Silvia Mirensky, 80: Argentine immigrant who loved kibbutz life
Murdered by Hamas in Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha on October 7
Silvia Mirensky, 80, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in her home in Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha on October 7.
When the war broke out in the early morning hours, Mirensky, a widow who lived alone, ran to the safe room until things quieted down.
After a few hours, when it seemed safe, she ventured outside the room to get something to eat. However, at that moment, terrorists threw an explosive into her safe room, setting the house on fire.
Trapped in the burning house, her last words, spoken over the phone to her son, were, “I am burning; I am choking.”
She was found dead the next day.
Mirensky moved to Israel with her husband, Shaul, and sons, Ariel and Chaim, shortly before the Yom Kippur War in 1973. When the war broke out, the family considered returning to Argentina but decided to stay.
After three months in an absorption center, the family moved to Ashkelon, where they stayed for five years before moving to Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, which has a large South American population. Soon after that, they adopted their third son, Moshe.
According to an online obituary, Mirensky worked at the “Hakartoniya” office supplies factory for many years.
Mirensky loved the quiet serenity of the kibbutz and enjoyed living close to nature. She leaned into the rural lifestyle, raising her children in a free, communal atmosphere typical of kibbutz families.
Mirensky took great pleasure in her new role as a grandmother in her later years. She often went on long walks with her children and grandchildren before sitting down for a large home-cooked meal.
Mirensky was an excellent cook, making each grandchild’s favorite food whenever they came to visit and holding weekly cookouts on Friday evenings for friends and neighbors.
In general, she took full advantage of her golden years. Mirensky tore through books, listened to her favorite music on the radio, played sports at the kibbutz senior center, made original works of art, and spent time with friends.
Mirensky was predeceased by her husband, Shaul, and is survived by her sisters Zulema and Esther, her sons Ariel, Chaim, and Moshe, and her many grandchildren.
