Here Lived
Rachel and Samuel Ram lived in this home with their caregivers, Sabita and Mira.
Samuel was a founding member of the kibbutz, part of the Nir Oz Bet group, which arrived on the kibbutz in November 1957. Rachel arrived in Nir Oz from Kibbutz Ein HaShofet with the Renanim group in 1966.
They met on the kibbutz in 1967, and on May 16, 1968, got married. Rachel and Samuel had four children: Itai, Rinat, Dotan, and Dalit. Over the years, the family grew to include 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, becoming their greatest joy.
Samuel was widely known as the person to turn to for anything cars- and motor vehicles- related. He was in charge of workplace safety on the Nirlat factory. He deeply loved Kibbutz Nir Oz, especially its beautiful sunsets.
Every evening, he would sit on a bench facing Gaza in order to watch the sun set. Often, young people would join him, sitting alongside Samuel on the bench, to hear his stories from the early days of their kibbutz.
Rachel was very active in the kibbutz community. She established a senior center on the kibbutz, ran community activities, and was responsible for the kibbutz archives.
In 2020, their son Dotan died of cancer, leaving his parents grief-stricken. Two months later, Rachel was diagnosed with ALS. In 2021, Sabita arrived, and soon after, Mira as well. These two caregivers from Kerala, India, looked after Samuel and Rachel with devotion and were endlessly appreciated by the family.
October 7th
On October 7, Rachel and Samuel survived thanks to Sabita and Mira, who were holding tightly to the door handle, all while the terrorists established a command center in the home and stayed there for hours.
What Happened Since
After the massacre, they moved to Kibbutz Gan Shmuel.
At the end of January 2024, Samuel’s health took a turn for the worse, and after spending a week in the hospital, he passed away on February 6, 2024, from a broken heart.
Rachel’s health had been deteriorating as her illness progressed, and on August 31, 2024, she passed away as well.
Sabita and Mira were at their sides until the very end.
Samuel and Rachel are buried next to each other in the cemetery on Kibbutz Nir Oz.
