War takes a respected member of Tamar’s community
The Tamar Regional Council and the Education Department bow their heads with deep sorrow and pain for the untimely death of Yaniv (Yitzhak) Oren RIP who was killed in a military operation in Gaza. Yaniv was the director of Ein Gedi boarding school, an educator, a lover of people and a lover of the […]
The Tamar Regional Council and the Education Department bow their heads with deep sorrow and pain for the untimely death of Yaniv (Yitzhak) Oren RIP who was killed in a military operation in Gaza. Yaniv was the director of Ein Gedi boarding school, an educator, a lover of people and a lover of the land, its landscape and its people.
Yaniv worked began his work at the Ein Gedi boarding school as a guidance counsellor for the youth. He was professional, popular and bestowed strong standards to the students whilst preparing them for a respectful and worthy life. His goal, even then, was to promote the boarding school and to turn it into a valuable educational home for young students with an emphasis on being a boarding school that lives in the heart of the kibbutz community. Yaniv advocated strengthening the concept of responsibility and social involvement among the trainees. Yaniv soon became the head of the seminary and believed that the role of the educational team was to assist the students in getting to know the mental strengths inherent in them and increase those said strengthens. It was important to him to sharpen, among the boarding school students, the ability that our worldviews have in shaping reality – this is what he believed and this is how he lived his life.
Yaniv had the opportunity to accompany a delegation of art major students on a culture and art tour to Paris in 2018. The tour was sponsored by Nadine Sandler who also kindly donated to the boarding school. The students were able to enjoy the magic of Paris, the artistic culture in many fields, the history of the city and its contribution to the art world as well as bond and interact socially with their peers and counsellor. Strong relationships were forged, also with Nadine, who has kept a warm spot in her heart for Yaniv and the students ever since.
The following is a letter that the Tamar Regional Council received from Nadine upon hearing of his demise.
Objet: Death of Yaniv Oren in Gaza
Sunday I received a message from a colleague living in Kibbutz Ein Gedi : she had been selected with another young man to accompany a group of teenagers from the Ein Gedi boarding school – pnimia – to the cultural week trip in Paris which I organized for these teenagers in 2018.This young man, an educator and guide at the Kibbutz was Yaniv Oren.
I remember that when I talked with him he told me that when he was a commandant in the army he taught the soldiers the play from Ephraim Sidon מעלה קרחות (Raises Bald Spots), he told the soldiers that most of the people from Gaza simply wanted to live.
Sunday I was told that he died in Gaza during the מילואים (Reserve duty).
The behaviour of Yaniv was outstanding with the teenagers in Paris: he was friendly with them while taking care of them, always encouraging them to learn, and to fulfill a task.
I recommended him to the Kibbutz Management and 2 years ago, he was selected to be the מנהל(Head) for the פנימיה (Boarding School).
It is a great loss for the teenagers, for the Kibbutz, let alone for his girlfriend whom he met in the Kibbutz and for his parents.
The army mentioned his death with two other soldiers. Yaniv was a reservist, 35 years old.
We don’t know how it occurred, he did not want to kill anybody and he was killed. His smile will stay for ever in our hearts.
Nadine Sandler.
Yaniv was a dear friend, a loved and valued person – The Tamar Council is committed to continue his educational path:
To believe in humanity and in its capacity to make a change and improvement.
The Tamar Regional Council send their sincere condolences to Yaniv’s fiancée, his family and the community of Ein Gedi Boarding School and Ein Gedi High School. May he rest in peace.
Yaniv Oren, RIP
