Emma Poliakov, 83: Great-grandmother who loved to sing

Murdered by Hamas in her home in Ofakim on October 7

Emma Poliakov, 83, of Ofakim, was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the entrance to her home in the city on October 7.

According to neighbors, when the rocket fire began, Emma went to a building bomb shelter and was returning to her apartment when she was shot dead by terrorists.

She was buried on October 19 in Ofakim. She is survived by her two daughters as well as a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

According to a eulogy on the Ofakim municipal website, Emma immigrated to Israel from Russia in 1991 with her husband and two daughters. Her husband died in 2015.

She completed studies in engineering at the Technion and worked as a bookkeeper for an insurance company, the eulogy said.

“Emma was a simple woman, warm, sociable, caring and generous, who loved to help others,” according to the post. “Her hobby was singing, she sang in a number of different choirs.”

Her granddaughter, Shirel Naidich, wrote on Facebook: “My Savta, my pure one… the most beautiful flower in the garden was plucked and her name was Emma Poliakov.”

Her daughter told Army Radio that Poliakov loved to sing at any opportunity, even when she was alone, and that she “dreamed of a calm and happy life, she never complained — even in the foods that she cooked she maintained the simplicity and modesty which so characterized her.”