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Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Ilan Weiss Life Story Family and friends share their stories Ilan was born in Holon. He was the firstborn child of his mother, Miki (Miriam), a native Israeli, and the third child of his father, Avri (Avraham), a Holocaust survivor who had arrived in Israel as a young boy from Hungary. Ilan’s parents married when his father was a young widower with two children, Amir and Raviv. When Ilan was two and a half years old, his younger sister, Osnat, was born. From infancy, Ilan was energetic, mischievous, and endlessly curious. He started walking at just nine months old and could never sit still. As a child, he loved family outings visiting relatives in Haifa. His father would lower the backseat of the car, and Ilan and his sister would snuggle up there with blankets, pillows, and their beloved dog, "Humit" ("Brownie"). In the tenth grade, Ilan moved to Kibbutz Ramat Rachel as a yeled hutz (boarding student). The kibbutz children attended the regional school in Givat Brenner, but Ilan was never particularly drawn to academics; he preferred the open fields and green pastures. He often joined the farm workers in the surrounding wheat fields near the school. Despite this, he managed to complete twelve years of schooling, a feat he credited to a devoted homeroom teacher who made sure he didn’t drop out. During his military service, Ilan enlisted in the combat engineering corps. However, after sustaining an injury, his medical profile was lowered. Recognizing his abilities, his commanders allowed him to choose a new assignment. He chose to become an air traffic controller and served at Nevatim Airbase, a role he loved. From then on, he could recognize aircraft types just by the sound of their engines and developed a deep fascination with aviation. After his discharge from the army, Ilan returned to Ramat Rachel and began working in agriculture, gaining expertise in cotton cultivation and plant protection. In 1992, he arrived at Kibbutz Be’eri to work in the crop division and became the first certified bambach (kibbutznik on sabbatical) on the kibbutz. It was here that he met Shiri, a kibbutz member who worked in education. In 1995, they married. Shiri’s parents welcomed Ilan as a son of their own, and he embraced them as additional parents. Over the years, the couple was blessed with three daughters—Meital[RA1] , Ma’ayan, and Noga. Ilan was captivated by his daughters and was a devoted, loving family man who gave his all to his wife and children. The girls were incredibly close to him, always turning to him for advice and support. A beloved "family member" was also Ketem ('Blotch"), their cherished dog, who lived with them for ten years until he died on that tragic "Black Saturday." The family loved traveling together, both in Israel and abroad, and going to concerts. Ilan had a deep appreciation for country music and was an avid fan of the dance group Lord of the Dance , attending every one of their performances in Israel. In August 2023, the family traveled to Budapest, where Ilan was deeply moved to find the childhood home of his father. During the COVID years, Ilan discovered a passion for cooking and enjoyed preparing meals for the family. From then on, they made it a tradition to eat at home regularly, including Friday-night dinners and holiday meals. He also loved hosting extended family gatherings for barbecues. Once a year, Ilan would go on casino cruises with friends, sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but always coming out even. Every weekend, he would go cycling with Gil Boyum (Shiri’s late brother) and another close friend. After work, he loved unwinding with a cold beer in the garden he lovingly tended. Over the years, Ilan worked in agriculture and simultaneously served as the kibbutz’s security coordinator. Later, he took on the role of managing the crop division. During this time, he also pursued a bachelor’s degree in a special program for managers at Ruppin College. Together with Avshal (of blessed memory), who was then the economic coordinator, he spearheaded the effort to remove Be’eri from the Yacham (Ma'on Regional farming Organization) organization. After completing his studies, Ilan began working in the kibbutz printing press, in the Bewe department. After three years, he transitioned to managing the spare parts warehouse at the garage. Upon the kibbutz’s request, he returned to his roots—working in landscaping—and later became the infrastructure manager, a newly established role designed to oversee construction, electrical work, plumbing, and budget control, as well as supervision and planning for gas, roads, and communication networks. Ilan loved this position. He felt he was making a meaningful contribution by bringing order to complex systems and shaping the kibbutz’s infrastructure. He was meticulous in his work, always listening and committed to supporting the team leaders. He approached every challenge with both a community-oriented and systematic perspective. An organized and responsible manager, he was deeply loyal to the kibbutz and ensured that decisions were carried out, even when they conflicted with his personal opinions. Throughout his various roles, Ilan was actively involved in numerous committees. Everywhere he went, he was known as a loyal