Here Lived
Amitai Ben Zvi, the son of Shmuel and Shifra Ben Zvi. Amitai was born in New York on March 13, 1943. He had two younger brothers, Uri and Mati. The three brothers grew up on Kibbutz Ein HaShofet. In 1972, Amitai married Miri, who had come to Ein Hashofet with a youth group. Together, Amitai and Miri moved to Kibbutz Nir Oz, in the western Negev, where they lived for almost 50 years. During the 1980’s, Amitai had many jobs in the kibbutz, including the kibbutz’s treasurer and procurement manager. In 2016, his wife Miri died of cancer.
Amitai was a professional truck driver and during his life, drove heavy trucks throughout the land of Israel. He was known for his calm and patient driving. Although Amitai was not an academic, he was an autodidactic seeker of knowledge about subjects that interested him, such as mechanics and physics. Before turning 60, Amitai was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, severely affecting his mobility and speech. He underwent two complex brain surgeries that allowed him to function reasonably well despite the disease’s heavy toll for over 20 years.
October 7th
Amitai was murdered in his home during the terrorist attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. He was 80 years old. His Filipino caregiver, Jimmy Pacheco, was abducted to Gaza and freed 49 days later as part of the first hostage deal.
What Happened Since
Amitai was buried in Nir Oz next to Miri. He survived by four biological children, an adopted daughter, and 10 grandchildren.
