Naftali (Tuli) Sheinfeld, one of the founders of the Kfar Etzion kibbutz in Gush Etzion, passed away on Saturday.
Tuli was one of the "children of Kfar Etzion", a group of youngsters who lost one or both parents during the heroic battle against the Arab invasion of 1948 after the children were evacuated during the fighting. As a result of the battle, the kibbutz was abandoned, until Israel retook the area during the Six Day War.
After the area was liberated Tuli, along with other orphans from the village, returned to the site to re-establish the community and build his home there. He was a key figure in the re-establishment and the economic and social development of Kfar Etzion. In addition to his work in the renewed kibbutz, Sheinfeld also served as the secretary of the Tekoa, Nokdim, and Bat Eyin communities in Gush Etzion, serving as a driving force behind their unprecedented expansion.
Kfar Etzion's residents relate that Tuli was a highly intelligent, humble, determined, and brave individual who made tireless efforts to boost local growth, expansion, and prosperity.
In the past few years several members of the "mythical" founding generation of Kfar Etzion, who were the vanguard of the new settlement movement, have passed away, including Hanan Porat, Rabbi Elyashiv Knohl, Eli Sommer, Shlomo Danzinger, and David Amit.
Sheinfeld passed after a long fight with a serious illness. Up until his final day, he continued to aid the communities' building and development activities.
Tuli's funeral will take place at 4:00 p.m. at the Kfar Etzion Cemetery.