Amir, Yoav

Son of Shmuel and Geula. He was born on December 16, 1954 in Kibbutz Gesher Haziv in the Western Galilee. He studied at the elementary school in his kibbutz and continued his studies at the Sulam Tzur High School in the area. Yoav was an excellent student and excelled in the humanities. When he finished high school, he decided to volunteer for a third year of service before joining the IDF, and worked during this year as a youth counselor at the community center in Dimona. He also took part in the absorption of new immigrants and took an active part in the life of the southern city and even took part in the Dimona youth orchestra. From a very young age, Yoav stood out for his musical talent. He had an extraordinary memory in this field, and was able to play a long and complicated work, having heard it only a few times. In addition to the love of playing and listening to classical music recordings, Yoav read a lot. At the same time, he was also interested in lighter areas: he loved movies and engaged in sports, especially as a goalkeeper in soccer. Yoav was an optimistic, cheerful and friendly guy. Among his friends he was known as a prankster. When they had bad parties, he made available his musical and literary talent to compose amusing rhymes, short songs and funny sketches. But along with his sense of humor and the lightness of his character, Yoav knew how to combine a serious and responsible approach to life. He was a loyal son and devoted to his parents, and he came to support them and help them when his brother, Oded, did not return home from the Yom Kippur War. Yoav was drafted into the IDF at the beginning of November 1974. After basic training, and after completing an officer training course as an outstanding member of the IDF, he was transferred to serve as an operations sergeant in the Central Command. He was greatly gratified by this work, which contained an intellectual and personal challenge. Yoav often visited the house, his farm, and during his visits he returned to work in his favorite field of agriculture, the banana industry. He also trained groups of children, helped the children’s agriculture and was active, as usual, in organizing parties and holidays. Yoav was an avid animal lover, and especially liked dogs. He spent many hours on vacations in the school’s animal corner, while riding horses and taking care of them. On the 17th of Tammuz 5737 (4.7.1977) he fell while performing his duties in the area of ​​Megiddo. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery on Kibbutz Gesher Haziv. Survived by his parents and brother. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, his commander wrote: “Yoav was a young and optimistic young man, who acted with discretion and felt a sense of security about his surroundings and his commanders … He always found the right answer to the problem and did everything himself, to solve the problem, . His parents published a pamphlet in his memory.