friend—honest, hardworking, dedicated, and gifted with a unique sense of humor. For the last four years, he served as the deputy head of the local emergency response team (Tzachi). In his unassuming way, he was always someone to rely on, responding to every situation with precision and thoughtfulness. He was always ready to help—devoted, responsible, and fearless. No matter the event, he was there, arriving without hesitation. So, it was on the morning of Saturday, October 7. The kibbutz’s rapid response team (QRF) did not have a key to the armory because the security coordinator had been killed in the first moments of the terrorist invasion. Ilan was called to bring the key. He left his home and was murdered by terrorist gunfire while still in his club car (like a golf cart), on his way to protect the kibbutz he loved so deeply. After his murder, Ilan was abducted to Gaza. He was 56 years old. May his memory be a blessing. Back 03.11.1967 - 07.10.2023 56 years old

Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Noy Shosh Life Story Family and friends share their stories Noy Shosh was born on December 12, 1986 to Miriam and Gabriel Shosh, joining brothers Ohr and Raz. The family lived in Katzrin, and enjoyed traveling in the Golan Heights and vacationing in Eilat and Sinai. Noy was an ardent nature lover. When he finished 8th grade, the family moved to Ness Ziona, where he studied for one year at Ben-Gurion School, followed by five years at the IDF Ordnance Corps Technological School. Noy earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Vehicle Engineering, while simultaneously working in a garage to both gain experience and knowledge and contribute to his family's income. Noy served in the Ordnance Corps Unit and later became an officer, advancing to the rank of Captain. Noy was passionate about his military service and served for many years in the IDF reserves. He met his future wife, Mahol, in 2008 during his military service. The two were a couple for six years until Mahol completed her studies and they decided to marry. Their wedding was held on Kibbutz Bror Hayil. Noy and Mahol chose to set down roots in Kibbutz Be'eri, where he quickly acclimated and found his place at work and in the kibbutz society. In the garage, Noy both worked and managed several positions, the last as garage manager. Noy had golden hands and a big heart, lending a quick, generous hand to all, with a smile. In 2018, their eldest daughter Noga was born, followed by Netzer, who celebrated his fourth birthday at a hotel on the Dead Sea. The third child is one-and-a-half-year-old Lavie. The family’s favorite pastime was taking trips in the jeep Noy had bought. He was a member of the Prado Driving Club where he took part in many excursions. Noy joined the Be'eri Pub staff and happily took his turn for shifts and events held at the pub. At the start of their journey, Mahol and Noy would often frequent restaurants and movies. As parents, they fully devoted themselves to raising their children. Noy maintained a strong relationship with his longtime circle of friends throughout the years. On the morning of Saturday, October 7, 2023, the family members were awakened by the clamor of shelling and shooting. At those very moments, Noy received an emergency order to report to his IDF unit. As the “Red Alert” sirens sounded, the entire family barricaded themselves in the bomb shelter. Terrorists infiltrated the house and tried to break into the shelter. With one hand, Noy held the door handle shut, as he gripped his loaded gun with the other hand. The terrorists’ gunfire penetrated the door, injuring Noy in his arm and leg. As Noy bled profusely, Mahol summoned the resourcefulness and presence of mind to tear a sheet and tie it as an artery-block to bandage his arm. At the same time, she tried to telephone for help. As Noy’s strength ebbed and he collapsed, Mahol grabbed his gun. When the sight of a gun barrel appeared in the door’s peephole, Mahol took the gun and shot towards it. There was silence from behind the door. The terrorists then set the house on fire, filling the bomb shelter with thick smoke. Mahol and the children parted from Noy with words of love. She then opened the window of the shelter to allow them to breathe fresh air. At last, soldiers arrived to evacuate Mahol and the children to a neighboring apartment. At the same time, Noy’s two brothers began searching for him in hospitals. When they could not find him, his oldest brother went to Be'eri. After deliberation and discussion with IDF personnel, Noy’s body was removed from the bomb shelter. Mahol and the children were evacuated from Be'eri. In Mahol’s words: “We had a long, happy relationship. We were a team connected to one another.” May his memory be blessed. Back 12.12.1986 - 07.10.2023 37 years old

Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Paul Vince Castelvi Life Story Family and friends share their stories Paul was born in Pampanga, Philippines, the son of Lourdines and Lilina, the third of four children. He was a mischievous child, perhaps a little too precocious. He wasn’t a big fan of school, but graduated from the local high school in the town of San Fernando. He worked odd jobs after graduating, and migrated to Saudi Arabia at the age of 25, to work as a school bus driver. It was there that he met Jovelle “Bell” Santiago, at the baptism of a baby born in the Filipino community. He was 33; she was 24. Bell liked Paul instantly, but decided to be careful. “My heart was saying yes, but my head told me to watch out, because I had to make sure he didn’t have a wife back home.” Paul courted Bell for a full month before she agreed to give him her phone number. Bell was working as an orderly at a hospital. But after two and a half years, in 2015, she no longer felt safe in Saudi Arabia and decided to go back home. Paul missed her. A month after her departure, he took time off and surprised her in the Philippines, where the first thing he did was ask her parents’ permission to marry her. Paul and Bell had to wait to get married, because Bell’s sister was getting married that year, and it is customary in the Philippines to wait a year between weddings. In the meantime, they planned to return to Saudi Arabia together, but Bell had a friend who worked in Israel and told her going there was a better option. She migrated to Israel, and Paul joined her shortly after, in December 2018. Paul worked on Kibbutz Erez for a year. When the elderly man he was caring for passed away, Paul moved to Be’eri, where he cared for Arik Mor for a short period before being hired by Eviatar “Tari” Kipnis, who had motor disabilities. Tari and Lilach were thrilled to take him in, and Paul and Tari developed a friendship founded on their mutual interests: cooking, exercise, cycling, and kayaking. Paul was tall, muscular, and strong, and was able to help Tari with any kind of exercise his illness allowed him to practice. On good days, they worked together at the bicycle shop, taking breaks to cook Turkish coffee. On difficult days and during periods of hospitalizations, Paul chose to stay at Tari’s side outside of normal working hours, alleviating the man’s loneliness during those long, challenging nights. Over the years, especially when Tari’s health was better, Paul became more of a friend or relative. He stayed on the second floor of the house, in an attic converted into a studio apartment with a balcony. He cooked for Lilach and Tari and always loaded the dishwasher, even though the family members protested. He kept a vegetable garden and took pride in his crop—especially the hot peppers. Paul wasn’t afraid of rocket attacks. A religious man, he chose to pray rather than go into the safe room. He lifted weights in his attic and played basketball with kibbutz members. He connected with the local children, was open and curious about life in Israel and specifically on the kibbutz, and was familiar and beloved by all members. In 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul and Bell got married in a modest ceremony at the Embassy of the Philippines in Tel Aviv. Lilach and Tari threw a reception for them in their home, including a white wedding gown and a bouquet. Bell worked at Kibbutz Or HaNer, not far from Be’eri. The newlyweds matched their vacation schedule, going to Tel Aviv together twice a month and meeting during the week every chance they got. Every night at nine o’clock, they spent an hour talking on the phone. In February 2023, Bell found out she was pregnant, due in October. Everyone was thrilled, and Tari and Lilach invited Bell to spend her maternity leave in their home. Paul made plans for a surprise visit to their families in the Philippines along with their baby in December 2023. Tari and Lilach were going to buy them the plane tickets as a gift. Later on, Paul dreamed of moving with his wife and child to America or New Zealand, find a job that would allow him to be home every day by five o’clock, and be a family man. Paul and Tari drove to Or HaNer during the first week of October to load all of Bell’s things and the baby gear—including Nike sneakers, so that the baby could become a basketball player—and moved them to the attic in Be’eri. On October 7th, everything went up in flames. That morning, Paul and Bell had a short text exchange. He told her he was in the safe room with Tari. By 9:30 A.M. he was no longer responding to messages. The next morning, Bell was evacuated to Tel Aviv with the rest of Or HaNer’s residents. She had no idea what became of Paul until two days later, when she received a call from the embassy. Paul was identified by the tattoo of Bell’s name on his arm. Jason Paul Junior was born on November 4th, 2023, less than a month after his father’s murder. A photo of Paul, along with his ashes, are set by the baby’s crib. May his memory be a blessing. Back 21.12.1980 - 07.10.2023 43 years old (Nursing Assistant)

Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Lior Tarshansky Life Story Family and friends share their stories Lior was born on October 24th, 2007. He was due to celebrate his sixteenth birthday in late autumn, two weeks after he was murdered. Lior was a kibbutz child, a nature child walking barefoot around the kibbutz paths. People couldn’t take their eyes off this beautiful little boy, with his long hair and almond-like, slightly slanted eyes. Mowgli, they called him. Mowgli grew up to become Chumpa, and Tetro as well. Tetro was the name given to him by his good buddy Alon, who was also murdered by the terrorists. The girls used to call him Liori. He was a magnet for nicknames; a magnet for love. But first and foremost, Lior was his parents’ son. His mother, Reuma, is a movement therapist. His