Natalia Whitley’s eldest son, brother of Tatiana (Tania). Born in the name of Yevgeny on April 14, 1981, in the city of Ivano Frankovsk (formerly Stanislawov) in the Ukraine, former Soviet Union, a smart and unique child, smiling and full of humor, clever and playful. He began his third year of studies in the Ukraine and completed his third year of studies, and the Jewish community in the city gradually diminished, and at the end of September 1990, at the age of nine, the Katz family decided to immigrate to Israel, And arrived in the city of Ariel, where Yevgeny received his Israeli name – Yoni, absorbed himself in the new environment, quickly took over the study of the Hebrew language and entered fourth grade The elementary school in the city Two years later, in 1992, the family moved to Hadera, where Yoni was absorbed in the elementary school of Ahad Ha’am, and he also made many friends who wanted to be close to him because of the heat he radiated and the openness he used to do. In June 1994, the family decided to move again, this time to the coastal plain, and settled in the streets. Yoni, a graduate of eighth grade, was accepted to the ORT Rehovot high school and studied in the scientific track. He continued to play sports – running, for which he had real therapy, and Krav Maga training that he enjoyed very much. During this period the computer also began to occupy a significant place in his life and integrated into his other occupations. Yoni was very attached to his family and the concern for his well-being was paramount. Tania, his younger sister in five years, took his care from the moment she was born and, as befits a big brother, took responsibility for her education. Every day she accompanied her to kindergarten and circles, watched over her while the parents were at work, taught her to ride a bike, With her-and he remembered very well the case of hiding in them, and Tania did not know her mind with embarrassment and confusion… But the main thing was that Yoni had always been there for Tania, protecting her and supporting him. “Somehow I always needed you and you were really there to solve problems for me,” Tania wrote, “to advise me and to protect me … You had a very easy way of solving others’ problems – a little smile from you and everything goes by … Your secret weapon – a gigantic hug that envelops you and gives you the most important feeling in the world, and all this you sign with a kiss and that’s it, everything goes by … “Even with his mother, June had a special warm relationship that was open and cooperative. Yoni used to consult Natalia, and he took her opinion seriously. In general, Yoni’s maturity, responsibility, and independence were far beyond what was expected of his contemporaries. Yoni greatly helped his parents, was involved in everything in the life of the family, and was a true partner in the management of life at home. When the grandparents and uncles came to Israel, it was Yoni who helped in their absorption and did everything necessary for them. Appreciating was the economic awareness he had already discovered as a young boy, and as evidence – as soon as he could, he began to work. Vitali, the father, says that at the age of thirteen, Yoni worked on a tractor, and with the money he earned, he bought a watch for himself and gave it to his mother. A year later, June began to work regularly in the afternoons – as a pizzeria, washing dishes in a restaurant, and more. He later found a steady job in a computer store, where he expressed his expertise in the field and excelled in his work. Over time, Yoni became a sought-after technician whom everyone consulted, and many times he was urgently called upon to fix mishaps and “rescue” computers that caused trouble. His name as an expert went far, and even his parents’ friends used him. “He was allSo talented, “said Vered, his girlfriend.” There was nothing he did not do himself. He gave himself a million percent of everything he did, “June, everyone who knew him said, loved life, loved people, and remembered as someone who could give power to others, just by being on their side.” You were a nice girl, you made others smile when they were sad. More than anything you knew, you knew how to give of yourself, “Yoni went to the hearts of people so deep that the parents say that the house fills up twice a year with friends he has gathered at each of his life stops. Yoni liked the country, saw it as his homeland, and believed in the need to contribute his part to its defense. “Long before the enlistment date, he spoke of his intention to serve as a combat unit combatant, and on 27 March 2000 he joined the second battalion of” Nachshon ” ) In the “Kfir” Brigade, and began with the arduous combat path.The Nachshon unit was established in 1998 in light of the need for a special battalion to fight in Judea and Samaria and operated in the areas of the Palestinian cities Qalqilya and Tulkarm, and in October 2000, the “Al-Aqsa Intifada” broke out, and the activity of the Nahshon fighters culminated in day-to-day combat against the terrorist squads operating in the areas of the battalion’s deployment. After several times, Yoni forbade them to come again, even if he was required to “bluff” and say that he was with the people. The unit is on vacation. Yoni finished his combat course, but due to medical problems he was forced to retire from Nachshon and served in battalion headquarters in the Ephraim Regional Brigade, where he served for a short period as a sergeant in the regional defense department of the settlements in the brigade. “Yonai demonstrated his seriousness, independence and ability to manage the operations room, both in routine and during emergencies,” wrote the unit’s commander, Colonel David Menachem. , The commander of a company from Nachshon was killed by Yoni the tyrant and was very attached to him. The disaster affected him severely, and as a response, he wanted to return to Nachshon. Only after a campaign of pleading from his father’s side did Yoni surrender and remained in his post as Sgt. In the next four months, at the