Two weeks ago, Zavola (734) passed away. She was the last of the giants, those cows with which we established the Ma’ale Gilboa cowshed. Throughout her long life, she produced 148,000 liters of milk, a figure that has made her one several dozen champion milk producers, and leaders in terms of number of lactation cycles (12). Zavola has produced many offspring for the dairy (and beef) branch on Mt. Gilboa.

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Zavola’s history is as follows: Zavola reached the age of sixteen years. She had both male and female offspring:

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She gave birth to Zonda and Zalman and Zehorit and Zigzag and Zehava and Zavola C and another five males, and her sons went the way of all flesh.

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Her offspring were equal in number to her lactation cycles, one dozen; on Shabbat eve, the 14th of the 11th month, one and twenty of the 1st in the second millenium, and Zonda had Zambia and other sons and daughters.

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The way of mothers set the example for the daughters: Zonda too was blessed with calves and utters. Zambia gave birth to Zaronka, who lives to this day, as well as other sons and daughters. Zaronka produces milk like a flood in the desert streams, about 75,000 liters in six lactation cycles, and her utter is still outstretched.

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Zaronka has given birth to Zechuchit (Glass) and Zamir, and Zechuchit has had Zalman and Zuheir, and a male by the name of Zelig. At her death, Zavola’s great-granddaughter had three great-granddaughters – seven generations fo Mt. Gilboa’s dairy family. By the day she died, three and forty calves and heifers had been born to Zavola and her daughters.

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Zavola also produced a large number of bulls. She bore offspring to Omar and Lom and Meffy and Flor and Neder and Shachran, and two calves were born to her from Gaius and Shoeg and Boteach.

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In her last years, after losing her eyesight and walking with difficulty, she was milked just once a day. She was attended to and continued producing milk. Before her death, Zavola was transferred to the pen of cows waiting to give birth, the dry cow yard, where she gave her last breath. However, her offspring continue to multiply.

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Her memory will be with us forever.

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This year will be a summer.