Amiram was born on December 10, 1938, in Haifa and was among the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Cooper, as everyone called him, viewed the creation of the kibbutz as his life’s mission and devoted himself to the challenges facing the kibbutz and to adapting its way of life. He was a people person and an encyclopedia of knowledge, a man of words, ideas and initiative, a true Renaissance man and a social leader deeply involved in the life of Nir Oz, with abilities and interests spanning many areas of life.
As a teenager, the years of British rule and Israel’s declaration of independence were formative experiences in his life. At the age of nine and a half, he joined the Hashomer Hatzair movement. He later studied at the Kadoorie Agricultural School and, together with his friends from Haifa, enlisted in the Nahal Brigade. In the spring of 1957, he arrived with the members of Gar’in Nir Oz to establish the kibbutz.
He met Nurit at the kibbutz. They married in 1964 and built a close-knit, loving family. They had three children — Rotem, Ravit and Lotan. In time, Yisrolik was adopted and became part of the family.
In the early years in Nir Oz, Cooper worked in field crops. He later held central leadership roles in the community, serving as social secretary and economic manager and mentoring Gar’in Miran. He also worked in the accounting department for many years, served as finance manager and auditor for the communities of the Maon region, and managed the Nirlat factory. He was among the initiators of the Reserve Fund for Nir Oz members and a driving force behind the social changes introduced on the kibbutz in recent years, motivated by concern for Nir Oz’s demographic future.
Alongside all of this, Cooper published three poetry collections, and his songs became part of the soundtrack for kibbutz holidays. He composed them by whistling. The song “Shibolei Paz,” written sixty years ago, is still played and sung at Shavuot celebrations throughout the country. Over his sixty years of creative work, he published many poems and articles that told the story of the southern border communities, the greening of the desert, the building of communities, the defense of Israel’s borders and the love of this land. For him, every day of creation was a day of spiritual uplift.
Cooper was a caring, devoted husband and father and a wonderful grandfather who knew how to build meaningful, lasting relationships with his grandchildren.
As one of the pillars of Nir Oz, Cooper left a profound mark on the life of the kibbutz through his powerful personality and unique contributions.
Amiram Cooper was brutally abducted from his home together with his wife and other members of Nir Oz. He survived for several months under horrific conditions in Hamas tunnels. In June 2024, his family was informed that he had been murdered in captivity. He was returned for burial in Nir Oz more than two years later, on November 2, 2025, becoming the last hostage from the kibbutz to be brought home.
He was 85 years old when he was murdered.
May Amiram’s memory be a blessing.
