Yehudit Yitzhaki

Yehudit Yitzhaki was born on September 21, 1947 in a displaced person’s camp in Turin, Italy.

Her parents, Yaakov and Tzipora Radzinsky, survived the Holocaust and crossed the Alps from Austria to Italy. Nearly their entire family was murdered in the Treblinka Death Camp.

In August 1948, Yaakov, Tzipora and Yehudit boarded the S.S.Kedma to Israel where they settled in the Givat Aliyah section of Jaffa. A year later, Yehudit’s brother Natan was born. In 1950, the family moved to Kibbutz Kinneret. After two years, the family returned to Jaffa.

As a child, Yehudit was a diligent student in both her academic and dance studies. At age 18, she frequented Tel Aviv’s pubs and parties of the 1960’s.

Since her graduating class was not drafted into the IDF, Yehudit did not serve in the military. She began working in one of Tel Aviv’s most prominent law firms, becoming an exemplary worker even then.

Yehudit was young and beautiful. Throughout her life, she remained lovely and attractive. Even the young girls of Kibbutz Be'eri would comment on her beauty. Yehudit met Shimon in 1970 when he taught her how to drive. Their love quickly blossomed. They became close, spent time together for two years, and married. Yehudit and Shimon made their home in Givataim, where their children Tzachi, Gidi and Udi were born.

The family arrived in Kibbutz Be'eri in 1976. Despite the communal sleeping arrangements for children, Yehudit remained quite present in her sons’ lives, and was always there for them. She passed down to her three sons her iron will and her mandate to contribute to society. The boys became diligent students and went on to assume significant positions in the Israeli security establishment.

Yehudit was a strong woman whose sense of justice was acute and highly-developed – sometimes too highly-developed. She reached exceptional accomplishments in her work. Beginning as a secretary in the Kibbutz Be'eri Printing House, over her 14 years there Yehudit expanded her position, advanced, and gained expertise in many fields, specializing primarily in the import-export realm.

Like all caring professionals, Yehudit always told the truth, even when her opinion differed from others. In a different position as a school administrator, she worked in an exceptional manner with the Ministry of Education and obtained numerous rights for teachers. Her totality, dedication and endless hours of work did not go unnoticed by the kibbutz. In the position as Payroll Administrator of the kibbutz, she worked to preserve worker’s rights and achieved notable accomplishments. Yehudit was always the right person in the right place, with the proper abilities, leaving an indelible mark on all that she touched.

Contrary to kibbutz tradition, Yehudit did not know how to ride a bicycle. Her vehicle of transportation was a tricycle. This was before the age of mobility scooters. “Yehudit’s tricycle” was mythological among the extended family.

Yehudit was the heart of the family, always at the core, always remembering every birthday, always feeding and pampering everyone. She took care of her parents who came to live on the kibbutz, conversing with them in fluent, piquant Yiddish, especially when she didn’t want her children to understand. That worked -- they really didn’t understand. The lights of her life were her grandchildren Maya, Luke, Arbel, Rotem, Eyal, Zohar, Gil and Noam.

Yehudit had a special bond with granddaughters Maya and Gil, since she had no daughters, yet she was absolutely the grandmother of all, bounding with energy and activity. She kept in close touch and open communication with her grandsons and granddaughters, including via their own WhatsApp group. Her youthful spirit came to the fore. And just as Yehudit influenced her grandchildren, they influenced her as well.

Yehudit was a cigarette smoker for nearly forty years. Yet one day, when her five-year-old grandson Zohar told her, “Grandma, no cigarettes,” she stopped smoking at once. Just like that, in one day.

Yehudit loved to read. Her home library was very rich, and she mastered the intricacies of Hebrew. She loved to listen to Barbara Streisand and Yehoram Gaon, and to Dollie Parton and country music as well.

On October 7, 2023, when terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz, Yehudit was alone at home. Her children were in touch with her until the last moment. Despite the fear and terror, Yehudit, in true form, succeeded to think clearly. Already in the first message to her children, she asked that they check to make sure the army was on the way. She immediately grasped that there were terrorists in her home. She devoted her last moments to parting from her children and her husband. Yehudit did not survive the attack on her – and on the kibbutz.

To no one’s surprise, Yehudit had informed her dear ones in advance of the song she wished to have played at her funeral, “Like a Wildflower,” as sung by Hava Alberstein. She even wrote this on the door, lest anyone forget.

And indeed, no one will forget Yehudit Yitzhaki. A wildflower like no other. A woman strong and present.

“Those with forgiving hearts, will forgive me of my love," said the song she so loved, “Time will heal the pain, and I must set off on my way.”

May her memory be blessed.