Semyon Avdalimov, 66: House painter and grandfather of 7

Semyon Avdalimov, 66, from Sderot, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in the city on October 8, 2023.

Semyon, who suffered from mild dementia, was with his daughter, Haya, during the attack on the city on Saturday. The next day, Semyon wanted to go home to his wife, Dinor, though his family tried to convince him otherwise.

Semyon left the house to smoke and disappeared. More than two weeks later, his family was told that his body had been found in bushes near the entrance of the city, with two gunshot wounds in his head and shoulder, according to Haaretz. The family told the newspaper that they had never been provided any additional information on his murder by police.

He was buried in Sderot. He is survived by his wife, Dinor, their two daughters, Haya and Erina, and seven grandchildren.

Semyon was born Derbent, in the Dagestan region of southern Russia, one of five children, according to a state eulogy. He attended local schools as part of the Mountain Jews (Kavkazi) community there.

He enlisted in the Georgian army, serving two years as a driver. Afterward, he returned to Derbent, working as a train driver and also as a school bus driver. He married Dinor and they made their home in the city, raising their two daughters.

In 1993, the family moved together to Israel, living for a year in Hadera before settling in Sderot. Semyon worked as a house painter and became well known in the city. His daughters married and Semyon had seven grandchildren he loved deeply.

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