height of the terrorist attacks, he was subject to many dangers; For example, on one of his trips, they were shot at the bus in which he was traveling, and only miraculously survived. But the real danger to Yoni’s life, it turned out, was locusts. Already in his teenage years, Yoni was caught up in the motorcycle “madness” and could not let go. All the conversations, the arguments and the attempts at persuasion did not help, and when he saved enough money and managed to buy himself a 500 cc motorcycle as he dreamed, the parents had no choice but to buy him a helmet, embrace him and ask him to be careful. He spent six months with Yoni until his release from the army, and the taste of freedom is already well felt in his mouth, and he blossomed with his girlfriend Vered, and with his beloved sister Tanya, To go on a trip together in Greece, and then to begin his studies, and even when he was a young man, he designed his plan for the rest of his life, after serving in the army He was followed by his engineering parents, who studied mechanical engineering as a father, but all the plans, hopes and dreams were shattered in a single moment, and in a split second June was taken away, leaving behind a huge void and indescribable pain.In a terrible car accident that took place at the southern entrance to Gedera on June 30. On his way back home, at around 9:15, Yoni, who was on a Simcha vacation from the army, drove one of his friends on the motorcycle to an unknown destination, He was put to rest in the military cemetery in Rehovot and was followed by his parents and a 16-year-old sister, and Tanya separated from her brother: “June First of all, I wanted you to know that you were the best brother in the world. … I wish you could be here, bring us this hug and tell us everything will be all right and that it will pass. I know you wanted everyone to smile if something like that happened, but somehow I could not get anyone to smile. The truth is that I find it hard to convince myself. I just wanted you to know that I would miss you very much, to you, to the smile, to the kiss … Hope you keep all of us from above, really safe! “Uri Yonai began his military service as a fighter in the Nachshon Battalion. In this tense period, when the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces are waging a relentless war against terror and pursuing the last of the wanted men, Yoni was killed in another war – In June, Yoni had many plans and ambitions for his future in civilian life, the psychometric test had already been completed, and a decision to study had already been made, but these aspirations would probably never come true. On the roads that take daily sacrifices and destroys families, Hugh took us today S. Of June, we separate from you today, and grateful for the opportunity for us to meet you. Rest in peace. ” The song “The Leaf” was written in memory of Yoni: “A green leaf that is calm, Yaffa and quiet / connected to a large branch with a lot of leaves, / has larger leaves and smaller leaves, but everyone loves each other. Everyone leaves the tree and eagle down. / All the leaves were sad / One leaf started to cry, / A second leaf stayed in the market, and another one still did not catch / And one does not accept it / And another says that it is fate / and another tries to console everyone / and he says ‘I told you to be careful’ / and another one still does not digest. // All the leaves are sad / And the tree bends branches / Meanwhile all the leaves remain on the branch / He is lying on the ground / drawn from the tears of the leaves and the tree / who are weeping for the loss of the green leaf. ” “If we had to choose a new name for you, we would choose an angel, and there is no one who will ask why or raise an eyebrow, but simply say wonderful, everyone knows that if there is trouble, June has two open cellphones. A lot of enemies and hates, but Yoni had only friends and lovers whom he always appreciates and always has … He always had a smile when he was bad, and everyone knows that … He always had a request: ‘If something happens to me, I do not sit’ seven. ‘ Remember how good it was and what I was doing, and then you would understand that I was not suffering, but that I was somewhere else, perhaps better, with one clear advantage – Death I can not anymore. ‘ … I ask everyone to hold someone close to you and to make sure that I have a promise – when someone needs help, they answer yes and no.And we will help others. And for you, June, I promise on behalf of everyone that we will remember you only for good, as the angel of an entire city. We all love you and we will remember for ever. So in the name of the family, the friends, the army and me too – we swear. “Natalia’s friends wrote to the work:” June, we met you as a child, you were the pride of your parents, sister and family. From conversations with your mother, we got to know you better. About your love for your friends, about your love for life, for your love for people, and of course for your love for your parents, for your sister and for your family. The name Jonathan – is not just another name! It is a name that carries within it a symbol of sacrifice, honesty, giving, friendship, courage and heroism. … You were a good friend and son, you were the whole world of your parents and your little sister. … On the brink of your release from the IDF, your life was cut short on the motorcycle you loved so much and you thought you were not in danger, but this is where your fate is determined … You are not with us, but we know that you are above us. Yoni’s nostalgic friends dedicated the songs of Tomer Chen and Sharon Zrihan: “How time passes and I run and I do not believe / how we grew up and played like we were two brothers / and an angel took you to a place that was hidden / A bitter memory that is left // Tell me how to tell me what you feel / I always think about you / Everything is different for me without you / The Lev hurts Unbelievable / How did you take another young man? (This page is part of the Yizkor memorial project held by the Ministry of Defense)
