Dana Bachar
Dana was born in the winter of 1975 on Kibbutz Gesher HaZiv. She was the first child of Esti and Yehonatan Schlossberg and sister to Einat, Karmit, and Yuval. Early on, she took on the role of the responsible adult, a kibbutznik through and through. She was diligent, had a great work ethic, and took jobs in gardening, in the dining hall, and eventually with children, the latter becoming her calling and life's calling. She chose graphics for her elective in high school. At the same time, she became a counselor in the HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed (The Working and Studying Youth) youth movement. Her students were captivated by her warmth: she embraced everyone like members of her own family.
Dana loved Israeli folk dancing, a hobby she kept up her entire life. In 11th grade, she and some friends were returning from a dance and while stopping at the kibbutz gate, the girls asked the names of the soldiers who were guarding it. Among them was Avida. Ten minutes later, Dana came back and asked his name again. They were never apart since.
For her military service, Dana joined the Meron Air Surveillance Base, and from there continued to an extended service. After finishing, she joined Avida in Be'eri. They eventually moved to Tel Aviv, where Avida completed his matriculation while Dana worked at Gan Ziona, a kibbutz-style kindergarten in the heart of the big city. The couple's next stop was South America. In 1995, they set out with a twin sleeping bag and a tent. They hitchhiked through the entire continent. When the temperature fell below -20 and 'AviDana' – their nickname – realized they could no longer sleep outdoors, they befriended some locals who invited them to stay. As soon as it got warmer, Avida began fishing while Dana photographed flowers. Next, they spent a year and a half in New York, where Dana once again worked in childcare.
When Avida and Dana returned to Israel, they settled in Be'eri. They were married in the summer of 2000 at the kibbutz pool. They had three sons – Rotem, Nofar, and Carmel – followed by daughter Hadar. Dana was a loving, devoted, and protective mother, able to adapt to each of her children's characters. Carmel, for example, demanded that she kiss him only twice a day. Their home was warm and fun, part of the large Bachar family. When Dana's sister Einat started a family in Be'eri, the two of them became known as The Schlossberg Sisters, a pair who always made their opinions known if something was wrong in their view.
Dana operated at her own speed. She worked slowly and methodically but was never late. She loved good food, enjoyed restaurants, family ski trips, and travel. She and Avida had a respectful, touching, and caring relationship. On Friday afternoons, they had a private ritual: Avida would drive through the fields while Dana napped to the sound of Israeli folk songs.
On Sabbat morning of October 7th, the Bachar family went into the safe room. Avida and Hadar were injured but survived. Before she said her final goodbye, Dana managed to get out: "I love everyone and have no hard feelings towards anyone."
She was 48 when she died.
May her memory be blessed.
