Tal Bira

Tal was born on December 27, 1961 in Moshav Avigdor near Kiryat Malachi, the second child of Avigdor and Rivka.

His father worked as a farmer in the moshav, and his mother nurtured the family, creating a space of warmth, a bosom of joy and calm for the children - Batia, Tal and Amit. The fields, the spaces and the sense of family cohesion gave Tal his roots. When Tal was five years old, the parents decided to make their home in Be’eri, where Rivka had spent her early years as a ‘yaldat-hutz’ (a child raised on the kibbutz though her parents did not live there). His younger brother Oron was born there.

The transition to the kibbutz was not easy. The sensitive child suddenly found himself in the noisy company of other children. He had difficulty adjusting to the shared accommodation, and stood on the sidelines in his age group, which was named ‘Dagan’. Little by little, he managed to carve out a place for himself where he could express his talents. With his golden hands, which he inherited from his father, he fixed and operated various things. Thanks to his natural playfulness, he stood out as an actor in plays.

Tal looked forward to family gatherings on Saturdays, the feeling of togetherness that brought moments of happiness and gave him a renewed sense of the anchor that had become weaker. He especially loved the family's Shabbat treks, going out to the areas around the kibbutz with a pique blanket and food in backpacks. He dedicated himself to taking care of the family's wolfhounds.

After his military service in the Artillery Corps, Tal left the kibbutz for a year, and worked at a fledgling kibbutz, Retamim. He was welcomed with open arms as a kibbutznik with experience in a variety of jobs and with the same golden hands that were mentioned earlier. It was a happy and meaningful time, but when it ended, Tal preferred to return to Be’eri. For him, the kibbutz was the place that the poet Zelda described so well: "The house is a partner / in the revelry of the sky / the sun throws inside / its burning gold/, and the night/ overwhelms it with starry darkness."

Tal was a kibbutznik who saw work as a sacred value. He worked in various branches of the kibbutz, including gardening and the garage. Thus, he had the opportunity to get to know the kibbutz from different angles. He had sharp criticism, along with a great love that he was able to express in the films he created.

In addition to his work, Tal had many hobbies. He was a true autodidact. Thus, his hobbies went beyond the limits of the concept of a hobby and became professional. He participated in film studies at Sha’ar HaNegev, and became the unofficial photographer of the family and the kibbutz. He was there, behind the camera, at cultural events, bar mitzvah videos, family gatherings, and he added his special touch. He jealously guarded the collection of films he made about the kibbutz and was going to leave them to his nieces and nephews.

Tal also found an interest in clocks - ancient and rare clocks that were made by a craftsman’s hands, with complicated mechanisms, which required his expertise to operate them. He studied the mechanics of each watch, studied its history, and knew where to find the tiny parts required to repair it. He participated in conferences that dealt with the field, and on his last trip abroad he was the guest of several Swiss watchmakers. He returned from that trip motivated and happy, with plans to expand his collection.

Another of Tal’s passions was cooking. For him, cooking became a work of art, done after considering the ingredients of the dish and also the cultural background in which it was created. No wonder he specialized in cakes and desserts, a field that requires the knowledge and precision of a scientist, along with a rich imagination. Tal created his own culinary language. At every family gathering he knew how to surprise with a new dish or pastry.

The love for cooking introduced Tal to Persian cuisine and opened a new world to him - the world of Persian culture. As usual, he began to study the subject comprehensively, and researched the origins of the culture and its customs. He read books written by Iranian authors and watched films by Iranian directors. He liked to set a table with a variety of Persian delicacies and became a member of Facebook communities of Iranian expatriates. The connection he felt was strong, so much so that he requested in his will that his funeral ceremony be conducted by a rabbi of Persian origin.

Tal surrounded himself with an extended family and was its warm heart, a heart always open for each of its members. He had a special bond with his brothers and sister, and also with his nephews and nieces. They were a source of pride for him, and he knew how to be a supportive place of love for them. With extraordinary sensitivity, he knew how to set aside time and attention for everyone. He knew how to express his love through special gifts he created and in pampering and surprising breakfast meals on Shabbat, those little things that create a warm and cohesive human experience. Tal was a proud human being, with an abundant soul. Two weeks before his death, on the eve of Yom Kippur, Tal wrote on Facebook: “May we know how to hurt less throughout the year, to be more sensitive and more attentive and respectful of others. Even if it doesn't always match our way.”

Tal was murdered on October 7, 2023, in the terrorist attack against Be’eri and the towns and villages around the Gaza Strip. His brother Oron and his family were also murdered that Saturday.

May his memory and the memory of the entire family be blessed.