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Avraham Biran Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Avraham Biran
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liah
January 4, 2021
I wish that I had the pleasure of knowing my great grandfather, I was less then 1 when he died. Now I'm doing research about him hoping to write a biographyabout him. I keep finding people who knew him, even if I never got to know him it's always nice to meet people who did.
Joe Zias
September 11, 2019
I had the privilege to work under Avraham early in my career and he unlike others gave colleagues the freedom to publish, research, lecture without constraints. What was important was the advancement of the profession and not simply advancing one's personal career at the expense of the profession. He was somewhat unique in that respect and it was because of him and a handful of others that I continued in the field. He was sorely missed and lived life to its fullest.
Susie Gelman
May 3, 2009
My delay in signing the guest book in no way reflects my love for Avraham Biran z"l. If anything, it marks the opposite. In the first few days after his passing, I found it too challenging to try to summarize in a few words what Avraham's friendship meant to me, and then somehow, I let the time pass.
I first met Avraham as a child growing up in San Francisco, where he met and befriended my grandparents, my parents, and my aunt and uncle - a friendship that ultimately spanned four generations.
During my first trip to Israel in the summer of 1970 with my temple's confirmation class, we visited Tel Dan. I will always remember that first encounter with Avraham on his home turf - it was at the site of the entrance to the city, and Avraham greeted us wearing his quintessential straw hat and with that twinkle in his eye. He took our group around Tel Dan as if we were the only visitors he had ever led around the dig.
I returned to Israel for two of the following three summers, and Avraham and Ruth took me under their wing. We continued to stay in touch and to see each other during his visits to the West Coast.
When I moved to Washington, D.C., Avraham would often stay with us during his annual trips to the States, which he continued to make well into his eighties.
My family grew to know him during those visits and our family trips to Israel. He made archaeology come alive for them and was always eager to share the latest discovery from Tel Dan.
Avraham lived such a fascinating life, but it took great effort to get him to talk about himself and to share his amazing stories. As he always used to say, he considered himself nothing more than a "little boy from Rosh Pina". Of course, all of us who were privileged to know him knew that he was so much more than that.
I remember how pleased he was to receive the Israel Prize - not boastful at all, as that was not in his nature - but after all that he had done for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people, no doubt it was gratifying for him to be recognized as one of Israel's National Treasures.
In the last few years, after Avraham's fall, I continued to visit him whenever I was in Jerusalem. These visits were emotionally very painful, as it was difficult to see my beloved friend slip further and further away from the person I knew. But out of respect for the years of friendship with me and my family, I felt compelled to stop in and see him.
Now that Avraham is no longer of this earth, I prefer to remember him as he was in better years - with all of that energy, intellect, force of personality, warmth, joie de vivre, and of course - that eternal twinkle in his eye.
Zichrono l'vracha.
Avraham - you are greatly missed.
Sonia Collins
October 14, 2008
I will forever imagine my husband’s uncle Avraham as he appears in the stories told by the rest of the family who had seen him at work in Israel. They said he was tan and fit and would work all day on a dig, light-footed , bounding here and there in the sunshine, directing the work, never stopping for food or water until his American guests were ready to keel over and had to beg for a break.
When he visited us in Brooklyn, he was debonair and diplomatic, always perceptive and fun in a one-on-one conversation, and a charming public speaker. His delight with his work in archeology shone through. He was modest and stuck to his guns about what his research proved and did not prove.
He had a rich life. We will miss him. Condolences to his children, grandchildren and new great grandchild.
Peter Spencer
October 13, 2008
Although I met Dr. Biran almost 25 years ago at Tel Dan when I was 17 and never saw him again, I will always remember him for his love of life, his passion and his never ending supply of energy. My sincere condolences go out to his family. He will be missed. Peter Spencer
Arthur Shippee
October 8, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/world/middleeast/06biran.html
October 6, 2008. Avraham Biran, Archaeologist Who Studied Biblical Sites, Is Dead at 98; By JEREMY PEARCE
September 24, 2008
My sincere condolences to the family
of Avraham Biran. I was privleged to know him at Hebrew Union College
and want to express my heartfelt sympathy to his family.
Jackiesue Singer, Library, HUC Jerusalem
Rachel Ben-Dov
September 22, 2008
I was blessed with the privilege and honor to work under the guidance of Dr. Biran for some two decades. He was my mentor whose legacy of love for the Land of Israel and the study and research of its history and most importantly love and respect for human beings I try my best to emulate. His memory and his spirit are forever with me.
Arthur Shippee
September 21, 2008
I took part in the 1980 summer dig season at Tel Dan, the Cadillac of digs he called it, partly for its fresh spring water. That year, the main focus was on the Middle Bronze city gate find, the arch having been found at the end of the previous season.
That summer's experience was valuable for me in many ways. Thanks to Prof. Biran & al. for the opportunity.
God bless.
Rev. Arthur Shippee
Mel Levine
September 20, 2008
A part of Avraham and Ruth Biran's life which profoundly affected and inspired numerous Californians, including me and my entire family, was Avraham's representation of the state of Israel in the western United States, when he was posted in Los Angeles in the early 1950s. My sister and I were young children then, when our parents and the Birans became lifelong friends (and reinforced our parents' love of archaelogy, combined with their fervent Zionism). Our families traveled together to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas when we children were all young enough to share a bedroom together. Avraham's passion and wisdom and joy for life, and his amazing ability to make the past come alive, inspired our entire family and bound several generations of Birans and Levines together. We think of him (lovingly) always and he will forever be in our hearts. Mel Levine.
