided to go to the military school near the Reali School in Haifa, where he passed the difficult entrance exams, Many of whom tried their strength and only a few stood in. Simcha loved the difficult challenges he faced in the boarding school, in which his life was combined He was drafted into the IDF at the beginning of September 1961 and volunteered to serve in the Paratroopers Brigade. After completing basic training at the parachuting school, he was sent to the officers’ training course at the beginning of February 1962. He completed the course successfully and was assigned to the Druze unit and served with him throughout the Negev. He loved life in the unit and was loved by his subordinates. According to his commanders, his soldiers were ready to follow him anywhere. As an officer he excelled at his initiative and served as a personal example for his soldiers. He was gifted with guidance and knowledge, knew how to control his people and treated them warmly and humanely. His commanders said that he was “very loyal to his position, that he would accept operational positions, fill them successfully, and perform tasks even if he encountered difficulties.” At the beginning of March 1964, Simcha was released from regular service and assigned to reserve duty with the rank of lieutenant. As part of his reserve duty he participated in the battles of the Six-Day War. After the liberation, Simha joined the academic studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Because of his great love for Israel and its landscapes, he did not hesitate in choosing geography and orientalism, but in the second year of his studies he moved to the Faculty of Natural Sciences, to the Department of Geology. That same year he married his girlfriend Yael and the two settled in Jerusalem. In his studies, he concentrated on material research and moved on to research the crystals. He prepared his master’s thesis under the guidance of Professor Lev and graduated with honors. During his studies Yael and his two children, Ran and Arna, were born to Yael and Simha. With the encouragement of his teachers, he decided to expand his research toward the doctorate, and in 1972 the family went to Marburg, Germany. After the difficulties of adaptation, he became involved in research as a member of a team of researchers from various countries around the world who were studying the crystals of the moon’s stones. At that time he published his first scientific works and his scientific achievements began to gain attention in the world of science and caused him and his teachers great satisfaction. In the summer of 1973, Simcha was sent to Houston, Texas, to convene scientists employed by the US space agency. When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Simcha announced that he was leaving for university leave and arrived in Zurich wearing jeans and a windbreaker, carrying a small bag with some personal belongings. After a great deal of difficulty, he and a friend managed to board the last plane that flew to Israel. When he arrived in Israel, he did not find his unit, and the two joined the unit abroad, a unit formed by reservists who returned to Israel Simcha immediately joined the unit’s headquarters and took great care to complete its establishment On Wednesday, 10.10.1973, Of the unit and operates from a command APC. On October 12, 1973, during the break-in to the enclave in Khan Arnabeh, the APC was attacked by the enemy planes, and Simcha used the MG against them without bending, quietly and coldly. During the course of the fighting and the progress to the east, the APC was hit in the area of Kfar Nesej – Tel Karin, and Simcha was killed, and he was brought to eternal rest in the Mount Har cemeteryshadow. Survived by a wife, son and daughter, parents, brother and sister. In his letter to the mourning family, his commander wrote: “Lieutenant Zeira Simcha served in an armored unit as a commanding officer in the command vehicle. While serving with us, he proved himself as a warrior and as a person with a spirit of volunteerism and sacrifice. In my name and in the name of all the soldiers of the unit, I express our deep sorrow and we share in your deep sorrow. “
