Nadav Tayeb, 17: Teen loved woodworking and fishing with friends

Nadav Yosef Chai Tayeb, 17, from Beit Shikma, was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Zikim Beach on October 7.

He set out early that morning with his friends Tal Keren and Or Taasa to go fishing along Zikim Beach, one of their favorite pastimes.

The three teenagers tried to hide from the attack in a bathroom next to the beach, but Nadav and his two friends were all slain, along with a number of other beachgoers, when the Hamas terrorists arrived at the building and murdered everyone inside in a hail of bullets. His body was not identified for a week after the attack.

Nadav was buried in Ashkelon on October 16. He is survived by his parents, Keren and Eitan, and his siblings Ofek, Dor and Yali.

Born in Ashkelon, Nadav — the third oldest in the family — was raised in the small nearby community of Beit Shikma, according to a state eulogy. He attended elementary school in Kibbutz Nitzanim and high school in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, specializing in film studies.

He was very close with his family, including his grandparents, and loved being out in nature, especially fishing with his friends. Ahead of his enlistment in the IDF, Nadav intended to hike the Israel Trail, his loved ones said.

A few months before he was killed, Nadav started a business making artwork out of wood and epoxy, setting up an Instagram page showcasing his work. One of the last things he made was a name plate for Sabine Taasa, the mother of his slain friend Or.

In his memory, Nadav’s brother, Dor, decided to carry on the business, launching N.T. Wood Life, writing that he had “the privilege of knowing and living alongside a pure soul like you.”

“My beloved brother, Nadav, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to memorialize you, to continue your path in this world, I thought of the incredible business you started,” wrote Dor. “You chose to take something that was alive and died and you thought of bringing it back to life for others.”

Nadav’s mother, Keren, wrote in the Maariv newspaper ahead of Memorial Day that her son was “such a happy boy, always joyous with your huge smile on your face.”

“My Nadavi, as your mother I know that you came to this word to teach us about the meaning of life, about respecting people, loving others and endless joy — those were the foundation stones you walked on,” wrote Keren. “Family for you was the highest value, you visited your grandparents every week and helped them regularly, they miss your visits so much.”

Nadav was a country boy at heart, “you were always connected to the land of Israel, the nature you loved with all your heart, and mostly the sea and the Kinneret. You loved to go fishing and to experience the land of Israel.” He was also “an artist who loved to create, whether it be jewelry or woodworking with epoxy, photography and more.”

“My Nadav, your life was cut short so young, you weren’t even 18. You left behind so many dreams, including to serve in the IDF in the Oketz canine unit because of how much you loved dogs…. the longing for you is enormous and doesn’t end.”

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