St.-Sgt.-Maj.(res.) Shalom Mordechai

Jun 8, 2002 - St.-Sgt.-Maj.(res.) Shalom Mordechai, 35, of Nahariya was killed when terrorists infiltrated the community of Carmei Tzur south of Bethlehem on Friday night.

Two terrorists infiltrated the settlement, located in the southern Gush Etzion region, before dawn. Two soldiers from an artillery unit, still in basic training, identified the intruders, and demanded that they stop. The terrorists opened fire on them. Eyal Sorek was shot and killed when he left his caravan, holding a firearm. His wife Yael, who was nine months pregnant, was shot dead in the caravan.

Reservists who arrived on the scene and killed the terrorist who had murdered the Sorek couple. One reserve officer, St.-Sgt.-Maj. Shalom Mordechai, was mortally wounded in the gunfight and another three IDF reservists and two settlers, were injured.

Shalom Mordechai, who served in the army in the Golani Brigade, had been on reserve army duty for two weeks. He worked for Bezeq and lived with his wife and children near his parents in Nahariya, where he was born. He favorite hobby was motor sports, and he would spend the weekends with family and friends traveling in the Galilee, whether by jeep, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or motorcycle.

St.-Sgt.-Maj.(res.) Shalom Mordechai was buried in the military section of the Nahariya cemetery. He is survived by his wife Orly, his sons Shaked (9) and Ro'i (5), his parents and three siblings.