Lian Sharabi 

An Englishwoman who became an Israeli kibbutznik, a musician, mother, and friend who lit up every room.

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Lian Brisley was born on February 20, 1975, in Bristol, England, to Jill and Pete, and was the sister of Neil, Ian, and Steven.
She was the first daughter born on her father’s side of the family in a hundred years — a fact that her family always mentioned with pride.
Lian grew up in the Staple Hill neighborhood, a smiling and curious child who always managed to bring light wherever she went.
From an early age, she showed a deep love for music — learning piano, saxophone, and clarinet — and excelled at the music school at Mangotsfield Secondary. Her parents recalled that at every family gathering, it was Lian who played for everyone, always with confidence and joy.Beyond her musical talent, Lian was compassionate and kind-hearted.
As a teenager, she worked in a greengrocer’s shop and at a nursing home but found her true calling in volunteering with young people with special needs. Her friends said she had endless patience and a genuine desire to help others — a quality that would define her throughout her life.

After finishing school, she worked at a small law office but soon realized the world was calling — and set out on what became a life-changing adventure. 

 

In 1994, at the age of 19, she boarded a plane to Israel as a volunteer at Kibbutz Be’eri.
The original plan was to stay for three months — but everything changed quickly.
At Be’eri, she met Eli Sharabi, a young man from Tel Aviv who had come to the kibbutz as a youth. A deep, genuine, and simple love grew between them. After her volunteer period ended, Lian returned briefly to Britain, but Eli, unable to bear the distance, followed her to Bristol and proposed. Her mother later smiled and said, “You don’t argue with a girl in love.”
They were married in July 2000 in an intimate ceremony in Bristol, followed by a joyful celebration two weeks later in Be’eri. 

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From that moment, Israel became home.
Though she kept her British humor and melodic accent, Lian integrated into kibbutz life as if she had been born there.
She first worked at the kibbutz grocery store, where she remembered every member’s name, and later joined Be’eri Printing Press, where she worked for 22 years.  She advanced from technical roles to accounting and became a respected and beloved figure.
She knew every worker, every family, every story. Everyone knew — if you needed help, you went to Lian.
In later years, after her daughters grew up, she worked as a dental assistant in the kibbutz clinic — a job she truly loved.

Life in Be’eri was, for Lian, the perfect blend of two worlds — England and Israel.
She spoke Hebrew with a charming British accent, loved her afternoon tea as much as the scent of rain on Negev soil, and stayed deeply connected with her family in England.

 

Every Christmas, she, Eli, and the girls flew to Bristol for a family visit.

Lian and Eli had two daughters — Noya, born in October 2007, and Yahal, born in October 2010 — both of whom inherited their mother’s laughter, love of music, and imagination.

Lian was a devoted mother — a blend of British order and Israeli warmth.
She insisted on manners, homework, and values, but also made sure the house was always filled with laughter.
She loved to say, with a smile, “What’s the point of having daughters if you can’t tease them a little?”

The Sharabi home was the heart of the kibbutz — filled with the aroma of home-cooked meals, the sound of classical music or Hanan Ben Ari songs, a playful dog in the yard, daughters singing loudly, and neighbors who stopped by “just to say hi” and stayed for hours.

 

Music accompanied Lian all her life. She played saxophone and clarinet at kibbutz events, occasionally performed at cultural evenings, and was always the first to start singing. Her friends called her “the most Israeli Brit in Be’eri” — straightforward, funny, sharp, and with a dry wit that everyone loved.

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On the morning of October 7, 2023, sirens sounded in Be’eri. Lian and her daughters entered the safe room. Eli, who was at home, was later taken by Hamas terrorists. In the afternoon, gunmen broke into the family’s house. Lian sent one final message to her sister-in-law:

“Nira, I hear them. They’re in our house. They’re shooting and shouting ‘Die, Israel.’ Please call for help.” That was her last message.

When rescue forces arrived, Lian, Noya, and Yahal were found in an embrace.

Lian was laid to rest beside her daughters in the Kfar Harif Cemetery.

 

She will be remembered as a rare soul — an Englishwoman who became an Israeli kibbutznik, a musician and community woman, a devoted mother, a loving wife, and a friend who always knew how to bring light to others.
Her life story is one of love, belonging, and boundless kindness — until the very last moment.

May her memory be a blessing.