Here Lived
For the last few years, this was Assif Goren’s apartment. Assif was born and raised in the kibbutz, son to Avner and Maya z”l and brother to Bar, Gal, and Dekel. He went to preschool and kindergarten in the kibbutz, to the local regional schools for elementary through high school, and participated in the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement. Before beginning his military service, Assif worked in the kibbutz dining hall for six months. In the army, he served in Be’er Sheva as a Human Resources Specialist. After completing his service, Assif worked in agriculture, at the Yacham packing house next to the neighboring Kibbutz Magen, and at the general store in Nir Oz. In October 2021, Assif began his studies at the Technion’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.
October 7th
Assif was not in the kibbutz on October 7th, and was thus spared on the day of the massacre. Assif’s apartment was apparently one of the only homes on the kibbutz that the terrorists did not break into. Assif’s brother, Gal, was also not in the kibbutz that day. His second brother, Bar, and younger sister, Dekel, were in their apartments, where they spent 11 hours in their safe rooms and survived the massacre. Assif’s father, Avner, was wounded and kidnapped from the family’s home and then murdered on the way to Gaza. His body was found in Israel, along the border with the Gaza Strip. Avner was buried in Nir Oz at the end of October. Assif’s mother, Maya, sustained serious gunshot injuries. She was kidnapped from the Kibbutz children’s house and murdered. Maya was held in captivity until the end of July 2024, when her body was returned to Israel in an operation by the Israeli security forces. She was buried alongside her husband, Avner.
What Happened Since
Assif returned to his studies at the Technion.
