The son of Eliezer and Miriam, Mordechai Shalom was born in Izmir, Turkey in 1925. As a youth he loved to read; so much so that his father prevented him from using money to buy books, as he needed shoes. His reply was, “I am prepared to go barefoot so that I should have books.”
After completing elementary school, he was compelled to start working right away. He worked as a tailor and all his earnings were given to his parents. He did not have even one pruta (cent) for himself.
He served for two years in the Turkish Army and on being discharged joined the Underground Jewish Defense Force in Turkey. On 29th September 1948 he immigrated illegally to Israel on one of the Haganah ships, and upon arrival immediately joined the IDF. He wrote home: “Here I am as happy as a human can be, finally living my dream. Look, I am amongst Jews only.” He promised, “In a short time I will bring you all to Israel.”
He died tragically during training with Hativat Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Brigade) in Jerusalem on 31st December 1948. While entering a wood, an old unexploded Arab shell blew up, killing him.
Mordechai Shalom was buried at Sheikh Badar “B” and on 21st June 1951 his body was re-interred at the Mount Herzl military cemetery.
His parents emigrated from Turkey to Israel eight months after his death.