Ephraim (Philip) Tiktin was born on June 10, 1911 in Kalvarija, Lithuania to Bilha and Asher. For Ephraim, the United States, to which he emigrated as a child, was only a temporary stop on his way 'home' to Eretz Yisrael. In Detroit he attended high school and was one of the founders of HaShomer HaTzair. In the spring of 1933, he attended 'Hachshara' near Albany and soon became one of the first members of Hashomer Hazair to make aliya.
He spent time near Hadera and on Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek before joining the garin which was established Ein HaShofet where he was responsible for the planting of the first trees on the kibbutz.
On April 7, 1938 Ephraim and his friend Eliezer (Lulik) Krongold accompanied a group of experts who came to the kibbutz to see the orchards. On the way home the two chalutzim were ambushed and killed by Arab gang members on the road to Ein HaShoftet from Yokneam. Ephraim was survived by his wife Yehudit and their son Ephraim, who was born after his father's death.
