Gilad Ben Yehuda, 28, from Kibbutz Na’an, was murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Psyduck music festival on October 7.
He is survived by his parents, Eyal and Shoshi, and his two older siblings, Aner and Klil.
He was last seen fleeing the rave with fellow partygoer Dan Yehuda Zomer. According to reports, they sought safety with others in a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Be’eri at one point, but Dan decided to leave the structure, saying it didn’t feel safe. Soon after that, contact with both Zomer and Ben Yehuda was lost.
Ben Yehuda was declared missing until his body was found one week later, and he was buried on October 15.
A video and animation editor, Gilad Ben Yehuda was a highly creative person who also excelled in athletics. He enjoyed surfing, rock climbing, diving, and skiing.
Ben Yehuda also loved spontaneity and trying new things. His brother Aner described Gilad’s love of roller coasters as a very young child in a memorial post online, attaching pictures of Ben Yehuda’s 17th birthday when the family went skydiving.
Friends said that he would often play his guitar for them during get-togethers and placed a lot of personal value on quality time with loved ones.
“You were spontaneous, go-with-the-flow, tolerant, and always had some games with you and your guitar,” his sister Klil wrote in an online memorial post.
“All the cliches are true,” wrote one friend, Noya Glass, on Facebook. “Gilad really lit up every room he entered, full of joie de vivre and loved by everyone.”
Ben Yehuda served in the IDF during Operation Protective Edge, according to a memorial post from his father, Eyal. He was a tank driver who often helped his peers fulfill their duties on top of his own, which led to his commander receiving a special commendation from the IDF. “For the fact that he returned home safely,” wrote Eyal, “he received a ‘Medal of Distinguished Service’ from the family.”
Loved ones also described Ben Yehuda as having a huge heart and a warm presence that enriched the lives of those around him.
“I wish you were here,” wrote his mother, Shoshi, in a Facebook post marking what would have been his 29th birthday on February 9. “You had such a captivating smile and smiling eyes… Maybe [tonight] we will see you sitting on one of the stars and smiling. My beautiful boy, you will always be with us.”Source: The Times of Israel