Nofar Ben Shoshan, daughter to Amira and Rami, was born on September 21st 1988, at the Rothschild Hospital in Haifa, Israel. Nofar was the middle child in the family, a year and nine months younger than her brother Chen, and eight years older than her sister May.
Her extraordinary inner and outer beauty shined though as a child and as an adult. She was the prettiest girl in school, talented and an outstanding student. She danced ballet for many years and participated in many spectacular shows, always performing front stage.
Nofar went to Menachem Begin Elementary School through 6th grade and was part of the very first graduating class of this school. Later on, she studied at Amal High School and graduated with a major in Graphic Design with honors. She was an honor roll student year after year, making her parents and the entire family extremely proud of her achievements. She was a role model for her siblings. Her good reputation preceded her in the small town of Nahariya. Her teachers, friends and acquaintances all respected and admired her.
Nofar was blessed with many features that truly made her special – inner and outer beauty, elegance, a captivating smile, intelligence, good heart, kindness, modesty, responsibility, hard working, happiness, sense of humor, honesty, ambition, and strong motivation to reach the high achieving goals she set for herself. She never gave up, even when there were obstacles, while being sensitive and caring for those around her. Nofar had an amazing sense of fashion and her presence in a room captured the eyes and attention of everyone around. Her persona could not be ignored.
On Febuary 11th 2007, Nofar joined the Israeli Defense Force and started as a “Mashakit staff for personal” . A few months later she was recommended for Officers course of staff for personal. As an officer, she was assigned to be staff for personal in Shizafon, completing this command assignment with excellence. Later on during her service, she moved up and got additional positions, including Gdud 52 and Hativa 401. Proving her professionalism and abilities while completing these commad assignments , she was selected as Deputy Chief of Staff for Personal, a highly coveted command assignment, under the command of brigadier Arye Dahan.
Nofar loved her military carreer, the people she worked with and the soldiers under her command and she treated her soldiers with love and respect, always caring for them while motivating them.
Nofar was only 24 when she fell in the line of duty on Friday may 24th 2013, and was buried in a tragic, full of emotional pain and disbelief military burial service.
She was buried in the military cemetery in Nahariya. Thousands came to join her in her last journey during the service.
The cemetery was packed from end to end, with heartbreak, cries and sorrow. Deep pain filled the air. A eulogy given by her army commander, brigadier – Tat Aluf Arye Dahan – “ Nofar, your service included meaningful and demanding positions, and you performed it with excellence. I first met you when I selected you to be my head of office and also then you performed with professionalism, kindness and joy, which was admirable even for upper tier commanders. Your military future with was promising. I had the pleasure to have known you, enjoy your presence and benefit from your actions and your achievements. You were tremendous help, my right arm, loyal, dedicated, and most of all, you were like a daughter to me and your pre-mature absence from this world left my heart hurt and bleeding. My Nofar, I love you, miss you and salute you”.
Orna Barbibai, head of manpower directorate wrote to Nofar : “ captain Nofar Ben Shoshan volunteered to serve in the permanent forces of the IDF. The service was her mission and she performed it with dedication. Dedicated and always willing to do the right thing, she dedicated her life to bettering the military forces and their spirits, always focused on bettering her country. Her contribution was significant. Her mission cut short with her death. Her legacy with the IDF will always be remembered”.
Nofar’s life ended like a flower that was picked in the midst of its blossom, ending her success and the bright future that was ahead.
On her gravestone, Nofar’s family wrote: “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all“ (Proverbs 31:29).
