Yogev Pazy

Born in Tel Aviv on 13 February 2002, the eldest son of Hayuta and Gil, and the older brother of Noam, Mor, and Barak. Raised and educated in the community of Givot Bar.

From infancy, he was a curious and energetic child, always surrounded by friends and especially loved by everyone around him.

In the summer before first grade, our family moved to the community of Givot Bar, within the Bnei Shimon Regional Council.

At the age of eight, Yogev decided he wanted to play basketball and remained committed to the sport until the tenth grade, despite not being particularly tall.

In the fourth grade, he joined the local Scouts troop, which was just beginning to take shape in the community.

At around the age of twelve, he received a simple magic kit and began practicing tricks. He soon moved on to card magic and decided he was ready to perform as a magician at children’s birthday parties. By the age of thirteen, he was entertaining at birthday celebrations throughout the community and for the families of friends.

Yogev noticed that some entertainers created figures and sculptures from balloons. He decided that he could do it as well, taught himself by watching instructional videos, and was captivated by the world of balloon art.

What began as a hobby soon became a thriving business. At the age of fourteen, Yogev started his own business, became part of the balloon artists’ community, and achieved remarkable success.

At the same time, he remained deeply involved in the Scouts. He became a counselor and eventually one of the troop’s leading figures. There was hardly a troop event or ceremony where his presence was not felt or his name not mentioned.

In the eleventh grade, he joined the “Beyachad” leadership movement and had an extraordinary year, at the end of which he traveled to Montreal, Canada, to serve as an assistant counselor at a summer camp. It was there that his Zionist identity deepened, inspiring him to apply for a gap-year service program in the Jewish Diaspora.

He graduated from Mevo’ot HaNegev High School, majoring in communications and sports studies.

After graduating from high school and before beginning his military service, Yogev spent a year of national service with the Jewish community in Chicago. He worked at Solomon Schechter School, the local synagogue, and the Jewish community center. Together with the other members of his service group, he established the first Israeli Scouts troop in the Israeli community of Chicago, Troop “Sufa.”

That year further strengthened Yogev’s bond with the Land of Israel, his love for the State of Israel, and his desire to contribute, build, and give as much as he could.

Gifted with a poetic spirit, Yogev wrote a love letter to his homeland before returning to Israel:

“A letter to the one dearest to me. I know it has been a long time since we last saw each other. Don’t think for a moment that it was easy being away from you. You know how much I love you. It was all for you, for us. I worked day and night to honor your name. Soon I’ll be back, loving you more than ever. Ready to put on the uniform and defend you with pride. I can’t wait for the moment we meet again, and this time I’m staying forever. I love you, my country. I love the flag, the emblem, the anthem, the communities, the landscapes, and the diversity of the people…”

Yogev enlisted on 16 December 2021 in the Egoz Unit. After completing his training, he joined the unit’s drone team.

About a year later, during the war, he attended the Officers’ Course and, upon graduation, was assigned to the Kfir Brigade as a platoon commander.

On 1 November 2024, during the night between Friday and Saturday, Yogev entered Gaza with the Kfir Brigade. He had been serving as a platoon commander for about four months, and only a few days before entering Gaza he had taken command of a platoon of yeshiva soldiers, young men who were about a month away from completing their military service. The brigade entered Jabalia, where they carried out routine operations, including searching buildings, locating weapons, and neutralizing terrorists. The operations were intense, yet Yogev always maintained high morale and was determined to carry out every mission to the best of his ability. In a very short time, he built relationships of trust and mutual respect with his soldiers, who came to rely on him completely. He insisted on referring to them as “my guys,” while maintaining the proper relationship between commander and subordinates. It was important to Yogev to hear them, listen to them, and do everything he could to address their needs.

On Sunday, 17 November 2024 (16 Cheshvan 5785), Yogev and seven other soldiers set out on a mission to clear and inspect buildings in Jabalia. After successfully clearing three buildings, they approached the final building when terrorists, who had been hiding behind a pile of rubble, opened fire. Two soldiers were wounded, one of them critically. Yogev rushed forward to shield the wounded soldier, was shot, and was killed instantly. Alongside Yogev, his platoon soldier Noam Eitan was also killed. The critically wounded soldier survived and is currently undergoing advanced rehabilitation.

May his memory be a blessing.