Vitaly was born on January 26, 1973, in the village of Nagibin in southern Russia. In 1999, Vitaly made aliyah to Israel with his wife, Lena, and their son, Alexander (Sasha). The Troufanov family arrived in Kibbutz Nir Oz as part of the “First Home in the Homeland” initiative and were accepted as full members of the kibbutz.
On the kibbutz, he became known as an honest and modest man with exceptional abilities in both thought and action. Vitaly approached every task with dedication, diligence and a commitment to precision and excellence.
Over the years, he worked in several branches of the kibbutz, including landscaping and irrigation agriculture (field crops), and later at the produce center serving the Maon region communities, where he was responsible for maintenance and preserving crop quality. In this role, he became known as an expert in agricultural produce handling and as a professional and meticulous worker.
Vitaly was a pleasant, quiet man with rare human qualities, working with persistence and devotion. Vitaly and his family found a warm home in the kibbutz community and formed especially close ties with the late Penina and Yoram Goren, who warmly embraced them.
Alongside his work, Vitaly loved animals and cared for the kibbutz cats daily with dedication, compassion and concern.
Vitaly was deeply devoted to his family and community. He will be remembered by his family and friends as an honest, modest and caring man who quietly and faithfully served those around him.
On October 7, Vitaly was taken by terrorists and later found dead in the fields on the way to Gaza. All of his family members were abducted: Sasha and his partner, Sapir, Lena’s mother, Irina, and Lena herself.
Vitaly was laid to rest at Yarkonim Cemetery in Petah Tikva while his family members remained in captivity.
He was 50 years old at the time of his death.
May Vitaly’s memory be a blessing.
