“A Place at the Table” is a commemorative project that documents the favorite dishes of those lost on October 7 with the help of their families.
In the Rivlin family home in the ultra-Orthodox moshav Tifra, lunchtime was eaten when the kids would get home from school. The aroma of fried onions would mingle with the scent of freshly fried schnitzel and a chopped salad. There were also shouts, occasional fights, and abundant laughter as all 12 siblings would gather to eat and enjoy time together.
“This is a sweet memory,” says Neomi Twito Rivlin, the sister who often prepared the family lunches. Growing up in a religious home, she helped her mother from a young age and learned to cook including her siblings’ favorite meal: thick schnitzels coated in golden breadcrumbs, pasta with tomato sauce, and a coarsely chopped vegetable salad. “It’s a meal that every child loves. It’s the food of home, of childhood,” she explains, a longing smile on her face.
On October 7, four of her brothers — Yohai, Yinon, Aviad, and Gideon-Harel (known as Gigi) — were working at the Nova Festival near Kibbutz Re’im when it was attacked by Hamas. Yohai and Yinon survived, but Aviad and Gigi were murdered, leaving behind a sudden and unfillable void.
The day before, on October 6, like every Friday before sunset, Neomi called Aviad, who was only a year older and the closest of all her brothers. Although she no longer observes Shabbat, the custom of calling him before sunset was ingrained in her, and she looked forward to the calls. He enthusiastically shared that he was in the south, working with his three other brothers and a friend to set up the festival, and promised to call her back. She told him she would call after Shabbat and the holiday ended because this time, it was important for her to try to observe them. This was their last conversation. Neomi recounts with a mix of pain and anger that it was precisely her desire to observe Shabbat that prevented her from having a few more moments with her beloved brother.
The sound of the sirens that terrified the country the next morning did not reach Kiryat Arba, where she lives with her family. Even so, she woke up at 8 a.m. with a bad feeling and asked her husband to turn on the TV. Only after a few hours, as she watched the news pouring in about the horrors happening in the south, did she suddenly realize that her four brothers were also there. She tried to call them but couldn’t reach them.
(In the photo on the left: the late Aviad Rivlin)
Slowly, the rest of the siblings began to gather at the home of their parents, Anat and Yerucham, to inform them of what was happening. Yohai was the first of the four to contact the family; he told his father that Gigi had been murdered in front of his eyes while they were trying to escape. After four hours, Yinon, who was hiding in a pit, also made contact and assured them he was fine. They only discovered what had happened to Aviad on Wednesday morning. Exhausted after two and a half days of working without sleep at the festival, he was unable to escape. He was shot in the neck and killed instantly.
Gigi was 18 years old. He was named after his father’s brother, Gideon, who was murdered in Gush Katif. Like his uncle, Gigi loved nature, often walking barefoot outside. As a child, his pockets were always full of small “treasures” he found on the street or in the yard. He was a shy and cheerful boy who enjoyed reading everything that came his way. Neomi, who shared his love of books, often received recommendations from him. Gigi also had a talent for cooking and baking; he would take pictures of his creations and send them to her.
Aviad was 23 years old — the heart of the family who united all his siblings around him. “It was important to him that we fulfill ourselves and believe we can do whatever we want,” says Neomi. “Many of the siblings became secular over the years, and Aviad, like a mentor, knew how to guide us in following our own paths and trusting ourselves.” Thanks to his encouragement, Neomi says, she managed to complete her professional studies after the birth of her son, despite all the difficulties.
(In the photo on the left: the late Gideon-Harel (Gigi) Rivlin)
“Don’t ever forget that you are the strongest woman you will ever meet,” he wrote to her in a message one night after she went through a personal crisis. She will never forget that sentence. “Many times in my life, I felt transparent, but he believed in me and always saw me,” she adds. Through his blue eyes, Aviad saw everyone — not just his siblings but also the children he worked with at Gideon Farm, a therapeutic farm founded by their father. Now, she misses his hugs, laughter, and kind eyes.
Two months after that cursed day, her second son was born and she named him Adiel — a combination of the two names Aviad and Gideon-Harel and between them an ‘I’, the name of G-d. To her, the name symbolizes hope for the family’s continuity. As she arranges their favorite childhood dish on a plate, she says: “It is important to me that they be remembered as those who spread love around them, gave their all and were there to see the other, the transparent people in the world.” She asks, on their behalf, “Smile at everyone, love everyone, and truly see everyone.”
Did you prepare this dish? Share a photo of it and tag it #A_Place_at_the_Table to honor the memory of the late brothers, Aviad and Gideon-Harel (Gigi) Rivlin.
For the Pasta:
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped or crushed
8½ oz (240 grams) canned tomato paste
1½ teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
4 cups (1L) water
500 grams (17.6oz) pasta of your choice like spaghetti
For the Schnitzel:
1½ Kg (3.3lb) chicken breast, sliced to your desired thickness
5 large eggs
1 flat teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ cup teriyaki sauce (optional)
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup sesame seeds
5 cups (500 grams) bread crumbs
4 cups (1L) vegetable oil, for deep frying
To serve:
Coarsely chopped vegetable salad
- Prepare the one-pot pasta: In a large pot that can hold all the pasta, heat a little oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until golden. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to let it burn.
- Add the tomato paste, salt, oregano, and paprika, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the water and bring it to a boil.
- Add the pasta to the pot, stir to combine, and reduce to a low heat. Cook until the pasta is done, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
- Prepare the schnitzel: Place the eggs, paprika, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and teriyaki sauce (if using) in a large shallow bowl, and beat well.
- In a separate shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with sesame seeds and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat, taking care not to let it burn.
- Dip each slice of chicken breast into the egg mixture, then transfer it to the breadcrumb mixture to evenly coat.
- Once the oil is very hot (it should sizzle if you drop a few bread crumbs in), carefully add a couple of the schnitzels. To avoid lowering the oil temperature, fry them in batches.
- Fry the schnitzels until golden brown, then transfer them to a strainer rather than paper towels to keep them crispy.
- Serve the schnitzels alongside the pasta and a coarsely chopped vegetable salad.
* This recipe stays true to the family recipe; no modifications were made.
