D"r Lilia Gurevich-Vasilkovsky HYD

About

Lilia (Lily), daughter of Rosalia and David Vasilkovsky, was born in Chisinau, Moldova, then in the Soviet Union, on the 9th of Iyar 5745 (30.04.1985). Second child in the family, sister of Gennady and Benzion.

Grew up in Chisinau until the age of five, went to kindergarten, and in the afternoon participated in a Jewish choir circle.

In August 1990 her family immigrated to Israel, to Be'er Sheva. Lilia studied at the Ramot elementary school and went on to the comprehensive high school in Omer, a settlement which the family moved to. Her father said, 'She mastered Hebrew very quickly, and her first-grade teachers were shocked by the fact she started reading ahead of everyone else. If Lilia set a goal for herself, she went after it with all her might, for better and for worse. She had the capacity to absorb knowledge without any effort. If something interested her, she was ready to devote days and nights to it and delve into it. This was the case with the natural sciences. She didn't waste time on things that didn't interest her.

Lilia was a charming, smiling, bright and happy girl. She stood out as an excellent student who made her parents very proud. Apart from studying, she enjoyed drawing and art classes; in junior high she started participating in jazz dance classes.

While in the 10th grade, she started volunteering at Magan David Adom (MDA). She really liked the field, she persisted in volunteering till her final graduation from high school.

In 2003 she joined the army where she served in the Military Police. A few months into her service, she went through an Officer's Course, at the end of which she was in command of the Motorcycle Officers squad.

Aiming at higher education, Lilia signed up for the psychometric exam while still in the army. She got a whopping score of 693 right at the first attempt.

After her release from the army, Lilia went on a short two-week trip to Italy with a classmate; together they explored northern Italy and enjoyed its breathtaking landscapes. Upon their return, she began studying at Ben-Gurion University in Be'er Sheva.
From an early age she strived to become a scientist. Upon her admission to Biology studies, this dream started coming to fruition. 'She loved science, but she also loved science fiction. 'Dr. Who', 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Star Trek' were our mutual hobby’, says her father.

In 2010, she completed her Bachelor's degree and immediately went on to graduate studies in Biology, specializing in Cell Research. For a living she worked at the university labs.

In 2012 she started working as a research assistant in the Biochemistry department. Later that year, after completing her master's degree, she married Yair Gurevich, her partner of two years. The couple lived in Be'er Sheva and later on in Omer. In 2017, Tamar and Dekel, their twins, were born.

Shortly after her marriage, Lilia decided to return to school and study for a PhD in Biology. In these studies, she focused on researching proteins and DNA in the field of Biochemistry. For this purpose, she also studied for a degree in organic Chemistry at the same time.

Throughout the entire period of study and research she continued to work at the labs of Ben-Gurion University. In 2019, toward graduation, she was hired by ADAMA as a project manager in the formulation department.

In 2020, Lilia completed her studies and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) in the field of Chemistry from Ben-Gurion University.

At the beginning of 2022, she started working as the director of the Molecular Biology lab at Amai Proteins company whose offices are in Rehovot. Her father says, 'She left a secure job at 'ADAMA' in favor of a start-up. She used to say 'I don't want computers and paperwork, I need a laboratory, hands-on experiments, development'. After successful experiments at Amai, she would say to me, 'Dad, what a Hi! You don't understand the happiness of a succeeding in an experiment; it’s better than anything.'
Amai’s founder and manager, Dr. Ilan Samish says, 'She was a real genius. She invested a lot in reading materials, in updating her knowledge and thinking out of the box. It was important for her to succeed at work, and it was clear that she was suitable for senior management'.


On Thursday 05.10.2023, Sukkot 5784, Lilia went with her children and father to Tel Aviv, where they spent a great time at the comics and superheroes exhibition, as they used to every year. The next day she spent time with her daughter in the city. In the evening the children stayed with their father and Lilia went with friends to the ``Nova'' music festival near Kibbutz Re'im.


On Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 6:30 A.M., the Hamas terrorist organization launched a surprise attack on Israel. Under the cover of massive rocket and missile fire from the Gaza Strip into large areas of the country, thousands of terrorists penetrated through the breached border fence, from the sea and from the air, and began a murderous attack on the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip – the kibbutzim and moshavim and on the nearby cities of Sderot, Ofakim and Netivot; on people at the music festival, held near Re’im and Nirim; on IDF bases and those passing by on the roads in the area.
The terrorists murdered about 800 civilians of all ages in their homes, cars, and at the music festival, not before committing serious crimes, including rape and abuse. Hundreds of Israelis were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip – soldiers, civilians as well as foreign workers from the kibbutzim. They destroyed, looted and set fire to houses and property. Over 300 soldiers, police officers and members of the local standby units fell before the security forces were able to take control of the area.
On that morning, the war began.

The dozens of terrorists who raided the festival area near Kibbutz Re’im, where about 3,000 people were dancing and enjoying themselves, murdered close to 400 of the revelers, including Lilia. She managed to write to her parents that she was at the festival, that it was halted and people were scattered, and that there was nothing to worry about. A short while thereafter, she was murdered.

Dr. Lilia (Lily) Gurevich-Vasilkovsky was murdered by terrorists at a music festival in the fields of Kibbutz Re’im on the 22nd of Tishrei 5784 (October 7, 2023). Thirty-eight years old at the time of her murder. She was laid to rest in the cemetery in Omer. She left a son and a daughter, parents and two brothers.


In the 'Calcalist' supplement, on 19.10.2023, Diana Buchor Nir published an article about Amai company and the loss of their beloved employee Lilia, with the title 'There is a hole here in the shape of a very specific person'. At the entrance to her office, the reporter described, a commemorative corner was set up and her laboratory was named after her. In the article, employees and managers of the company told about her that she was 'a colorful, boisterous figure, with wild curls. She did everything by herself... She really was a
central part of our company. The whole future of the company was in her hands ... Lilia was very prominent, loud, opinionated, vital, tall and beautiful; not one to keep her mouth shut. When we sit down to have lunch together, we immediately feel her absence. There were several consecutive nights when I dreamt about her...' said the company manager and added, 'She was the center of knowledge, we trusted her. She also worked with external parties and was constantly reading articles. Now you have to think about what to do. One thing I know, the next protein we produce I want to be named after her.