Rachel Rabin-Yaakov, Sister of Yitzhak Rabin and Kibbutz Founder, Dies at 101

Rachel Rabin-Yaakov, a founding member of Kibbutz Menara and the younger sister of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, passed away on Friday at the age of 101. Born in Tel Aviv in 1925, Rabin-Yaakov was the daughter of Rosa Cohen, known as "Red Rosa," and Nehemia Rabin.

From a young age, Rabin-Yaakov embraced a pioneering spirit. After completing her studies in 1942, she joined a "Working Youth" group for training in the north. The following year, at just 18, she helped establish Kibbutz Menara, the first Jewish settlement in the Naftali Mountains. She remained a resident of Menara for over eight decades, serving in various roles including educator, secretary, and board member.

During the 1948 War of Independence, Menara, located near the Lebanese border, faced constant shelling. While most women and children were evacuated, Rabin-Yaakov stayed, undergoing training as a radio operator and medic. She defended the kibbutz and treated the wounded. In one instance, she recognized a fighter she had treated months earlier in Tel Aviv, recounting the emotional reunion.

Beyond her kibbutz activities, Rabin-Yaakov was deeply involved in education. She taught the first class at Menara and co-founded the regional school "Har Ve'ge" at Kibbutz Dafna. In the 1980s, she supervised the "Settlement Education" department at the Ministry of Education and later chaired the "Oranim" and "Seminar HaKibbutzim" academic colleges for education. She was nominated for the Israel Prize in 2017.

Rabin-Yaakov was also politically active, serving as a member of the "Achdut HaAvoda, Poalei Zion" party's central committee in the 1950s and 60s. She was married to Rafi Yaakov, with whom she had three children. They also adopted Benjamin Jedidi, who was later killed in the Yom Kippur War. Rafi Yaakov passed away in 2012.

President Isaac Herzog eulogized Rabin-Yaakov, calling her a "model of educational and public endeavor." He acknowledged her wartime service and her grief over her brother's assassination, noting her choice to continue her public service. A biography of her life, written by her granddaughter Maya Valentine, was published in September 2026.