Yermi was Kibbutz Nir Oz’s eternal mailman and the rain man. But Yermi was so much more than that. Yermi was a rock. He was the first person everyone turned to when searching for a date of any event, whether major or minor, and he always knew it. Whether you asked for it or not, you would receive every single detail of the event with absolute precision, including the exact hour it occurred and who was present; Yermi was truly a walking history book.
His greatest love was music. His apartment housed a massive collection of vinyl records, followed later by cassettes and CDs, containing rare recordings. As a music expert, he would solve radio trivia quizzes, maintaining close ties with broadcasters and radio hosts. He even lived on Abie Nathan’s Peace Ship for a certain period, broadcasting songs and music to the entire Middle East from the Voice of Peace radio station. While doing so, he connected his profound love for music with his absolute belief in peace among nations.
Yermi was always happy to help. Those who knew how to look deep into his eyes, had no doubt that this helpfulness came from the most pure and genuine place, driven by an immense love for people. Yermi had something to say about everything. His words were never sugarcoated, sometimes even blunt, but Yermi spoke his truth and always stood behind it.
Yermi was a man with a unique sense of humor, deeply devoted to the kibbutz. A master who commanded all of his pursuits and fields of interest. Yermi was a man of community – of the Nir Oz community – and we miss him deeply.
Rest in peace, dear man.
