Remembering Gabi Daus

Gabi lived in the neighborhood of the ASF country office in Jerusalem. I first met him in 2004 at the opening of the newly built Beit Ben Yehuda guest house. He advised us on this new building and on establishing the guest house in the city. His economic knowledge and his excellent network in the political and civil society landscape in Israel were of immeasurable value to ASF. He was represented both on the honorary board of Beit Ben Yehuda and in the ASF Friends Association.

He rarely made grand statements, never put himself in the spotlight, but at the right moment gave a concise assessment that always helped us and testified to his great knowledge and experience. He could vehemently defend his opinions and also get angry. At the same time, he weighed up counterarguments and was never vindictive. He could be mischievous and funny, and was very loyal and committed. He was a wonderful person. I often picked up the phone and asked him for his opinion. He was either available in person or by phone; the world of the internet was not for him.

Gabriel Daus was born in Jerusalem in 1938, ten years before the state was founded. His parents came from Germany and were able to immigrate to Israel in 1933. At his funeral in the cemetery of Kibbutz Ramat Rachel near Jerusalem, his daughter Ofra recounted that he spoke only German until the age of five – an anecdote that reveals a lot about the cultural influence of his parents’ home. Throughout his life, he was well established in the Jeckes scene – the Jews who had immigrated from Germany – in Israel.

He repeatedly brought his political concerns into the work of ASF, supporting in particular the involvement of volunteers in projects promoting Jewish-Arab coexistence and social dialogue.

Gabi was a family man. I only knew his wife by phone. She always greeted me warmly with “Hello my dear.” They were both delighted with the annual Dresden Stollen (a cake served around Christmas) we sent them—even if it didn’t clear customs until months later in early summer.

He had difficult periods of ill health. Over the last ten years, I occasionally saw him frail and discouraged. But then he always managed to turn things around and blossomed again in his commitment and solidarity.

Gabi died too soon. We mourn the loss of a dear friend. Three hundred people attended his funeral. What a fitting farewell for a modest, loving, and infinitely valuable person. We will miss Gabi very much.

Jutta Weduwen, CEO