Tal Siton
Tal, the second son of Hannah and Yitzhak Siton, brother to Lior, Noa, and Ran, was born and raised in Hod Hasharon. He was a vibrant, significant figure as a basketball player for Maccabi Hod Hasharon, in neighborhood football matches, in outings and leisure activities, in studies, alone and with friends, in moments of joy. He completed his studies at Mosenson High School in 1993 and enlisted in the army. He served in the Kfir Brigade in Lebanon (Golani) as a sergeant in the "Good Fence" Zone in Metula. Following the Oslo Accords, he served in the Coordination Unit with the Palestinian Authority. Tal earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the College of Management Academic Studies in Rishon LeZion and worked in development and managerial roles in various startups and tech companies. He married Einat in 2009 and brought into the world his beloved daughters, Zoey and Gaia, to whom he was a loving and devoted father until the end.
Tal was bold, strong, assertive, bursting with self-confidence and charisma, full of zest for life and friends. He was a shining personality with a unique mind; he was an entrepreneur at heart, a dreamer of technological and creative dreams. Tal was worldly man drawn to far-away and exotic destinations. Wherever he went, he absorbed the local energy, culture, and wisdom, embedding them into the art he created, with a talent for painting inherited from his mother, Hannah. In the past year, his nature as a devoted and loving son was particularly evident when he stepped up to care for his parents when they needed him.
On the eve of Simchat Torah, Tal and his parents, Hannah and Yitzhak, were together with Pessi and her children, as in every year, were at Kibbutz Bari. The family gathered for the traditional Friday night meal, dancing and singing together in the family dining room. The next day, on Saturday, the 7th of October, at 6:30 in the morning, amidst the blare of sirens, they sought refuge in the shelter. According to testimonies, his father, Yitzhak, attempted to block the terrorists with his body alongside Tal, but both were shot and killed on the spot. Tal was injured in the leg and left wounded and bleeding as the terrorists rounded up more people from neighboring houses. For hours, a battle raged between a large force of terrorists and the IDF and border police units. Toward evening, tank shells were fired at the house. Out of the fourteen residents of the kibbutz, only two women survived to recount the final moments.
Tal loved life, and life loved him back. He loved freedom, loved to dream, was a philosopher at heart seeking answers. He was a fascinating conversationalist who made a career out of the "art of debate," known for his exceptional persuasive skills, always with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. Wherever he went, he stayed true to himself, spoke from the heart, and had an exceptional influence on those around him, especially his family—his parents, siblings, and daughters—for whom he was particularly meaningful. The sentences he uttered remained in their memory for years, shaping the way they understood the nature of the world.
In one of his deep soul-searching conversations with his sister Noa, Tal explained his view of life: "Life is simply a performance - we're all sitting in the auditorium, watching, and as the show gets more intense, even scary, we move closer to the edge of our seats, waiting to see what happens next. As the tension rises, the catharsis becomes stronger, and our enjoyment is more complete."
"And what happens in the end?" asked Noa.
"Oh, that's the best part - we just die and go home." That was Tal - he understood life, stayed true to himself, and simply enjoyed the show.
He was 49 at his death.
May his memory be a blessing
