Long-Lost Grave of Kfar Etzion Pioneer Unearthed 80 Years After Death

Eighty years after her burial, the grave of Tziporah Eliash, the first person interred in the Kfar Etzion cemetery, was rediscovered during restoration work this past week. Eliash’s resting place, long forgotten, was uncovered beneath layers of dirt and mud during excavations led by the Kfar Etzion Field School.

In the 1940s, Tziporah Eliash passed away during childbirth, leaving her husband to find a burial site in the fledgling community of Kfar Etzion. With no established cemetery, the kibbutz secretary, Shlomo Haimovich, selected a terrace above Wadi Abu Rish for her burial. Tziporah and her daughter were laid to rest there, inaugurating the Kfar Etzion cemetery, which would later become the final resting place for Jewish fighters who fell in the War of Independence.

During the war, the cemetery became a sacred site for the Gush Etzion defenders, including those from the Convoy of 10, the Convoy of 35, and the Battle of the 25th of Nissan. Commander Moshe Zilberschmidt famously delivered his resolute declaration at the site: “What are we, what is our life?... Our answer is resolute - Jerusalem eternal.”

After Gush Etzion fell to the Jordanian Legion in 1948, the cemetery came under Jordanian control. In 1949, Chief Military Rabbi Shlomo Goren supervised the transfer of the remains to Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. When survivors returned to Kfar Etzion after the Six-Day War, a new cemetery was established, and the original burial site was forgotten. Decades later, researcher Shimon Karniel rediscovered the cemetery’s location through extensive research.

This week, the discovery of Tziporah Eliash’s grave coincided with the anniversary of her burial, bringing an emotional moment for the restoration team and descendants. Amichai Noam, Deputy Director of the Kfar Etzion Field School, reflected on the significance: “The grave tells the story of the pioneers, and finding it on the anniversary of Tziporah’s burial was very emotional for the school staff.”

Under the guidance of the Kfar Etzion Field School and the Bnei Gush Etzion Association, hundreds of volunteers are working to restore the historic site. Archaeologist Rafi Lewis, who assisted in uncovering Tziporah’s grave, emphasized its importance as a connection to the Jewish community’s roots in the region.

Tragically, the cemetery remains active, with 17 casualties of the recent Iron Swords War interred there. As Noam noted, “Even today, 80 years later, the best of the Jewish people’s sons and daughters are laid to rest in the Kfar Etzion cemetery.”

This discovery serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience, sacrifice, and enduring spirit of the pioneers who built Kfar Etzion and the generations who continue to honor their legacy.

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