Rotem Calderon
Rotem Calderon was born on October 14, 1956, in Kibbutz Be'eri to Leah Lili Leicha née Elazar, who immigrated to Israel from Bulgaria, and Michael Goodrich - later Gadish – who immigrated to Israel from England. Her mother was both a farmer and a seamstress, and her father taught physical education. Leah never got to know her older brother Ilan, who died from an illness at the age of six. Yet Leah maintained a close, loving relationship with her two older brothers Yuval and Raviv for her entire life. From childhood, Rotem knew how to be both the little sister who never hesitated to take on the role of the big one when needed, as well as knowing how to fill the house with free-flowing, fun, bubbling, contagious laughter.
Rotem grew up in the "Gefen'' group on the kibbutz. A sports-lover and a swimmer, Rotem was very popular in the Gefen’s group of nine girls, and some remained close friends for life. Rotem served in the Israeli Army in Sharm al Sheikh. When she returned to the kibbutz, she met the man who would become the father of her children, Moshe"Caldi" Calderon. This meeting has a mythological version: Caldi, a charismatic young man, arrives at the kibbutz with his cohorts from Bat Yam, spots the beautiful girl from the kibbutz in a checkered flannel shirt with long hair down to her buttocks, and declares, “This shirt will be mine.” And Rotem, in true form, confidently follows her heart, opting to share her life with the distinctive, talented city boy leading the way.
Soon after they wed, their oldest son Adam was born, followed by Omer’s arrival two-and-a-half years later. Even as a young mother with two toddlers, Rotem managed to advance her career by studying Physical Education far from home in Seminar Hakibbutzim in Tel Aviv, returning to Be'eri only on weekends for a long period. Upon completing her studies, Rotem worked as a well-loved teacher at the Ma’ale Basor High School where Caldi also taught. At the birth of their daughter Mika, Rotem nurtured her small, close-knit family, a lioness of a mother who spoke of her children with sparkling eyes and boundless love.
In 2005, tragedy struck: Caldi was killed in a motorcycle accident, at the age of just 49. The kibbutz members enveloped Rotem with support during her deep mourning. Gradually, she mustered the strength to redirect her life to achieve another dream: to live for a time in the big city of Tel Aviv. Alone. Like the best of Tel Aviv’s young women, Rotem rented an apartment with a roommate and pored over want ads for job openings. At the start, she found a job as a clerk in a law firm, a position she left in favor of working in a neighborhood coffee shop and a clothing store in Neve Tzedek, jobs that brought her closer to the throbbing pulse of the city and its people.
Two years later, when she returned to the kibbutz, Rotem became the preschool director before working in the kibbutz secretariat. At retirement, Rotem was drawn to volunteer at The Negev’s Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Support Center, as well as the "No Soldier Left Behind” therapeutic rehabilitation community for PTSD victims in the Gaza vicinity. These two specific centers were ideal for Rotem’s unrivaled expertise: interpersonal communication. Rotem was the grandmaster of listening to others, able to not only look, but see. When you spoke to her, you felt you were the most important thing in the universe. And when she spoke, she always said what she thought. Apparently, this characteristic – her captivating honesty – helped so many to bare their hearts to her and to support her.
Rotem was a passionate mother to Adam and Omer and Mika, a wondrous grandmother to Aviv, Gal and Bar, and a beloved and loving persona to Mika and Roi, her children's spouses. She was also a youthful 66-year-old woman who knew how to set out on life adventures that others could not imagine. Rotem was a people-person who also knew how to enjoy going to the movies alone. She was efficient, creative, productive -- the one to depend on to arrange great trips for her circle of friends. But Rotem also knew how to enjoy a walk, or just sit and talk with her children, or watch TV together in pajamas.
She was an extremely sensitive person, yet also a rock of stability for so very many. When Adam and Mika, both creative cinema people, shared their wish to shoot a film on the kibbutz, Rotem recruited all her friends for the mission of transforming the kibbutz into a film location. As she turned her own home into the bustling production center, she did it as Rotem – with total ease. In her hands, this production looked like the most natural, simple task ever.
Rotem was a champion of minimalism in life, with her heart as her guiding star to clearly direct the way. She was the friend you want at your side in crises and in joyous times, the grandmother who enjoyed giving parents a little break from the kids, and the grandmother to run to when your parents annoy you. She never pushed or became involved without being asked, but she was always there. All who needed her knew easily how to find her.
Over the last three years, Rotem found new, beautiful love with Baruch, a native of Hatzor. Baruch’s children immediately fell in love with Rotem as well, quickly realizing her greatness. They also called her a lioness. On Saturday, October7, Rotem was alone at home. Although she spent most of her weekends with Baruch, this time, to celebrate the kibbutz holiday, she decided to remain in Be'eri. From her WhatsApp messages, it is known that she struggled for hours to keep the door of her bomb shelter locked. It is known that the terrorists shot her in the hand. Afterwards, her cellphone battery went dead. When the rescue squad reached her house many hours later, Rotem was not to be found. For many long days, she was thought to have been kidnapped, until her lifeless body was finally located.
Rotem Calderon was a woman who could light up the darkness with her smile. She was the woman you would want to introduce to the entire world. A woman whose wise eye and listening ear held the power to strengthen and heal. Responsible and practical, free and brave. A woman the entire world so desperately needs.
May her memory be blessed
