Here Lived
Alexander (Alex) Dancyg was born in 1948 in Warsaw, Poland, to Nina and Martin, Holocaust survivors. In 1957 he immigrated to Israel and spent his childhood in the Yad Eliyahu neighborhood of Tel Aviv, where he joined the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement. Alex enlisted in the Paratroopers’ Nahal unit, and with the “Meivar” group, moved to Kibbutz Nir Oz. During his army service and in the reserves, he fought with the Paratroopers in the Yom Kippur War and later in the First Lebanon War.
Alex was extremely knowledgeable. From a young age, he developed a deep interest in history, loved to read books, and was a “walking encyclopedia” of sports.
Alex met Rachel in Nir Oz, and the couple had four children. He was a proud grandfather to 13 granddaughters and grandsons. He taught and educated at Ma’ale HaBesor School.
In his work at Yad Vashem, Alex devoted himself to Holocaust education. He led numerous delegations of high school students to Poland. He taught about the Holocaust and trained guides for trips to Poland. Alex was also one of the pillars of Israeli–Polish dialogue. He initiated projects in which he taught the subject of Israel and the Holocaust to students and clergy.
At the kibbutz, he worked in the fields, specializing in irrigation.
October 7th
On October 7, Alex was at home in the kibbutz. That morning, he spoke with family members before being abducted from his home and taken to Gaza, where he survived for four and a half months under harsh conditions and constant threat. Hostages who returned recounted that while in captivity, he delivered history lectures on various topics.
What Happened Since
On February 14, 2024, Alex was brutally murdered by his captors, while the IDF bombed near the tunnel in which he and his companions were being held. On August 20, 2024, the body of Alex Dancyg was returned to Israel, and he was laid to rest in Kibbutz Nir Oz, which he loved so dearly.