father, Ilya, made aliya from Russia and worked as the plumber of the kibbutz. Lior was also Gali’s elder brother and the younger brother of Eden on his fathers' side. As the first grandchild, Lior had earned the coveted status of being the baby everyone wanted to hold; a soft, gentle baby who loved to cuddle up. At the tender age of one he was injured by shrapnel from Kassam missiles fired at Beeri. Luckily, he survived – to become a naughty little boy, a “performer” who loved making up funny dances and fooling around. He liked wrestling in the living room with Gali; he liked playing Catan on family holidays and threatening he would beat everyone to the ground - which never really happened, except for once. And Lior was so high on that one-time victory – he couldn’t stop talking about it. There were many other things he loved: Maccabi Haifa, mom’s famous jachnoon. The latter had always been at the center of family gatherings, always anticipated with great joy. Every year, the family would rent a holiday cottage on Yom Kippur. It was a treasured family event where everyone could spend some time together, chattering, sharing, tightening up family ties. On Lior’s last Yom Kippur the family rented a cottage on the Gilboa mountain, and he came along with his girlfriend, Omer. Everyone was joking about this family tradition, which started when Lior was a one-year-old baby, realizing what a significant stretch of time had since passed. As he was born and raised in Beeri, the kibbutz was part of Lior – just as he was a part of the kibbutz. To a great extent, the kibbutz had shaped the young man he was becoming. As an adolescent he was more aware of himself – a little less of the nonsensical kid and a little more of a ‘kibbutznik’, a proper kibbutz member. He felt strongly connected to the kibbutz way of life, to his Afarsek classmates in Beeri, and believed in taking part, contributing and undertaking all kinds of tasks. In the ninth grade he joined the Bar Mitzva team and spent the next two years getting up early, carrying heavy stuff around and helping whole heartedly wherever he was needed. This year he was chosen to be the Bar Mitzva guide – a highly valued position – which made him very excited and proud of himself. He was supposed to lead a group of twenty thirteen-year-olds. At home he had his exclusive responsibilities as well – french fries, for example; everyone knew this was his realm, and no-one else dared near the fryer at barbeques. He was also the favorite babysitter of his younger cousins. He loved kids, had tons of patience and a great approach to them – and they loved him back. Lior was a high-school student at Nofey Habsor. A bright one - yet not a “wonk”, to say the least. It either came easy to him, or not at all. He was never the one to be dragged into something others were doing, or to rebel. Lior knew exactly what he wanted and had his own unique way of getting there. If he ever skipped a lesson, it was for a good reason – Maccabi Haifa. Shakked, his former homeroom teacher, says he had always asked her how she was doing. It was so natural for him, so untypical of his age. Such maturity he possessed, such depth and inner peace. A true “mensch”. Shakked says she was very happy to witness his flourishing relationship with Omer. “They were both so gentle, elegant and photogenic together,” she recounts. Two giant hearts, yet humble and kind, always capable of truly seeing the other. Lior was a quiet person, the classic hot shy-guy, but at the same time he was friendly and witty and funny. You couldn’t really get into a fight with him – his friends say they had never seen him lose his temper. It was so difficult to make him lose it that it became a major challenge: who’s going to make Lior truly angry. On one of their summer trips they said to him, “Listen, Lior, we’re all dying to see you scream. You just have to! Let’s go to the beach and shout together!” It became the trip-joke. They all went, “Shout, Lior!” but no-one could make him do it. Yam, his friend, says Lior was his confidant – he only told him (and his own father) things he wouldn’t tell anyone else. They once shared an electric scooter ride around the kibbutz, talking, talking, and talking – only to realize, at a certain point, it was five thirty a.m. and they had been talking for six hours nonstop. Lior loved diving – and not only into the depths of a heart-to-heart. He had an Advanced Open Water Diver license and planned on going on a diving safari. He loved other sports as well – ping pong, basketball and soccer, of course. A year before he was murdered, he flew to Paris with Tal - his uncle - and Yam, to watch a Maccabi Haifa game, and strolled around the city with sparkling eyes – so wholly enchanted by everything. Maccabi Haifa had an obituary published following Lior’s murder. He was supposed to celebrate his sixteenth birthday at their game against Maccabi Beer Sheva. On his birthday, his friends said, Maybe we should all just go down to the Dead Sea beach and scream our lungs out? But they never made it, and anyway – each of them knew that if Lior saw them standing there, screaming, he would simply crack up laughing. May his memory be a blessing. Back 24.10.2007 - 07.10.2023 16 years old

Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Matti Weiss Life Story Family and friends share their stories Matti and Amir. Amir and Matti. Both were born in February 1954. Matti was born in Holon to Zizi and Marco Altras who came to Israel from Morocco. Amir was born in kibbutz Hefziba, the son of Mira and Avri Weiss. Matti lived with her family in a one-room apartment in a neighborhood built for new immigrants. She was 16 when her brother Avi was born, and the family moved to Eilat. She served as an operations sergeant in Sharm-a-Shiekh and spent the Yom Kippur War in a bunker in the mountains over the town. After the war she and her army friends traveled around the Sinai mountains. After the army, she worked as a ground hostess at Eilat airport, where she met Amir. Amir was Mira and Avri’s second child. Their families had come to Israel from Romania and Hungary. Their firstborn son died in infancy. Amir and his younger brother, Raviv, lost their mother to cancer. Avri remarried when Amir was 12, and the family moved to Holon, where Asnat and Ilan, his two half-siblings, were born. Amir loved kibbutz life and the views of Mount Gilboa. When he was in school on the kibbutz he learned to play the cello. He went to the Thelma Yellin High School of Art and Music where he played cello and double bass. He served as an officer in the quartermaster corps, and following his discharge from the military, as a security guard for Arkia Airlines in Eilat. That is where he met Matti, who eventually proposed to him. Amir refused, and a week later, on the beach, proposed to her. Their wedding was a modest one, in the Holon rabbinate building. They became inseparable. They settled in Eilat, where their twins, Ran and Michal were born. They next moved to kibbutz Ramat Rachel, birthplace of their son Yuval. Three years later, they looked for a different kibbutz, and were offered a small, temporary apartment in Be’eri. They moved there, waiting for the larger apartment to be built. They settled in Be’eri in 1985, and their son Oren was born there. Matti’s childhood dream was to be a teacher. The games she loved playing with her friends were that she was the teacher and they – her pupils. She made her dream come true. She received her B.Ed., and then got her M.A. in educational-systems management. She began as a teacher in Be’eri, and later established and ran a private school, Nofim, on the kibbutz. Nofim espoused the values of farming and agriculture. Matti was one of the first to work outside of Be’eri. She worked for the Branco Weiss Education System, developing pedagogical content and managing educational programs all around the country. She then moved to the Rashi Foundation and became part of the Katzir Foundation, which provides scholarships for students. She then continued to guidance, personal counseling, and coaching for school principals. She continued energetically after her retirement, working for the community-art program at Sapir College. There, too, she did an outstanding job. Matti was a natural leader. Wherever life took her she was an enterprising trailblazer, a significant figure who, with great ability, managed people and teams. Amir, who from a young age loved wide open spaces and nature, found his destiny in agriculture, especially field crops, which he managed for many years. His children say that “Our best childhood memories are being with Abba on the tractor, working in the peanut and cotton plantation and the carrot fields.” He expressed his musical talent by singing in all kibbutz ceremonies, most notably Omer, Omer which he sang every year on the day of the first harvest, one day before the Passover seder, when the farmers harvested the first stalks of grain. When he left the field crops, Amir went to Rupin College to study business administration. He then joined the Be’eri printing plant, where, for many years, he was manager of the warehouse and the logistics center. He continued working there and volunteering, even after his retirement. Matti and Amir got to share a great love. Despite their differences – he was quiet and introverted; she was active and energetic – they complemented each other and did everything together. They both loved Israeli songs, and Amir also loved classical music. They both loved being close to nature, the landscapes, the vastness of the Negev. Their children’s clearest memory is the “anemone picnic.” Every February, when they celebrated their birthdays, they’d go out with their children and grandchildren to the wildflower fields around the kibbutz and enjoy a family picnic. Their daughter Michal said, “It was more important to them than anything else.” Nothing was dearer to them than family. “They were involved, protective parents,” their children said. “They were always there for us, and we always knew we could count on them. We could call them from any place in the country, any time, and Abba would come to pick us up from a dark road or a faraway army base. Our parents’ life objective was to have a strong, united family. It was they who brought us all back to live in Be’eri.” Amir and Matti had ten grandchildren. They were devoted grandparents, happy to care for the grandchildren, who felt that their grandparents’ house was their second home. They devoted their time and energy to the grandchildren and had a close and special relationship with each one. After they retired a few years ago, they traveled the world. These were their best years. They devoured life – they wanted to see everything. They planned to travel, to see, to experience. They had many dreams, all of which were brutally severed. When the attack on Be’eri began on October 7, 2023, Matti and Amir locked themselves at home, as did all residents of Be’eri. They were injured and knew they would not make it. Their last words were words of great love to their children and grandchildren. “They went together,” their children say, “and if we can find comfort in anything, it is that they will not have to live without each other. They were the best of friends and they loved each other. Ima always said, ‘I don’t know what I’ll do without him.’” Amir and Matti. Matti and Amir. Loving and caring in life, they remained together in death. May their memory be a blessing. Back 08.02.1954 - 07.10.2023 69 years old

Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Ze’ev Heker Life Story Family and friends share their stories Zehava and Ze’ev Heker, of Blessed Memory, a great love story. Zehava was born on 13 December 1954 in Givatayim, and at age nine, arrived as an external student (Yaldat Hutz) on Be’eri. Rina and Avraham Hevron were her adoptive family. She was a shy child who hardly uttered a word, and grew up strikingly beautiful, with long dark hair, dignified and sensitive. Zehava served in the IDF in the Golani Operations Command. When she was released, she returned to civilian life via Nahal Na’aran in the Jordan Valley as an emissary of Kibbutz Be’eri. At Na’aran, she managed the vegetable garden, where she met Ze’ev. Ze’ev was born 27 February 1951 on Gan Yoshiya, the first child born on the Moshav. He was a child any parent would love, filled them with pride, and was adored by his teachers. He was clever, direct, and hated lies. At aged ten, he moved with his family to Moshav Tkuma, where he enjoyed a happy childhood. His parents educated him from an early age to be independent and brave, and gave him chores, like riding in the dark to fetch milk, and without him knowing, followed from a distance. Once he went on a hike with his brother, Pinchas, and their dog, Outlaw. Suddenly they heard firing. Apparently, the firing originated from Gaza, and Outlaw shielded Zeev and his brother with his body. Ze’ev studied at the Mikvah Agricultural High School, and that period molded him personally and professionally, turning him into a person of the land. He had a talent for building transistor radios, and travelled into Tel Aviv to buy parts, putting them together from scratch. He was also a strong chess player, and won second place in a high-school championship. In his army service, he was a tank commander. He had already boarded a bus to take a holiday after being demobilized, when the Yom Kippur War broke out. Ze’ev fought in Sinai, where his tank was hit twice, and twice during the war he changed tanks. The war was a significant event in his life, and he recounted it in many stories to his children. At age 24, Ze’ev arrived at Na’aran, in the Jordan Valley, and worked there in agriculture. Amongst other things, he was responsible for the water supply. He lived the life of a cowboy, riding around armed with a Kalashnikov, between enemy Arab villages, in a period during which there were many infiltrations from Jordan. At Na’aran, Ze’ev met the love of his life – Zehava, and she met the love of her life – Ze’ev. Ze’ev fell in love with Zehava after he understood that she knew how to tell the difference between weeds and watermelon. After two weeks, Zehava spoke to her younger brother, Avi, and told him that she had met a gingi – a redhead. She asked that Avi come and visit. When Avi arrived, he was amazed at the bond between them: Ze’ev gazed at Zehava in marvel, and similarly, she gazed back at him. It did not stop nor diminish for all the world. They continued to look at each other like that for 46 years. Ze’ev followed Zehava to Be’eri. They married on May 7, 1978, and their three children were raised at Be’eri: Limor, Dvir and Hagay. Zehava worked in several positions on the Kibbutz. She managed a department at Be’eri Print, and worked long hours every day. For several years she worked as a caregiver at the primary school, where the children liked her so much they continued to visit her long after leaving. Zehava loved to help other people. She had a special talent to see the good in each person, and to be positive and complimentary. Girlfriends poured out their hearts to her, and people were drawn to her like a magnet. Ze’ev said of her, “No matter where we were, everyone loved Zehava”. She was creative and industrious, and nurtured a home and spectacular garden, concocted natural soaps, prepared dried fruits, and learnt to grow succulent plants. She had a heart of gold, hands of gold, and everything she touched turned to gold, as her name – Zehava/Goldie - implies. She was devoted to all her work and gave infinitely. Zehava was interested in spirituality and the human soul, and learnt and became knowledgeable in this field by reading copiously and taking courses. Ze’ev was a man of the land, a farmer through and through, and served as the Director of Agriculture on Be’eri. He occasionally held other positions on the Kibbutz, but always returned to farming. He grew gladiolas, potatoes, wheat, peanuts, maize, and peas. Ze’ev was a humble man, and a perfectionist. He held very high standards, and said of good work, “This