 The mortar was designed at the Mikveh Israel agricultural school in Holon in the winter of 1947–1948.It was first used in combat on March 13, 1948, in the attack on the Abu Kabir neighborhood of Jaffa.The greatest victory attributed to the Davidka was the liberation of the Citadel, a strongpoint in the center of Safed, on the night of May 9–10, 1948.