Remembering Gilad

Remembering Gilad / Alizarin

My name is Alizarin. Gilad was for me more than a favorite travel buddy and artistic collaborator, he was chosen family. It shows, that many people feel the same way about him. Loved ones, tonight we come together to say goodbye to this incredible friend and brilliant photographer, Gilad Kfir. And also welcome to this world his unborn daughter, Zoe.

Gilad Kfir was a middle aged photographer with the charm of a Disney Princess. All magical entities of the universe coexisted with this marvelous man in harmony. Whether it was an athlete or a rocket, a bird or bug, a fire performer or a lioness with cub. Every being felt comfortable to present themselves to this humble man in their

whole might and glory. Gilad was calm and ready, capturing beauty and action with immaculate skill, incomparable chill, eternal sensitivity and unconditional kindness. Many of us knew, loved, burned and co-created with Gilad. Memories captured forever in his lens. May these memories inspire us to carry on and his legacy.

I met Gilad a decade ago, when he was pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in event photography at the I Feel parties. We really clicked - Gilad, me, my husband Tom. We had so much in common. Lovers of life, seekers of beauty and adventure. We traveled, camped and photographed nature and culture at the world’s most amazing

destinations. All over New York and the East Coast, Hawaii, and cross-country to Burning Man, where we founded the Fuginia pod at Kostume Kult.

Everywhere we went, Gilad showed moments of authentic connection and love in the natural world and in human society.

Everywhere we went, Gilad was always ready. He was the kind of guy who brings the charcoal, lights the fire, and keeps it going. The kind of guy that would drive hours to get to you, and then some hours more to get you where you need to be.

My blood-family is small, friends are family to me. And Gilad was a friend who’s always there. In good times, he was always there. Laughing. Falling asleep on every couch we ever had. And in lousy times too - his presence made any moment suck less.

When I became pregnant and not fun, some friends parted ways with me. Not Gilad! Gilad was there, happy for our family growing. Kindly gifting us maternity, baby shower, and newborn photography sessions.

(Not really) secretly, we knew that this is Gilad’s dream: to have a family of his own. He made it to his forties, and was the most gentle and loving cat dad to two cats, Myawee and Myawa. Gilad was usually in a critical and cynical mood - but when I let him hold my newborn baby, his face lit up with the biggest uncontrollable smile. When Gilad had to move back to his home-country, Israel, once his work visa expired, he received it with hope and gratitude. He got to return to his parents that are growing old.

We visited Gilad in his home in Israel just last winter. We saw his home in Netiv Haasara, a tiny village in southern Israel, bordering Gaza. The humble lifestyle in this off-the-beaten path area, allowed him to invest in what he loved: photography. He joined photography expeditions to the world’s most wild destination from the savannas of

Tanzania and to glaciers of Spitsbergen. On photo tours and also when home, Gilad took the most poetic pictures of nature around him. Animals caressing each other. Epic sunsets. Lively Shenanigans. Incredibly sharp frames of Missiles neutralized by the Iron Dome in the sky, and finally - the terrorists who invaded to take his life.

On the morning of October 7th, Gilad was awakened by the sound of rockets and got outside to photograph the action around him. To his surprise, the rocket shooting didn’t stop like it usually would, and armed terrorists appeared paragliding over the Gaza Separation wall. Picture of one of those, was the last picture Gilad took in his life.

The last communication from him was a text to his mother, saying “war.” We were worried about Gilad that day, trying to contact him for hours. Later that night, we received the terrible news: Gilad’s body was found, identified by the camera with it. Survivors of Netiv Haasara tell that Gilad ran to warn them, so they were able to hide

and survive the brutal massacre that morning that cost nearly 1,500 lives, and about ~240 that are still held hostages.

Gilad was an exceptionally contributing member of society. He was a good friend not only to me, but to people from all around the world. Friends are grieving the loss of Gilad from the local community not only in here in New York, the States and Israel, but also from Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey, Singapore and even a native of Gaza reached out

with their condolences. Gilad loved life, animals, people, regardless of where they are from. You can see the compassionate, admiring point of view in every frame he took and the way he spent his life.

The most tragic detail about this story, and the saddest picture that Gilad won’t get to take, is a picture of his own baby daughter, Zoe.

Just about a month before Gilad’s death, we received the amazing news that Gilad is expecting to become a father. Gilad was an amazing friend, and often found himself friendzoned. Finally, after a series of failed relationship attempts that made Gilad joke about staying forever single - He has found true love. Gilad and Jinky, a beautiful

woman from the Philippines, met on a dating app and fell in love deeply and mutually. A love of a lifetime - cut so short, so brutally. Jinky is expecting to give birth to baby Zoe this upcoming January. They were planning to get married, move in together, and live happily ever after. So many broken dreams, so much grief. My heart breaks for the lioness and cub Gilad would not get the chance to photograph: his own family. Jinky and baby Zoe.

Consider this event tonight as the world’s most tragic baby shower. We cannot replace the love of a father, but please let’s do what we can, to show baby Zoe she is loved. Let her feel the kindness of her father.

Whenever I’m in doubt, I ask myself “what would Giladka do”, and let his way of life guide me. Unconditional love. Zero Fear. And We invite you to donate if you can, to stay in touch with the family, and to let Gilad’s story be told and art be shown.