Ben-Nun, Yoav
Son of Hanna and Gabriel, he was born on May 3, 1953 in Kibbutz Ginosar. He attended elementary school in his kibbutz, and after that he continued to study at the Beit Yerah high school. Yoav was drafted into the Nahal Brigade by the decision of the United Kibbutz Secretariat, in the framework of its commitment to direct a certain percentage of the kibbutzim to this corps, but this decision did not suit him and he fought against it with all his strength. He turned to institutions and people in the kibbutz movement to change the decision, but he did not succeed in doing so and was sent to the Nahal. In this framework, Yoav underwent a course for squad commanders and then completed an officer’s course and a commanders’ course. During the Yom Kippur War, he was sent straight from the officer’s course to the battle arena in Sinai and was among the fighters on the other side of the canal. When he was discharged from military service, he returned to his kibbutz and worked in various branches of the economy. Among other things he managed the dairy industry. After a few years he left the farm and went to work as a security escort at El Al. In this capacity he traveled extensively around the world, visited many cities and became familiar with the countries he had visited for his job. He lived in Nairobi for about six months and was, as he said, one of his happiest times. From childhood he loved nature, took care of animals and enjoyed walks in the landscape. During his stay in Kenya he traveled extensively in this country and did not stop admiring her beauty. In the summer of 1979, Yoav married his girlfriend Nina. Yoav and Nina set up their home in Tel Aviv, but Yoav made sure to keep in touch with his family and friends on the kibbutz. He continued to work as a security officer in El Al, and as such he could have been discharged from reserve duty. Yoav, however, refused to do so and maintained close contact with the members of his reserve unit. All the soldiers, privates and commanders, loved and admired him. Two weeks before the outbreak of fighting in Lebanon, his daughter Roni was born, but Yoav did not have time to enjoy it, because two days after the fighting began he was called up for reserve service in the north. On the 1st of Tamuz, 5762 (22.6.1982), Yoav was killed in battle in the eastern sector of the Mansuriya-Hamdun area, on the way to the Damascus-Beirut highway, and was brought to rest in the cemetery at Kibbutz Ginossar. He left his wife and daughter, parents, a twin brother and three sisters On the first anniversary of his death, his family and the members of Kibbutz Ginossar took out a booklet in his memory, gathering together words that were said and written about the character of Yoav.
