"She Died of a Broken Heart": Tamar Kutz, Who Lost Her Family on October 7, Passes Away

Tamar Kutz, one of the founding members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, passed away this week at the age of 82, nearly a year and a half after losing her son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren in the brutal Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023. Her death has been described as the tragic result of a broken heart, following the unbearable weight of loss from one of the darkest days in Israeli history.

Tamar and her husband, Beni, were pillars of their community in Kfar Aza. She spent decades working as a beloved kindergarten teacher and educator, known for her deep knowledge and passion for nature. Even after retirement, Tamar continued visiting the local kindergarten regularly, teaching children about plants, trees, and the wonders of the world around them. Her presence was a source of strength and warmth to generations of kibbutz children.

On that devastating day, Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023, Tamar's world was shattered. Her son Aviv, daughter-in-law Libat, and grandchildren Rotem (19), Yonatan (16), and Yiftach (14) were brutally murdered in their safe room as they huddled together, trying to protect each other from the invading terrorists. The family was found in one another's arms.

Aviv, a deputy CEO at a Matrix-affiliated company, was a visionary community organizer. He founded the annual “Avivoniada” kite festival meant to symbolize peace and hope along the Gaza border. The festival was set to take place the very weekend the massacre occurred. Libat, who had left a promising high-tech career, founded a community center for creative expression and trauma healing through craft. She devoted herself to early childhood education and created healing spaces for young children post-Operation Protective Edge in 2014. Their children; Rotem, a young commander in the IDF; Yonatan and Yiftach, talented basketball players from the Hapoel Tel Aviv youth academy were seen as bright lights of the community's future.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the surviving family launched memorial initiatives in their name: “Libat’s Wish,” an annual day of volunteering; a renovated gymnasium in the Kfar HaYarok boarding school, where the boys studied; and “Doll’s Wings,” a community art installation made from used toys to capture the family’s spirit and legacy.

Following Tamar's passing, the community of Kfar Aza mourned deeply:

"The community of Kfar Aza bows its head with the passing of our dear friend, Tamar Kutz z”l. Tamar, a veteran educator, beloved and respected, was one of the founding members of the kibbutz and a pillar of our community. On October 7, the ‘Black Sabbath,’ she lost her most beloved; her son Aviv, his wife Libat, and their children Rotem, Yonatan, and Yiftach. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her devoted husband Beni, her daughters Sharon and Talia, and her grandchildren. May her memory be a blessing."

Tamar's death is yet another cruel echo of October 7, a reminder that for so many, the grief is still raw, the pain still unbearable, and the war’s wounds are far from healed.