Some 400 family members, friends and army comrades arrived to honor Captain Tal Nahman, the IDF Field Intelligence Officer who was killed during operational duty on the 4th of February 2014, exactly two years ago. The event took place at the newly established Tal Recreation Area (Henyon Tal), a rest and recreation area along Shvil Tal - the Tal Trail - a 10km hiking and cycling route that was established last year in his memory by his family and KKL-JNF near Kibbutz Be’eri in the Western Negev.
The inauguration ceremony began with a forty minute hike along the Tal Trail led by veteran Be’eri resident Rami Haruvi, who gave an enthralling account of how Kibbutz Be’eri was founded in 1946 “on the eve of Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, by a group of young Zionist pioneers”, including his own parents. The walk also gave the participants an opportunity to see for themselves the magnificent landscapes the route presents, before their arrival at the Tal Recreation Area (Henyon Tal), a newly constructed resting place and water stop, where the formal inauguration ceremony took place.
At the Tal Recreation Area, KKL-JNF Israel Fundraising Director Michael Ben Abu welcomed the participants, including Tal’s parents Nesi and Sima and his two brothers Dor and Omer. He told them that KKL-JNF channels enormous resources to honor fallen soldiers and preserve their memories. “It’s a task”, he said “that we consider holy. May the memory of Tal Nahman be rooted here in this place forever.”
Tal’s father Nesi explained that they chose the area of Kibbutz Be’eri to forge the route several reasons. “Tal served in this area and was killed not far from here”, he said, gesturing towards the Gaza Border. “He loved cycling and hiking, and often took his troops on marches and funs runs through these fields. So the idea of the trail came naturally, when we thought of ways to perpetuate his memory”.
Brig. Gen. David Tzur, a retired military intelligence officer and today CEO of the Israel Intelligence, Heritage and Commemoration Center, paid tribute to Tal, who he said, was known to be a “skillful and resourceful field intelligence commander”. Tzur also praised the extended Nahman family for their history of serving the country.
Tal’s mother Sima tearfully read a poem titled The Missing Laughter, which was written by Maya Sadan, a friend of Tal’s. Ester Gilat, Sima's younger sister and beloved aunt of Tal, read the poem Kalaniot (Anemones) by Natan Alterman.
The commander of the 414 Battalion, Lt. Col. Shai Barda, said that the unit is still grieving the loss of its promising young officer. “At the same time, the soldiers are proud to be making regular use of the Tal Trail for training and recreational purposes. Tal’s legacy of cycling, hiking and running in the area continues. And the Field Intelligence Training School also uses the route for educational exercises”.
The Commander of the Gaza Division Brigadier General Itai Virov arrived at the memorial unexpectedly to pay tribute to Tal. He said that “while enjoying the beauty of this spot on the Tal Trail, surrounded by red anemones, one still cannot miss looking at Gaza on the horizon. It epitomizes Jewish continuity in this land. Tal lost his life protecting that.”
KKL-JNF Recreation Area Coordinator Yitzhak Lugasi presented the family with a certificate of appreciation for the construction of the community oriented memorial site.
The Nahman family -Nesi, Sima, Dor and Omer - then unveiled the commemoration plaque for their son and brother, declaring Henyon Tal officially open.