Yonatan Rapoport
Yonatan - whom everyone called Yoni and only his mom called “J.J.” - was born on April 16, 1982 on the Isle of Wight, a British island in the English Channel. Yoni was the eldest son of Omer and Noelle. He was the sole redhead among his siblings Adam, Natasha, Kenny who died in 2015, and Dan. As a child, Yoni was a curious and likeable boy, but mischievous and stubborn. Redheaded stubborn. A member of Be’eri’s infamous “Rool-Rool” group. Once he went for a puddle-jumping jaunt with his mother, and instead of wearing boots, he just lay down in the cold water and rolled with laughter. Neighbors who passed by were sure he’d catch cold, but Yoni and Noelle weren't afraid of a little runny nose. The important thing was for him to be happy. At age six, Yoni moved from kindergarten to Iris's class, which was still meeting at the local school in Be’eri.
In adolescence, Yoni's stubbornness grew, and more than once he challenged the education system. The usual pranks of kibbutz boys: alcohol, cigarettes, earring, spiked haircut. Even when he didn’t manage well in the vegetable garden, work is work, as they teach on the kibbutz. Luckily, he had a sense of humor, which eased his parents’ lot. He loved to be with friends, and didn't always come home on time. On the other hand, he was quite punctual for football games. He was a gifted footballer and played on the school's football team in its heyday, when it climbed to a higher league. He was an ardent fan of Manchester United, Barcelona and Maccabi Haifa. Since Kenny's passing, the Rapoport brothers would fly together each year to a Manchester match. At Yoni’s funeral, the family chose to play the song that opens every Manchester game: This is the One by the Stone Roses.
Yoni enlisted in an IDF intelligence unit in Judea and Samaria during the difficult period of the Intifada. He was a good soldier and was granted a Certificate of Merit by Israel’s president. Yet he had a very hard time coming to terms with what he saw and experienced, especially from the Palestinian side. He provided no descriptions, but the family says that something inside him changed. The things he was exposed to resonated within him and left a lasting impression.
After his military service, Yoni set out alone on the Big Trek. He was always a soloist, and did not want partners. He began his journey in Thailand, and when he reached India, he fell in love with it. He returned there again and again, and over the ten years between age 20 and 30, he spent a total of two years in India. Yoni became friends with a local family in the Himalaya Mountains, followed by his siblings Natasha and Dan. In Varanasi he began playing the sitar, and returned there to study over the years. On the kibbutz, he continued to frequently play the guitar and sitar.
In India, Yoni met Ola, who would become his wife and the mother of his two children. He invited her to trek with him to the three holiest Hindu temples in the Himalayas, and they returned to Israel together. They lived in Ein Kerem for some three years. Yoni became a shepherd in the Jerusalem area – work that fascinated this lover of nature, silence, and open air. When Ola became pregnant, they returned to Be’eri. They were a private couple, far from the madding crowd. They would hike in the area, and enjoyed listening to Indian music. In May 2014, their son Yosef was born, followed three years later by their daughter Aloma.
Separating from Ola was difficult, but the children filled him with joy. He was proud of Yosef, an intelligent, quiet boy, and Aloma, a lively little girl full of life. As a father, he made certain to set boundaries for the children, but primarily he was with them, made them laugh, raised the dog with them, and wondered at their very existence. He was a loner in the family, but always cared about and took an interest in the wellbeing of the family, near and far.
Yoni’s love for the kibbutz found expression in his work in the landscaping branch, and he became more and more versed in the field of horticulture. He completed several courses in gardening, and was about to begin another landscaping course. In this realm, he was a right-hand man for the elderly, helping them to cultivate their gardens, plant, or prune. In his own shy way, Yoni asked each one how they were doing and how he could help. He worked diligently and quietly, driving across the kibbutz roads in his Gator, loaded with pruned shrubs or hauling plants from the nursery. Only when you got into a random conversation with Yoni about the trees did you grasp the extensive knowledge he had amassed over the years and his great passion for the subject. The kibbutz loved him.
On Saturday morning, October 7, 2023, Yoni was with his children in the bomb shelter. His mother Noelle notes, “He was a hero. He was in touch with me when the terrorists entered his house. He wrote to me that they had broken into his house and to please call for help. I tried, but there was no one to talk to. What we know is that before the terrorists broke into the shelter, he told the children to hide under the bed, to be very quiet, and not to leave there. The children remained in the house and survived.”
“We love Yoni, and will continue what he began,” his family promises. “We will take care of the children that he so courageously saved. We will be okay. Let him sit there, calm, drinking a glass of whiskey, and be happy to see us.”
Yoni Rapoport was murdered on Saturday, October 7, 2023. He was 41 years old at his death.
May his memory be blessed.