was carried out by the rulebook”. Many farmers came to learn from him and consult with him. Every time anew, he loved to work, to sow, to water, and to harvest. At one point, he was his son Hagay’s direct supervisor at work, and taught him the secrets of the land. Even after his retirement at age 70, he continued to work shifts on the tractor, to calibrate tools, and to remain updated on what was happening in the fields and on the land. From the time they met, Zehava and Ze’ev did everything together. Ze’ev went along with the follies of Zehava. She didn’t drive, and he drove her everywhere, and would wait for her at each place. “Thanks to this”, he would say, “I got to know new places”. On her birthday, he would always buy her a new piece of jewelry, and would write a meaningful letter. The respect between them remained always, even though now and again a quarrel would occur. They always knew how to accommodate each other. Ze’ev always complimented her. They hugged and kissed each time they met and parted, and passed this onto their children, who are also accustomed to hugging and kissing when meeting and parting. Zehava mothered like a lioness, with warmth and a watchful eye, pushing her cubs to independence. Ze’ev taught his children to respect every person, and instilled in them the principle “everyone is a human being, until proven otherwise”. They knew how to give quality time to each child separately. Both cared for their children, but whenever they called to inquire about their wellbeing, each spoke for the other: “Your father is worried” or “Your mother is concerned”… They were wonderful grandparents to 11 grandchildren. Zehava was devoted to them and very involved in their lives. Ze’ev told his grandkids, any help you need, just ask. He always took them and fetched them from every place, and every time a class at school was cancelled, they called him immediately. Ze’ev and Zehava loved to hike and travel in Israel. When Ze’ev retired, he bought a jeep to travel with his kids and grandkids. It did not matter to where, the main thing was to travel and to enjoy nature. When his children were small, Ze’ev didn’t agree to go on a family holiday sleeping in a tent, because he said he had enough tents during his annual reserve duty. Only after he retired, and out of respect for his grandchildren, did he agree to sleep with them in a tent. They even bought him a tent as a present for a birthday. Zehava and Ze’ev were both bibliophiles. They both read a lot a lot and studied a lot. Zehava loved the song, Matanot Ktanot (“Small gifts”) by Rami Kleinstein and Ze’ev loved Yeled Shel Abba (“Daddy’s Boy”) by Mookie. On the eve of Simchat Torah, Ze’ev and Zehava spent time with their sons, Hagai and Dvir, and their families, and parted as usual with a hug and kiss. The following morning, Saturday, October 7, the Kibbutz woke to the sound of fire. As soon as it became apparent that terrorists had infiltrated Be’eri, Zehava asked everyone on the family WhatsApp group to give a sign of life. At a certain point, Zehava wrote that there were terrorists outside their home and at 13:50, they entered. Ze’ev and Zehava had locked themselves within their safe room. Dvir and Hagai's families were rescued during the night, but contact was lost with Zehava and Ze’ev. Apparently, the terrorists took them as hostages to another house in the neighbourhood, where there was a shoutout with Yamam , the Police National Counter Terror Unit. Their fate was unknown for 11 days, until the family received notification of their passing. Zehava and Ze’ev Heker were honest, ethical, hard-working people, people of virtue. They loved their family, their children, and their grandchildren, and were very devoted to them. They loved, respected, and admired each other, every day and every hour, until the last moment. The poet Zelda wrote: I am connected by thread To you Our beloved festivals And wonderful periods of the year With a treasure of fragrances, flowers Fruit, leaves, and spirits With the mist and rain The sudden snow And dew Hanging by a longing thread You and me and the sabbath You and me we lived In a previous life You and me And the lie And the fear And the torn You and me And the Creator of the Heavens does not have Seashore You and me And the riddle You and me And death May their good memory be a blessing. Back 27.02.1951 - 07.10.2023 72 years old

Mourning the victims of Kibbutz Be'eri Marcelle Freilich Life Story Family and friends share their stories Marcelle was born in Morocco to Hannah and Nissim Medina, in the spring of 1959. Marcelle was the thirteenth of fourteen brothers and sisters. In 1962, when Marcelle was three years old, the Medina family moved to Israel and lived in a ‘ma’abara’, or transit camp, near Beer Sheva. From there they moved to their permanent residence in the city’s Daled neighborhood. Her mother was a homemaker and her father worked in a factory. From a young age, Marcelle was a curious, studious girl, and an excellent student. Her teachers at the religious-public school she attended always gave her additional assignments so that she would not get bored. As a girl she would gather the younger children from the neighborhood and teach them. She was a teacher in her very essence, a teacher above all else. Marcelle was also an amazing sister and aunt. In her youth she was a sought-after babysitter