Nora Spencer
September 20, 2008
Dr Biran was an incredibly charismatic and inspiring person. I shall never forget him.
Avraham Biran
September 20, 2008
September 19, 2008
Rabbi Joel N. Abraham
September 19, 2008
Tonight, at my congregation in New Jersey, I will remember Prof. Biran - most notably for the moment that he brought archeology alive for us. My HUC class was in Israel in the summer of 1993. All of our parents back in the States had read the NYTimes article about the David stele, when this energetic old man came in to speak with us, in preparation for a tiyyul (field trip) later that week. He brought with him a milk crate covered with a cloth. When he asked two members of the class to lift up the rock inside, we could scarcely believe that this was the evidence of the Davidic dynasty on the world's front pages. A fragile remnant of history in our clumsy hands! Later, when he gave us a personal tour of Tel Dan, where the stele had been found, he quite easily outpaced even the most fit - leaping from rock to rock, making the site come alive.
David Barish
September 19, 2008
Avram married Ruth, my Grandmother's first cousin. When I first visited Jerusalem at age 18 in 1970, I called on the insistance of my Grandmother. Avram immediately said: "You must come and stay for Shabbat." Which I did and for many more. His warmth, grace and everlasting smile will always be with me. My heartfelt condolences (and from the entire Barish family in Houston) go out to his children Ron, Naomi and David.
Jon Haddon
September 19, 2008
I was privileged to have worked on a "dig" with Dr. Biran way back in 1975, when I was a first year rabbinical student. We were with one of the first groups at Tel Aroer. We jokingly called our "rebuah"..."givat klum"..(hill of nothingness)..but just being around and learning from Dr. Biran was far from nothingness. He was an incredible instructor, and deeply in love and connected to the land. He gave all of us that gift.
Nili Fox
September 19, 2008
Avraham Biran's devotion to archaeology in the land of Israel and its impact on biblical studies has inspired many of our PhD students at HUC, Cincinnati. In his later years at the Glueck School he lovingly welcomed my students to Jerusalem, infusing them with his enthusiasm for work and discovery in the field. We will miss him greatly.
Nili Fox
Prof of Bible
Director of Archaeology Center
Jessica Epstein
September 18, 2008
I was a cantorial student at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem, 1994-1995. One of the highlights of our year was a visit to Tel Dan with a tour by Dr. Biran. He made an indelible impression upon me in a brief time. His enthusiasm about the recent "David Inscription" find was palpable, and his passion for Tel Dan and other biblical archaeology sites inspired hundreds of rabbinic and cantorial students to learn more. Zichrono Livracha.
Terry Shtob
September 18, 2008
Avram was my uncle, a cherished member of my small and unusually close extended family and the husband of my aunt Ruth, my mother’s sister. In childhood, he would stop off to visit our family as he went about his world-wide travels—an elegant, cosmopolitan, polyglot, dashing figure in my life. In adulthood, his visits became the occasion of enjoyable dinners, conversations, attendance at his lectures, and a deeper appreciation of his intellectual and personal stature in his field. But mostly, in addition to all his public and professional accomplishments, for those closest to him he was first and foremost a beloved friend and relative. On behalf of my mother Dorothy and my brother Eric and his family, we extend our love and sympathy to my cousins Ron, Naomi, and David, their spouses, children and grandchild. He will be missed by us all.
Eric Shtob
September 18, 2008
I always looked forward to spending time with my uncle Avram. When I visited Ruth and him in 1969, he took me for drives to show me the countryside, and stopped at Beduoin encampments where he was always welcome. And when he lectured at the University of Chicago, I took him to the local student dive, and he treated it as if I was taking him to the Ritz. I think he was as comfortable in a Bedouin tent as he was before an audience at the Oriental Institute. And he was incredibly handsome and graceful, with a fine sense of humor. I will miss him. Eric Shtob
Seymour Gitin
September 18, 2008
I bring condolences from the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research and the American Schools of Oriental Research with whom Avraham Biran had a long, friendly and productive relationship going back more than 75 years. During that time, he helped to establish an enduring bond between Israeli and American archaeologists, which continues to grow to the benefit of the Archaeology of Ancient Israel. It was in part due to his efforts that the first post-World War II American excavations were initiated in Israel, including those at Gezer, Hesi and Caesarea. When the history of American archaeology in Israel is written for the past 50 years, Avraham Biran will be remembered for his important contributions.
S. Gitin
Dorot Director and Professor of Archaeology
Nicholas Mir Chaikin
September 17, 2008
Avram was the uncle of my step father. His warm and generous nature was evident to me even as a small child. And though I only saw him on holidays and whenever he had a conference or seminar in NYC, I always knew a dinner with him would be far better than most. His was a full life which made mine and others fuller as well. Thank you Avram.
David Ilan
September 17, 2008
Avraham Biran was a mentor and an example to me. He had an exquisite sense of proportion and priority. And he was always interesting and colorful. He is sorely missed.
Joe Zias
September 17, 2008
A man loved by all, who truly knew how to live, one of the greats of the profession
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