Elior Kinarthy

Died March, 2026

Biography:
The following eulogy was read at Elior’s funeral on March 19, 2026
A Eulogy for Elior From His Friends

Elior is a sixth generation sabra. He had a great love for Israel. He often, in his conversations, would announce, “I am an Israeli,” and say it with great pride.

Elior has a fascinating family history and personal history. His family on his father’s side travelled from Kievan Russia to Palestine, prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. Elior’s paternal grandparents, Ya’akov and Bracha Kolchinsky left Russia in 1922. Elior’s maternal grandparents arrived in Israel in the 1800s from Poland. His family on his mother’s side were early Zionist pioneers who settled in Petach Tikva, draining the swamps and reclaiming the land.

Elior was born in 1936 in Tel Aviv at Freud Hospital. There isn’t a Freud Hospital in Israel today, but historical records mention buildings like the former Etzel Headquarters in Tel Aviv being called the Freud Hospital. When he turned thirteen, Elior went to stay for two months on his grandparents’ farm and loved the animals. He had his bar mitzvah in Petach Tikvah and Rabbi Kook’s son was the rabbi there.

This was in 1949. The Arab-Israeli War, the “War of Independence” was going on and Elior’s schooling was continuously being interrupted by Egyptian bombing and Iraqi soldiers moving toward Petah Tikvah. Transjordan, Syria and Lebanon were also involved. East Jerusalem was captured including the small Jewish quarter of the Old City.

Elior would say that “the formation of his personality came from his very unique experiences in early childhood growing up during the time of the rebirth of the State of Israel, which carved into him a personality so determined to win, that even he was surprised.” He would add that, “Looking around him, with the eyes of a child, he heard his parents, maternal and paternal grandparents telling stories of a tenacious Jewish resistance against a foreign occupation.” Elior’s father was a member of the “Irgun,” the Jewish underground influenced by Ze’ev Jabotinsky, and Elior became a staunch supporter of Menachem Begin and Ze’ev Jabotinsky.

Elior was drafted into the Israeli military police when he was eighteen, but in January 1961 at the age of twenty-four, he emigrated to America, landing at the Brooklyn Pier in New York. He described this time as, “An opportunity to exercise a new found sense of freedom but it was hard. As I tramped around Manhatten Island with holes in my shoes that let the snow in, and no friends or people to rely on, I visualized my glorious Israel and regretted the chutzpah I had to muster to emigrate. It was my first adventure, and at the time, lacking a good understanding of English and very broke, I had nothing tangible to show for my efforts.”

Elior had a stint in the American army, and several years as a nurse, and then moved on to study at UCLA, graduating with a BA in Psychology in 1968. In 1976 he earned a PhD and carried on the rest of his working years as a psychologist and teacher. After marrying Leah, they remained in California for a few more years with their children and then finally moved to Victoria on Vancouver Island.

One of the most memorable impacts Elior Kinarthy has had on the Jewish community in Victoria is his and Leah’s vision to establish a Jewish school. Jewish families will be forever grateful for the legacy Elior and Leah have left by establishing Kinneret Tamim Academy. Providing an excellent education where children can thrive, but also learn Hebrew and what it means to be Jewish, will be a tremendous blessing for many years to come.

Elior had an exuberance for life that carried him throughout his life. He deeply loved Leah and his four children Jonathan, Joshua, Deena and Ari. He was a very social person and loved having people around him. When he enjoyed someone’s company, the delight on his face was priceless. He rarely allowed the difficulties of life to overtake him. He and Leah enjoyed hosting movie nights in their home. In the summer, there were many little concerts on their patio, and as soon as the music started playing, Elior couldn’t sit still. Elior loved music and he loved to dance. He would be up on his feet jigging up and down to the music. Fred Astaire he wasn’t, but Elior loved to dance. His exuberance for so many things kept him young at heart.

He was a spiritual man who read the Scriptures and a deep thinker as a psychologist. There were many opportunities to have philosophical conversations with him. In whatever conversation one was having with Elior, he would often end with a comment, “Oh, that’s an interesting question.” He also liked to remind us all that he was a psychologist and that he had much to impart. As was his father before him, Elior was also an author, writing about finance, the issues of cancer and lately, his memoirs.

Elior was a character. When he got older, he was perpetually at odds with his hearing aids and Leah would find herself shouting so he could hear her. He regularly ‘forgot’ to use them.

He loved going to Costco and everyone who knew him, knew he was a fussy eater. Elior knew his likes and dislikes when it came to food. Food was often one of his favourite topics. When they spent several months in Tel Aviv during the winter, Elior would walk miles to his favourite falafel stand, never the one nearest to the apartment, but only the one that served, by his estimation, the best falafel in Tel Aviv. Elior was very discriminating in his choice of menu selections in Victoria. When his little coffee group met at Mattick’s Farm, Elior would quiz the lady in the bakery with lots of questions about the freshness of the scones and strudels. And when Leah hosted people in their home, Elior made the best Israeli style hummus, and his Israeli salad was also very good. There is a lot of hummus out there, but Elior’s was the best.

Elior was an eclectic dresser. The lady at Mattick’s Farm remembered Elior because he always wore his Chelsea Football Club scarf, out and about in the community, and even at home, and a hat with flaps that made him look a lot like a WWI flying ace. He stood out in a crowd.

His friends will treasure the time spent with Elior, as all of us will. He could make one feel they were the most important person in the room with his greetings. Friends shall miss spending time with him, his sense of wonderment in all things, and all the things that made him Elior.

Spouse: Leah Kinarthy

Children:
Deena Kinarthy
Ari Kinarthy
Jonathan
Joshua