Meir Malka, 78: Devoted dad did ‘so many good deeds’

Murdered in his home in Sderot on October 7

Meir Malka, 78, from Sderot, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in his home on October 7.

According to a state obituary, Meir was home at the start of the Hamas attack and went into his home’s reinforced room when the sirens sounded.

Hamas gunmen burst into the home at 8:35 a.m., entered the room and shot him in the heart.

Meir was buried in Ness Ziona on October 13. He is survived by his three children, Shimon, Amit and Ortal, a number of grandchildren and several siblings.

Born in Morocco, one of 10 siblings, Meir moved to Israel with his family as a child and settled in Ness Ziona.

After finishing high school, he enlisted in the IDF. Following his mandatory service, Meir moved to Eilat and worked in the hotel industry. Later he returned to Ness Ziona and worked in the construction field, eventually becoming a contractor.

For many decades, his family said, he spent long periods of time in Africa pursuing work projects.

He was very close to his youngest daughter, Ortal, and when she decided to move to Sderot, he followed and rented an apartment in the city. There he also lovingly cared for his dog, Kika.

“You were my friend, my keeper of secrets, you always went along with me, you never judged me,” Ortal wrote on Facebook. “God wanted you next to him… you did so much charity work in secret, you weren’t a religious man but you did so many good deeds.”

“Dad I love you and hope you can hear me,” she added. “I know that you’re with me and I feel you watching over me from there like you did here.”

A month after he was killed, Meir’s son, Shimon, wrote on Facebook: “Dad, I miss you so much, I’m celebrating my birthday without you, without a phone call from you saying ‘Mazel tov, my son’… thanks Dad for always taking care of everyone, so that nobody would lack anything, even just anyone on the street. I miss you.”

Shimon tattooed on his arm the same line that his family engraved on Meir’s headstone: “You took so much of us with you, and so much of you is continuing with us.”