Ilan Weiss
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.
