Drawn to Justice: The Inspiring Journey of Gil Gibli

Twenty-five years ago, in the year 2000, a terrible murder shocked the residents of Ashdod. A bystander was killed in cold blood, and with no security cameras in the area, the police were left in the dark. The only witness was a woman filling out a lottery form near the scene, but what could one frightened witness recall?

This is where Gil Gibli entered the picture — literally. Gibli, blessed with an extraordinary gift, can draw a person’s face in striking detail based solely on verbal descriptions. He sat with the witness, listened carefully, and produced a sketch of the suspect. The drawing was circulated by the media — and miraculously, it led to the murderer’s arrest.

That was just the beginning.

Two years later, on June 5, 2002, tragedy struck again. An Egged bus — line 830 — exploded in a terrorist attack near Megiddo. Seventeen innocent souls lost their lives. Sixteen were identified. The seventeenth remained nameless and was buried without anyone knowing who he was.

Months passed, and the mystery remained — until filmmaker David Ofek began researching the story for a documentary. A taxi driver who was in the area described a passenger he had seen in his rearview mirror. Once again, the police turned to Gil Gibli. From a simple description — viewed only in a mirror — Gibli drew a likeness. The sketch was published… and at last, the 17th victim was identified: Eliyahu Timsit, Hashem yikom damo.

Gibli’s method is unique — the only one of its kind in the world. While others rely on generic identikit tools, Gibli listens, senses, and translates words into faces with uncanny accuracy. But what makes his story even more extraordinary isn’t just his talent — it’s where that talent ultimately led him.

Gil Gibli is well-known in the world of Israeli media as the house illustrator for Globes, where his portraits often replace photographs, and some say they even surpass them in capturing true character. Over the years, he’s drawn more than 10,000 faces. But the turning point in his life wasn’t professional — it was spiritual.

Gibli was born on Kibbutz Mizra. His father, Yitzhak Gibli, was a legendary soldier in Unit 101 who was once captured by the Jordanians. The name “Gil” is actually an acronym for “Gibli Yitzhak Le’Cherut” — “Bring Yitzhak Gibli to Freedom.”

Growing up, Gil had no exposure to religious Jews. His only brush with Torah life came at age 13, when his Bar Mitzvah was celebrated in Kfar Chabad. After that, for many years, he simply didn’t encounter religious Jews — until he moved to the United States.

There, something began to shift. He met religious artists and saw that they weren’t strange or distant — they were warm, kind, and deeply connected. One day, a woman dialed his number by mistake. They got to talking… and ended up speaking about Judaism. That unexpected conversation sparked something inside him.

As if by Divine plan, a professor of his at university began teaching about Jewish history — and suddenly, Gil felt his heart open. The messages were no longer abstract. They were personal.

He began to explore Torah, took on mitzvot one by one, and slowly made his way into the world of religious life.

Today, Gil lives in Bnei Brak. His day begins at 5:30 AM — not at a sketchpad, but at a shtibel of Gur chassidim, where he learns Gemara each morning. He finds deep joy in matching his artistic world with Torah — especially in Tractate Eruvin, with its halachic diagrams, symbols, and complex structures.

His passion for Torah doesn’t stop after shacharit. Gil learns again in the evening and says about himself: "My entire day is surrounded by Torah."

Even at Globes, his principles remain strong. He has clear red lines: he refuses to draw immodest women or to ridicule rabbis through caricature. He once drew a well-known media figure in an unflattering way, but later, filled with remorse, he called to apologize. The man, it turns out, had been deeply hurt — and was deeply moved by Gil’s sincerity.

Gil often reflects on the tremendous matana — the gift — that Hashem gave him. He uses it not only to earn a living, but to bring justice to the world. And most importantly, to honor Hashem and the Torah.

His journey reminds us all: every talent, every moment, and even every "coincidence" — can be a step back toward our Creator.