Yosef Viner, a Holocaust survivor who dedicated his life to building a family in Israel, died on Wednesday morning at the age of 98, just a year after three of his grandchildren were killed in Hamas' brutal massacre at Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7. Viner’s life, as a grandfather and great-grandfather, began in the shadow of the Nazi atrocities and unfolded in the rebuilding and establishment of a life in Israel. However, his journey ended as the unbearable pain of loss struck him once more.
Viner arrived in Israel after losing his entire family in the Holocaust. Following the massacre on October 7, Joseph penned a haunting account of his life journey and personal grief:
“I am Yosef Viner, 97 years old. I survived the fire of the Nazi beasts; my entire family perished. Disconnected from my roots, I built a memorial from basalt stones in their memory. Exhausted and despairing, I held onto the land and planted myself in Zion."
A family member of Joseph shared with Ynet today: "Joseph was a strong man, a true survivor. But when they came to tell him about the murder of his grandchildren, it was the first time I ever saw him cry."
Here is the full text Joseph Wiener wrote, describing the horrors after the massacre: “I am Yosef Viner, 97 years old. I survived the fire of the Nazi beasts; my entire family perished. Disconnected from my roots, I built a memorial from basalt stones in their memory. Exhausted and despairing, I held onto the land and planted myself in Zion."
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"I married Aviva, and we raised two wonderful children, Ofer and Nurit. From Ofer and Michal, we had four grandchildren, all born in Kfar Aza. From Nurit and Miki, we had six grandchildren, all born in Kfar Aza. I reached a well-rooted family tree planted in the homeland’s soil, bearing fruit.
"But then, out of the gates of evil, came October 7, 2023. The horrifying sights of fire and ash, murder, and the ruthless killing of innocents came back to me once again. My beloved grandson Yahav, may his memory be a blessing, was murdered while protecting his wife, Shai-Li, and their one-month-old daughter, Shiya. My dear granddaughter Hadar and her husband Itay were murdered while defending their 10-month-old twin sons, Roi and Guy. Once again, I am utterly exhausted, in despair, drowning. And now, I have no land left to cling to," he wrote before his death.