Henry Gild was born in 1940 in South Africa, went to SACS. He was a keen Scout, acquiring the Queens badge. Henry studied agriculture at Elsenberg College, a faculty of Stellenbosh. 

Henry came to live in Israel in January 1962 and served in Machal. After the army he married Eugenie (Chippy) Abratt. He bought a farm at Moshav Orot and has been a dairyman all these years plus doing vegetables and fruit trees for many years. The Gilds have a son and daughter and seven grandchildren, the oldest serving in the defense forces. 

Apart from being a keen yachtsman, Henry has sailed across the Atlantic on his own boat, has also windsurfed and is a keen bridge player.