Son of Sarah and Meir. He was born on the 13th of Cheshvan 5731 (13.11.1971) in Jerusalem. From his childhood, two seemingly contradictory epithets stuck to his head: one, “funny” because of his distant smile and laughter, and the other “red” because of his fiery nature and his arguments for justice, To the “Beit Hinuch” High School, both in Jerusalem. Sarah, Yuval’s mother, recalls that at the age of four, love for animals had blossomed. How he came home with a box of snails or silkworms. How the house filled with turtles, hamsters, parrots, rabbits, cats and dogs, out of Yovel’s love for all of these, and out of interest, almost research, to understand their way of life. In high school, Yuval was outstanding in mathematics. His outstanding talents in this field were shared with others and he devotedly taught a group of students until he enlisted in the army. Yuval not only knew mathematics well, but also found a way to bring it to others. Alongside his real inclinations, Yuval was interested in psychology, out of the love of the person who was inherent in it. His need for experience brought him closer to many fields – trips in Israel and abroad (in 11th grade he flew to Austria and Germany as part of a high school delegation), a short experience in music, jazz and photography. Yuval liked to read, especially in science fiction and philosophy. He graduated high school with honors. Yuval was drafted into the IDF in February 1990. His dream was to serve as a pilot because of a medical restriction, he was disqualified from the tests and therefore began his service in a naval training course. But Yuval did not abandon his original dream, and after a few months he tried again to be accepted to an aviation course. Now that the medical limit had been removed, he had passed the tests successfully. Throughout the course, Yuval was awarded excellent assessments. His commanders and friends found him mature, serious, thorough, with a sense of humor and originality. Yuval was motivated and knew how to advance himself and exploit the great potential inherent in him. During the course, Yuval was converted to a navigational course and at the end was assigned to a Phantom Squadron. Yuval’s wishes were different, but he accepted what he had been assigned in adulthood and proved motivation, seriousness and high ability. And indeed, he quickly converted to an F-16 squadron, in which he quickly integrated and received a great compliment from his colleagues with the nickname “Natural Navigator”. Yuval proved himself to be an outstanding player and was quickly promoted in the squadron. Yuval fell on 20 July 1995 while carrying out his duties in a plane accident off the coast of Rosh Hanikra, with Lieutenant Colonel Roni Shlomi. After his death Yuval was promoted to captain. He was buried in the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. He was twenty-four years old when he fell. Survived by his parents, two brothers – Yaron and Amit and sister – Michal. Yuval’s brigade commander wrote to the family: “During his year in the squadron, we discovered that Yuval is an excellent navigator, an excellent officer and a friend … A son who humbly humbles himself and testifies to his family and relatives. A man who in his youth is mischievous, and whose seriousness is a wink. ” Yuval’s family commemorated his memory in a public park, Gan Yuval, near their Jerusalem residence. In July 2000, on the fifth anniversary of his downfall, the family together with the family of Roni Shlomi, Yuval’s commander and in cooperation with the Jewish National Fund, inaugurated the ladder ladder opposite Rosh Hanikra. The observatory is called “Mitzpeh HaShanim” named after Yuval and Roni.