for her nieces and nephews, and would run between the houses of her brothers and sisters. She loved her family very much and they loved her. As a high school student, Marcelle fell in love with chemistry. Even then she knew that she would go on to learn chemistry at university. She was accepted to studies with a scholarship for excellence, and completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Ben Gurion University. The hardworking Marcelle decided early on in her academic path that she would be “something”. Her children say how important it was to her to put in the work toward significant achievements, with chemistry and education her passions. Marcelle completed her PhD in the department for scientific teaching at the Weizmann Institute of Science. In her doctoral work and ongoing research she aspired to make scientific knowledge accessible to middle school and high school students in Israel, to raise the profile of scientific subjects and make the sciences in general and chemistry in particular an attractive subject that students would want to choose and study. And indeed, in her many years as a teacher, Marcelle was beloved, respected, and adored. Anyone who was her student — loved her and loved chemistry. In recent years, Marcelle worked at the Davidson Institute of Weizmann, training future teachers in the field of science. Mor, Marcelle’s eldest daughter, says that Marcelle was a real “performer”. She was multi-talented and loved the stage: folk dancing, reading texts, standing before a class and teaching, lecturing at international conferences. She never did anything off-hand, she always took preparation for every task very seriously. And many at Be'eri would certainly remember Marcelle onstage singing, dancing and playing the main role in “My Fair Lady” which was produced in honor of Be'eri’s 40th anniversary. Marcelle, who grew up in a very religious household, was always different and independent-minded, preferred slacks over skirts. Her father never imposed his opinions on his children, nor did she on hers. Marcelle, who was traditional in her own way, left it up to her children to choose how to live and what they thought was best for themselves. Marcelle married Nuriel and they lived in the village Tzohar. In 1981, their eldest daughter, Mor, was born. Two years later, Mancher — then the school principal — was looking for a chemistry teacher. He came by van to Tzohar, drove the young family to see Be'eri, and assured Marcelle that she had nothing to worry about, she would not need to be separated from Mor as they were soon transitioning to family housing. And so the family arrived in Be'eri and fell in love with the kibbutz life in general, and Be'eri in particular. The family grew. Amit was born in Be'eri in 1985, and Ziv in 1988. Marcelle became the ultimate kibbutznik. She showed up for all duties and was active on many committees out of a desire to contribute to her community. Still, she turned down the position of kibbutz secretary, which was offered to her multiple times, because she preferred to study and to develop in her professional field. The next chapter of her life, Marcelle built with Dror — “Drori” Ben Ruhama, with whom she was set up by Ayelet Godard. Marcelle and Drori met and knew at once that this was forever. They had an amazing partnership and deep bond. Both curious and studious, they loved to travel together, learned and adhered to the Rambam diet and felt healthy and vital both physically and mentally. On Saturday, October 7th, the two locked themselves in their safe room. Marcelle was messaging with her children, her relatives and her many friends. She was worried about Ziv, who was in his own safe room with Shahar, reported the shootings, the shouting, the fear of the terrorists in her home. She felt that they had been abandoned and was angry. At 10:30am, all contact with her ceased. Her beloved Drori, so significant and dear to the whole family, was also killed. Marcelle meant the world to her children. A diminutive woman, she possessed a huge personality. Beautiful, well put together and well-dressed, she always looked young, to the point that anyone who saw her and Amit together could not believe she was his mother. She was a woman with a zest for life, energetic and optimistic. There was no challenge that came her way that she could not handle. Her children say that she always knew how to guide them through life, taught them to separate the wheat from the chaff and to aim for something that was truly good for them. “She gave us the confidence that we could do anything. Mom was an anchor for us, a voice of wisdom who was always there for us, the pillar of the family,” said Mor, Amit and Ziv. “Mom showered us with love and we were blessed to have a wonderful and beloved mother, which we told her a lot in her life.” “My WhatsApp is full of hearts that I sent her,” says Ziv. Marcelle was a loving and dedicated grandmother to her four grandchildren: Ben, Lee, Niv and Anne. It is terribly sad that she will not get to see them grow up. Marcelle is no longer with us but her spirit remains — her powerful spirit and drive to live and to develop, to get out of hell and strive to live a good and happy life and thus fill the hole in the heart. And then… Marcelle will dance and smile in heaven. May her memory be a blessing. Back 27.4.1959 - 07.10.2023 64 years old