Tobias was born on 7 February 1921 in Jaffa, British Mandate Palestine to Abraham and Malca nee Schiff and he had two younger brothers Raphael and Daniel. Their father was born in Newcastle, England but spent most of his life in Israel where he worked for the British Government as an assistant Commissioner of Migration.

Tobias studied at the Herzliya Gymnasium in Tel Aviv, and when the family moved to Jerusalem, he studied at the Rehavia Gymnasium. The family then travelled to England where Tobias studied at Perse School, Cambridge. After graduating he studied aeronautic engineering at the University of London. He was on leave in Israel when WW2 broke out and enlisted locally. After training he was sent to Egypt and gained a reputation as a ‘talented and capable chap.’ He insisted that the HQ notices be published in Hebrew as well, for the volunteers from Israel. He later asked to be transferred to a combat unit so that he could fight the German enemy face-to-face. His request was granted and he was stationed on the front lines in Greece. On 24 April 1941, he was hit by an aerial bombardment and died of his wounds.