Shiri Bibas' sister, Dana Silberman-Seaton, the sole surviving member of the immediate Silberman family, delivered a heartbreaking eulogy during the funeral of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, recalling life with her younger sister.
The Silberman-Bibas family has endured a tragedy spanning three generations. Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir — who were returned alongside the body of fellow hostage Oded Lifshitz, buried the day before — were not the only victims. On October 7, Hamas also murdered Shiri’s parents, Margit and Yossi Silberman, in their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Yossi Silberman was born in Argentina in 1956 and was one of the founders of Kibbutz Kramim near Dimona, where he met his wife, Margit, who was originally from Peru. The couple later moved to Nir Oz, where they raised their two daughters, Dana and Shiri. While Dana relocated to her husband’s moshav, just a 15-minute drive away, Shiri remained in the kibbutz.
Yossi worked in agriculture and later as a mechanic in the kibbutz’s garage. He had a passion for painting and spent years teaching art. Margit, a beloved educator, was considered one of the kibbutz’s most cherished kindergarten teachers, helping to raise generations of children.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists set fire to the Silbermans’ home. Initially declared missing, their remains were discovered three weeks later, confirming they had been murdered inside their house. Margit was 63; Yossi was 67.
Dana Silberman-Seaton, who lost both her parents and later her sister’s entire family, had hosted them at her home in Moshav Yesha the night before the massacre. The following morning, as Hamas launched its assault, Dana and her own family barricaded themselves in a safe room while fierce battles raged outside.
At Wednesday’s funeral, Dana eulogized her sister and nephew, recalling the childhood nickname she gave Shiri — "Baz" (Hebrew for "falcon").
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“Shiri and I grew up in a home filled with love, compassion and understanding. Our parents raised us to be strong women, to love others and to respect those who are different from us,” Dana said.
Yarden and the Bibas family on their way to the funeral
(Yosef Mashaali)
“As kids, I was the annoying older sister, and Shiri was always the sweet, innocent one. When we picked up our kids from daycare, we would always go straight to our parents’ house. The moment we walked through the door, our parents would rush to hug and kiss their grandchildren. Shiri and I would just look at each other and say, ‘I guess we’re not really needed here.’ That was the kind of love they had for their grandkids — an incredible, special kind of love.”
Addressing her lost family, Dana added: “Please, watch over us from above — you, my five angels who belong only to me. Baz, hug Mom and Dad tight for me and take care of them. Please send us strength to wipe out the evil in this world so that only good remains."
"I promise you, as I promised Mom and Dad, that the monsters beyond the fence will not succeed. They will not break us. They will not defeat us. In fact, they have already failed — because we have united, because we have grown stronger, because we are unbreakable. They have lost.
“I hope that, wherever you are, you are together, wrapped in Mom's and Dad’s embrace.”